A 23-year-old Filipina has been awarded this year’s Women’s International Network for Disaster Risk Reduction (WIN DRR) Rising Star Award for her significant contributions to food security. Robyn Mijares, the founder and executive director of Youth Uprising, became the first Filipino to receive this recognition.
Youth Uprising is a non-profit organization that provides environmental and agricultural education to marginalized Filipino youth in public schools. Mijares was honored for her initiative, “Oh My, Garden: Grow Your Own Food Contest,” which helped students grow their food during the COVID-19 pandemic, addressing both hunger and long-term food security issues.
The award was presented during the 10th Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction at the Philippine International Convention Center on October 16. In her acceptance speech, Mijares encouraged the Filipino youth to take action and make a difference.
Mijares’ work has impacted over 98,000 public school students in Las Piñas City and has expanded internationally, benefiting youth in Laos, Thailand, and Indonesia.
