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), scheduled for October 30, 2025, at The Palace of Westminster. The highly coveted BCyA Medal of Honour is reserved for a select number of exceptional young individuals aged 18 and below who are making a positive impact on their communities and wider society.
A statement from the organisers 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.”
Each of the 22 inspirational young persons will receive the BCyA Medal of Honour and will be able to use the post-nominals ‘BCyA’ as a legacy of their achievements and endeavours—for example, Sarah Kittoe, BCyA.
This is the second time Sarah has received national honours in just two years. Last year, she was honoured at the Royal Global Awards for her literary work and philanthropy. Sarah is the author of five books and donates all proceeds from her book sales to charities in both the UK and Ghana. She began writing during the COVID-19 lockdown at the age of seven, with a mission to address poor representation for young readers while raising funds for charities close to her heart.
Her books aim to inspire young people never to give up and believe in themselves. Her latest book, “Lindsey and the Blue Fox 2,” is an emotionally intelligent narrative that explores environmental themes, including deforestation and its impact on wildlife, serving as a powerful call to action.
Beyond writing, 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 to help refurbish a school library in Tema, Ghana, to provide children with a comfortable and secure space to read and learn, proving that writing can be a force for global good. Her work demonstrates that age is no barrier to making a meaningful difference, and her unwavering commitment to giving back continues to inspire people of all ages.
Together with her 8-year-old award-winning sister, Mary, who is an artist, Sarah is working to establish the SMKittoe Foundation to support more communities. The foundation aims to drive community education so that people can access opportunities within their own communities instead of migrating elsewhere. Sarah and Mary plan to engage with various communities to understand their needs and design projects that target those needs for maximum impact.
In addition to the 22 individual medalists, one group of young people will receive the Dame Mary Perkins British Citizen Group Award. This special accolade, open only to groups, will be presented with an official presentation plaque, medal and certificate of honour.
“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. 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,” stated Mike Faulkner, Director of the BCyA.
Nominations are now open for the 2026 medal presentations, and interested persons can register online at www.britishcitizenyouthawards.co.uk.
The British Citizen Youth Award, now in its ninth year and held in association with Specsavers, recognises individuals aged 18 and under who positively impact others and highlight the positive aspects of communities, schools, 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 the young people’s newspaper First News.
