Thirteen-year-old British-Ghanaian author and philanthropist, Sarah Afua Kittoe, has been nominated among 22 British children from across the UK for this year’s British Citizen Youth Award (BCyA), slated for October 30, 2025, at The Palace of Westminster.
The highly coveted BCyA Medal of Honour is reserved for a small number of exceptional young individuals aged 18 and below, who are making a positive impact on their communities and wider society.
A statement issued by the BCyA and copied to the Ghanaian Times said: “These selfless young people have shown kindness and commitment to a multitude of causes, raising funds and awareness, and are all dedicated to making a difference.”
The Director of the BCyA, Mike Faulkner, said: “We are delighted to be able to recognise these amazing individuals with a BCyA. It is both heartening and uplifting to know that so many young people are consciously contributing to causes such as the environment, climate change, education, and creating awareness and fundraising for hospitals, medical research and charities.”
He added: “The youth of today are truly the leaders of tomorrow, and we are humbled that BCyA Patron Dame Mary, who is also founder of Specsavers, has put her name to the prestigious group accolade, enabling us to broaden its recognition of young people in society.”
According to the statement, each of the 22 inspirational young persons will be presented with the BCyA Medal of Honour, after which they will be able to use the post-nominals “BCyA” as a legacy of their achievements and endeavours.
It said this was the second time Sarah was receiving national honours in just two years. Last year, she was honoured at the Royal Global Awards for her literary work and philanthropy.
Sarah Kittoe is the author of five books and donates all proceeds from sales to charities in the UK and Ghana.
The statement said Sarah started writing during the Covid-19 lockdown at the age of seven. Her mission was to address poor representation for readers while raising funds for charities close to her heart.
“Sarah’s five books are driven by a singular purpose of inspiring young people to never give up and believe in themselves. Her latest, Lindsey and the Blue Fox 2, is an emotionally intelligent narrative that serves as a powerful call to action on exploring the important themes of environmentalism, focusing on deforestation and its impact on wildlife,” it said.
Beyond her books, Sarah has raised thousands of pounds for Centrepoint, a youth homelessness charity, and the Wednesday Club at West Croydon Methodist Church.
She has recently extended her fundraising from book sales to help refurbish a school library at Tema in Ghana, to provide children with a comfortable and secure place to read and learn, proving that writing can be a force for global good.
Sarah’s work demonstrates that age is no barrier to making a meaningful difference. Her unwavering commitment to giving back, now amplified by many, is an inspiration to people of all ages.
The British Citizen Youth Award (BCyA), now in its ninth year, is in association with Specsavers. It recognises individuals aged 18 and under who positively impact others and highlight the positive aspects of communities, schools and places of education, community groups, charities and specific causes throughout the UK.
The award is also supported by creative communications group Tigerbond, sightseeing specialist Big Bus London, and young people’s newspaper First News.
BY TIMES REPORTER
