Kenyan Nurse Wins Sh29 Million Global Nursing Award in Dubai

Kenyan nurse Anna Qabale Duba has won the inaugural Aster Guardian Global Nursing Award.

Duba received the award from Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and CEO of Emirates airline and group at a grand ceremony held in Dubai to commemorate International Nurses Day on Thursday.

She was recognized for her dedication to empowering young girls in Marsabit County with education and campaign against harmful cultural practices such as Female Genital Mutation (FGM) through the Qabale Duba Foundation.

Her foundation runs a project dubbed PAPA which provides school-going girls with sanitary towels and panties to enable them to concentrate on their studies. The project has benefitted over 3,000 girls since its inception, lifting the burden off the shoulders of many poor parents.

Duba, who was selected by an eminent grand jury from 10 finalists, will take home prize money of $250,000 (Sh29 million). The award received nominations from 24,000 nurses from all over the world.

She attributed her success to hard work and patience and thanked her mother and husband for their unconditional support. 

“I could not have imagined in my wildest dreams that I would be acknowledged and celebrated in such a way. This victory is indeed for my country Kenya, my continent Africa and all the girls back in the villages of my home county, Marsabit,” an overwhelmed Duba said at the ceremony.

Launched in 2021 by Aster DM Healthcare, Aster Guardian International Nursing Award aims to acknowledge the unflinching humanitarian care extended by nurses worldwide.

The other nine finalists received a sum of US$5000 each. They included: Dida Jirma Bulle from Kenya; Francis Michael Fernando (UK); Jasmine Mohammad Sharaf’ (UAE); Julia Dorothy Downing from the UK, Lincy Joseph and Manju Dhandapani from India, Mathew James Ball from Australia, Rachel Abraham Joseph from the US, and Waris Mohammad Qarani from Afghanistan.