Celebrating Africa's​ Unsung Heroes

Behind every statistic is a human being working tirelessly to make Africa better. The Humanitarians of Africa Awards (HOA Awards) exist to find those people, celebrate them, and make sure the world knows their names.

The HOA Awards are an offshoot of the Humanitarians of Africa project by Hexa Media, a movement dedicated to amplifying the voices and work of Africa’s most impactful nonprofit founders and social change leaders.

Eligibility Criteria

  • Work must be aligned with one or more UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Must be based in Africa or conducting humanitarian work for African communities
  • Must demonstrate consistent, impact-driven projects
  • Must be able to show verifiable work spanning at least one year

2026 Award Categories

Nine categories celebrating excellence across the full spectrum of African humanitarian impact.

Humanitarian of Africa

Exceptional Humanitarian Storyteller

Most Exceptional Leader

African Heart (Diaspora Champion)

SDG Champion of the Year

African Changemaker of the Year

Exceptional Volunteer of the Year

Social Entrepreneur of the Year

Social Enterprise of the Year

AI Innovator of the Year

AI for Good Pioneer

Emerging Voice of the Year

Award Timeline

Nominations Open

June 2026

Nominations Close

August 2026

Nominees Announced

September 2026

Judging Period

August 2026

Winners Announced

20th Nov 2026

How Winners Are Selected

Our judging panel is made up of leading experts across the nonprofit sector. Category winners are evaluated on:

Structure

How organized and sustainable is the work?

Originality

Is the approach innovative and context-specific?

Consistency

Is there a proven track record of sustained effort?

Impact

What measurable difference has the work made?

Become a Partner

The Humanitarians of Africa Awards offer your brand a rare opportunity: sustained, meaningful exposure to Africa’s most passionate nonprofit community. Partner with us and align your brand with the change Africa deserves.

What We Offer Partners

  • Newsletter, website, and social media visibility throughout the campaign
  • Brand alignment with high-value press coverage in a fast-growing sector
  • Community engagement across submissions, events, and digital channels
  • Post-summit and post-awards publicity for up to 9 months

Category Sponsorship Includes

  • Logo displayed on-screen during the award ceremony
  • Brand mention in all press releases throughout the campaign
  • Logo on the awards entry site and official SIMS website
  • Involvement in all communications to category entrants
  • Opportunity to share your offer or message via our newsletter

Event Partnership Includes

  • All Category Sponsorship benefits, PLUS:

  • ‘HOA Awards 2026 — Powered by [Your Brand]’ naming rights
  • Logo engraved on all winner badges
  • Brand visible throughout the award presentation ceremony
  • Visibility across all social media — widely shared by winners, nominees, and community members

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