Rajan Samuel, Habitat for Humanity wins Asia Innovator of the Year Award!

Aid & International Development Forum is delighted to announce the winner of the Innovator of the Year Award 2018 at the AIDF Asia Summit taking place on 20-21 June 2018 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Asia Innovator of the Year Award 2018 celebrates individuals as well as teams who have introduced game-changing initiatives, created research or inventions that have made an impact on the humanitarian aid and development sectors in Asia over the past year.

The aim is to recognise individuals for their inspiring leadership, forward-thinking, creative problem-solving and implementation of innovative programmes that have helped drive Asia’s progress towards Sustainable Development Goals.

The nominees were judged on their inspiring innovation, proven impact and success. Nominees were also expected to exhibit a thoughtful, creative and innovative approach to resolving humanitarian and development challenges in Asia over the past year.

A shortlist of 10 was released earlier this month. 

The winner, Rajan Samuel, Habitat for Humanity, was chosen because of his commitment to spearhead the design and implementation of several creative and impactful projects aimed at improving the living conditions of millions of the most vulnerable families in India.

Through his leadership, Habitat India inspires partners in government, the private sector and civil society to volunteer, donate, invest and advocate for decent, affordable housing, for access to clean water and for better hygiene and sanitation practices. Through Rajan’s able leadership, Habitat for Humanity India serves as a voice for people in need of decent housing by working to change laws and shape policies that affect access to housing. 

Adequate and affordable housing not only improves outcomes for individuals, but affects communities and the global economy at large. Rajan and Habitat India is instrumental in operationalising Habitat's global advocacy for smart systems and policies that improve access to decent and affordable shelter on the ground. Indeed, Habitat for Humanity’s interventions in India contributes not only to India’s but to the Asia-Pacific region’s progress towards achieving sustainable development.

Rajan’s work with Habitat India is contributing primarily to Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities—in particular target 11.1 to ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services, and upgrade slums and Goal 6: Water and Sanitation. With housing’s role as an integrating factor for most of the SDGs, Rajan and Habitat India is also contributing towards Goal 1: No Poverty, Goal 5: Gender Equity, and Goal 7: Energy. 

Find out more about the AIDF Asia Summit here. 

Nominations are now open for our Global Innovator of the Year Award, you can nominate someone here. The winner of the Global Innovator of the Year Award will be announced at the 10th anniversary AIDF Global Summit.