Canon Europe Middle East & Africa, a world-leading imaging company, has announced the winners of the Canon Young Champion of the Year category at the 2025 Global Good Awards.
The Canon Young Champion of the Year category is the only dedicated youth title at the Global Good Awards, an event that celebrates businesses, NGOs, charities and social enterprises globally for their pioneering work in purpose-driven sustainability and ethical leadership. The category recognises young leaders who are driving positive change across all areas of sustainability, inspiring action from others through their impactful examples.
The category was originally inspired by the Canon Young People Programme (CYPP), which gives young people the knowledge, skills and confidence to tackle the sustainability issues that matter to them, using creativity and critical thinking. Celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, the CYPP demonstrates Canon’s continued commitment to using imaging for good, having worked with over 50 global partners and reaching over 10,000 young people across Europe, Middle East and Africa through storytelling workshops, exhibitions and speaking opportunities.
Judges selected two category winners from a pool of outstanding applications:
Under 16s Winner: Samantha Fung
From Canada and currently studying in the Netherlands, Samantha is the founder of Music For Every Child, a charity to fight against unequal education for children with developmental disabilities and other disadvantaged children. Her initiative provides music therapy, offering a unique avenue for learning and development.
Under 21’s Winner: Allison Choong
A Malaysian youth activist and illustrator, Allison co-created Safiya Speaks Up, a multilingual children’s book and mentor’s guide on sexual and domestic violence, reaching over 10,000 girls globally. Her work dismantles stigma around gender-based violence, using art and advocacy to spark critical conversations in classrooms and communities.
Applications were assessed by an inspiring panel of category judges, including Del Barrett, Founder and Chair of Hundred Heroines, Katie Rabone, CEO of Community People and Jodie Bailey-Ho, Canon Young Champion runner-up in 2023 and Diana Awards winner in 2024. The two age group winners (9-16 and 17-21) will receive a Canon R50 Content Creator Kit (worth nearly £1,000) or a Storytelling Masterclass with a Canon Ambassador.
Peter Bragg, Canon EMEA Sustainability & Government Affairs Director said: “Congratulations to this year’s GGA Canon Young Champions and thank you to all who entered. Each year we are moved by the quality of applications and the winning submissions. As we celebrate the sixth cohort of winners, we also mark the ten-year anniversary of the Canon Young People Programme, a significant milestone in our commitment to enabling young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to tell the stories that matter most to them and drive positive change.”
