Kenyan nurse, Anna Qabale Duba, is the first winner of the prestigious Aster Guardian Global Nursing Award.
Ms Qabale, who hails from Marsabit county, has taken home $250,000 after seeing off nine other finalists in Dubai.
An eminent grand jury selected her from among the ten finalists who had been shortlisted from the initial pool of 24,000 nominee nurses worldwide.
The other nine finalists also received monetary prizes at the event.
Ms Qabale said that she was elated to emerge the prize winner among prominent participants, some of whom were far more experienced and educated than her.
“My win has proved that I’m doing amazing work and makes me feel that my dreams are valid and headed for even some greater victories,” she said.
Ms Qabale was feted in Dubai at a ceremony held in commemoration of International Nurses Day.
Adorned in cultural regalia, she received the award from Sheik Ahmed Saeed Al Maktoum, the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority Chairman and Executive Chief of Emirates Airline.
“This victory is indeed for my country Kenya, my continent Africa and all the girls back in the villages of my home county, Marsabit,” Ms Qabale added.
She emerged the winner among other nominees after impressively appealing to the eminent grand jury for selflessly dedicating her life in service to the needy girls in Marsabit county.
The Aster Guardian International Nursing Award was founded in 2021 to acknowledge the unwavering and selfless humanitarian care extended by nurses worldwide.
Ms Qabale is hopeful that she will become an ambassador for girls’ education not only in Marsabit or Kenya but in Africa as a whole.
She was the first Miss Tourism Marsabit County and has also held the titles of Miss Tourism Kenya Peace and Miss Tourism Kenya Investment 2013/2014.
During her tenure as Miss Marsabit County, she advocated for improving menstrual hygiene and education in Marsabit County.
She is also the founder of the Qabale Duba Foundation – PAPA Project, a project initiated to give girls sanitary towels and panties to enable them to concentrate on their studies. This ensures that needy girls do not skip classes during their menses.
More than 3,000 girls have benefitted from the project.
