Ugandan Entrepreneur Shifra Ainomugisha Named 2026 Commonwealth Young Person of The Year

Shifra Ainomugisha of Uganda has been named the 2026 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year at the 2026 Commonwealth Youth Awards ceremony held in London on 25 June.

The awards ceremony brought together government representatives, high commissioners, youth leaders, and other stakeholders to celebrate the contributions of young people towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals across the Commonwealth.

Shifra, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Solafam Uganda Limited, an agri-tech social enterprise, was recognised for her climate-smart, AI-driven initiatives that provide solar-powered cold storage and irrigation systems. Her innovations have improved farm productivity while reducing food loss and hunger in communities across Uganda.

Her work is inspired by her upbringing in a tomato-farming family, where she witnessed poor harvests and crops going to waste due to inadequate storage facilities and limited access to markets. Growing up in a patriarchal environment, where hard work is often associated more with men than women, also motivated her to pursue entrepreneurship.

Since 2022, Solafam has supported more than 1,500 smallholder farmers, 70 per cent of whom are women. The enterprise has helped reduce post-harvest losses by 30 per cent and increase household incomes by 28 per cent, strengthening economic resilience and climate adaptation among women and youth in Uganda.

The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Hon. Shirley Botchwey, presented the award to Shifra.

In her remarks, the Secretary-General said:

“My congratulations to you all finalists. You are already winners. To be selected from across 56 nations is a testament to your courage and your creativity. You embody the very best of our family. You have shown resilience in the face of challenge and innovation in the face of constraint.”

She continued:

“Today is not about recognition alone — it is about momentum. It is not about isolated excellence — it is about collective advancement. Together, we will continue to strengthen the Commonwealth Youth Programme as a flagship vehicle for youth development in the Commonwealth.”

It was a double victory for Shifra, who also received the top regional award for Africa, bringing her total prize money to £5,000.

Overcome with emotion as she accepted the award, she stated:

“I am honoured to be named the 2026 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year. This recognition is not only personal but also represents the farmers and communities in Uganda whom we serve. It also affirms that solutions built from lived experience can create real impact. I cannot wait to continue this journey with the support of the Commonwealth and its remarkable network of partners.”

The Commonwealth Youth Awards support young changemakers aged 15 to 29 by helping scale up their innovations and enterprises.

Since their inception, the awards have invested more than £400,000 directly into grassroots youth-led initiatives. These investments have reached over 12 million beneficiaries, created more than 4,250 jobs, and contributed to the achievement of all 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Notably, 40 per cent of the funding has supported women-led initiatives, reinforcing the Commonwealth’s commitment to gender equality and inclusive growth.Ugandan Entrepreneur Shifra Ainomugisha Named 2026 Commonwealth Young Person Of The Year