Internet Society 5 under 25 award
The Internet Society today announced the awardees of its 25 under 25 program. One of the many initiatives supporting the Internet Society’s 25th Anniversary, the program recognizes 25 young people from around the globe who are passionate about using the Internet to make a positive impact in their communities.
Poornima Meegammana, 24, Sri Lanka
Preventing cyber-harassment of teenage girls
Poornima founded the Respect Girls on Internet project out of concern for her teenage peers in Sri Lanka, many of whom face online hostility. Her experience is that teenagers typically start using the Internet without any knowledge about cyber safety or privacy.
Poornima and her team of volunteers worked with partners to make digital content on Internet safety available in local languages to ensure accessibility for all. One of the project’s most significant outputs is a Cyber Privacy e-Handbook, for teenagers new to the Internet, as well as teachers and parents.
Through her project, Poornima has enabled safer and more respectful Internet use, helped support victims of cyber harassment, and developed a network of youth committed to preventing future harassment. She is solving a problem rooted in the Internet by using the Internet.
Find out more about Respect Girls on Internet
Poornima and her team of volunteers worked with partners to make digital content on Internet safety available in local languages to ensure accessibility for all. One of the project’s most significant outputs is a Cyber Privacy e-Handbook, for teenagers new to the Internet, as well as teachers and parents.
Through her project, Poornima has enabled safer and more respectful Internet use, helped support victims of cyber harassment, and developed a network of youth committed to preventing future harassment. She is solving a problem rooted in the Internet by using the Internet.
Find out more about Respect Girls on Internet
- Mr. Adam Galloway (United Kingdom) – Protecting online freedom of expression
- Mr. Akah Harvey N (Cameroon) – Detecting and predicting road accidents
- Mr. Akshay Makar (India) – Creating sustainable livelihoods with online crafts
- Mr. Alec Foster (United States) – Strengthening student movements through digital activism
- Mr. Ash Ball (Australia) – Anti-cyberbullying youth movement
- Ms. Asha Abbas (Tanzania) – Providing health education to adolescents
- Mr. Augusto Mathurin (Argentina) – Creating virtual spaces for collaborative participation
- Mr. Biddemu Bazil Mwotta (Uganda) – Connecting local farmers with buyers
- Ms. Bidyabati Meher (India) – Digitising a cultural tradition for sustained livelihood
- Ms. Cintia Padilla (Honduras) – Teaching computer skills to local youth
- Mr. Diego Cordova (Guatemala) – Enabling access to educational materials
- Ms. Farah Abdi (Somalia) – Giving voice to refugee and LGBT issues
- Mr. James Beaumont (United Kingdom) – Building online communities of support
- Ms. Jazmin Fallas Kerr (Costa Rica) – Lifting families out of poverty
- Ms. Juma Baldeh (Gambia) – Improving gender balance among web users
- Ms. Kate Ekanem (Nigeria) – Empowering girls through education and literacy
- Ms. Kate Green (United Kingdom) – Protecting the data of online health communities
- Ms. Linda Patiño (Colombia) – Advancing human rights through ICTs
- Mr. Mariano Gomez (Mexico) – Connecting an isolated community
- Ms. Mary Helda Akongo (Uganda) – Using technology to empower Ugandan women
- Mr. Naitik Mehta (India) – Connecting people with disabilities to employment opportunities
- Mr. Nilay Kulkarni (India) – Helping make large gatherings safer
- Ms. Paula Côrte Real (Brazil) – Promoting safe and responsible Internet for youth
- Ms. Poornima Meegammana (Sri Lanka) – Preventing cyber-harassment of teenage girls
- Mr. Valentinos Tzekas (Greece) – Using AI to identify fake news
- Honorable Mention Recipients
- Ms. Makkiya Jawed (Pakistan) – Raising awareness about e-health solutions
- Mr. Parker Woods (United States) – Delivering Internet connectivity in the Arctic
- Ms. Radwa Hamed Soliman (Egypt) – Providing employment
