Supported by South Ayrshire Council’s Destination South Ayrshire service, the RBHA celebrates exceptional courage, commitment, and hands-on humanitarian work worldwide. This year’s finalists are Gurpreet Singh, Philip Obaji Jr and Garth Knox.

S. Gurpreet Singh Mintu Malwa leads the Manukhta Di Sewa, a charitable non-governmental organisation based in Ludhiana, Punjab, India. Founded in 2016, the society provides free shelter, food, medical care, and other essential aid to the poor, homeless, sick and marginalised.

The organisation offers comprehensive care, including medical treatment, clean clothes and housing, while advocating for victims of modern slavery. Bi-weekly medical camps provide psychological support and aid to the visually impaired, while monthly food rations are distributed to impoverished families. Additionally, the society sponsors education for talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Mr Singh said: “I live in Hasanpur, Punjab, India. In 2016 I was working in a restaurant. At my work, me and my friend found a person who was paralysed so we helped him.

“From that day I started to take care of the people for whom nobody cares. I started to keep them on my property in a new building called Manukhta di Sewa Society. We help thousands of people with mental health and other issues every month and I will keep helping vulnerable people however I can.

“I am very thankful to the Robert Burns Humanitarian Award team who selected me as one of the finalists. I would like to congratulate the other two finalists as well.”

Philip Obaji Jr., a Nigerian journalist and activist, is the founder of the 1 GAME initiative, which promotes education through football. For nine years, he has reported for The Daily Beast, covering sub-Saharan Africa with a focus on conflict zones and human rights abuses.

His journalism has informed governments and humanitarian organisations, leading to campaigns against human trafficking and improving security and education for displaced individuals.

Through 1 GAME, launched in 2010, Philip has advocated for enrolling vulnerable children in schools, aligning with the Education for All initiative. His work has received public endorsements from global celebrities.

He said: “Being nominated and then selected as a finalist for the Robert Burns Humanitarian Award 2025 is a great honor and an even greater responsibility. It shows that my work in uncovering and documenting atrocities committed across Africa hasn’t gone unnoticed. I am so humbled.”

Garth Knox, a Canadian educator and humanitarian, has volunteered with charitable organisations for over 40 years. Since 2011, he has been a key volunteer with GlobalMedic, an Ontario-based non-governmental organisation providing disaster relief.

He is the only volunteer in the organisation’s history to permanently relocate, spending nearly 1,000 days in Moldova by the end of 2024 to assist those affected by the Ukraine conflict. There, he distributes around 1,750 food parcels weekly to Ukrainian refugees and Moldovan host families.

As part of GlobalMedic’s Rapid Response team, Garth has been deployed to 11 countries, assisting with major crises such as Japan’s 2011 earthquake and tsunami, Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines (2013), the 2015 Nepal earthquake, and the 2021 Haiti earthquake. During the pandemic, he supported vaccination clinics and packed aid supplies.

Garth’s lifelong dedication also includes over 140 platelet donations with the Red Cross and volunteering with Meals on Wheels, Out of the Cold, and Campfire Circle, a camp for children with cancer.

He commented: “I am truly grateful to be shortlisted for the Robert Burns Humanitarian Award, and to be associated with such wonderful organisations and volunteers worldwide.

“It is an honour to be of service and a blessing to have the opportunity to give back. Best of luck to all the nominees and kudos for the well-deserved recognition!”

Councillor Martin Dowey, chair of the RBHA judging panel and Leader of South Ayrshire Council, said: “This year’s finalists are exemplary humanitarians, embodying selflessness, courage, and a profound commitment to improving lives. 

“Their actions remind us of the enduring legacy of Robert Burns, whose empathy, compassion, and belief in the common good continue to inspire us today.  I look forward to revealing the winner in January and celebrating their extraordinary achievements.”

The winner of the Robert Burns Humanitarian Award will be announced during an online ceremony on Thursday 25 January 2025. The recipient will receive the RBHA title and a prize of 1759 guineas (approximately £1,800), a nod to the year of Burns’ birth and the currency of the time.