The List Awards 2026 Opens Nominations for Regional Changemakers
HARARE— Nominations for the 2026 edition of The List Awards has officially opened this Monday, launching a regional search for individuals whose work is transforming communities across Zimbabwe, Southern Africa, and East Africa.
The awards programme, which celebrates impactful leadership, service, innovation, and community development, is inviting the public, institutions, and organisations to nominate individuals who have demonstrated at least five years of verifiable contribution in their respective fields.
Founded by Identities Media Holdings Founder Advocate Nyaradzo “Nyari” Mashayamombe, The List Awards seeks to recognise unsung heroes whose efforts have created meaningful and lasting change in society.
Running under the theme:“Celebrating Impact. Honouring Unsung Heroes. Inspiring Change” the initiative is inspired by the African philosophy of Hunhu/Ubuntu, which emphasises shared humanity, service, and collective responsibility.
In a statement, The List Awards Board Chairperson, Pastor Philani Nyatsanza, said the awards were created to honour individuals whose contributions often go unnoticed despite their significant impact on communities.
“Behind every thriving community is someone whose name may never make the headlines, yet whose contribution changes lives. The List Awards was created to honour these individuals, the quiet leaders, the innovators, the community builders, and the champions of humanity whose impact deserves recognition.”
The 2026 edition will recognise excellence across a wide range of categories, including Business Impact, Humanitarian Impact, Social Impact, Youth Impact, Poverty Alleviation Impact, Climate and Environment Impact, Human Rights Impact, Sports Impact, Entertainment Impact, and Storytelling and Journalism. Selected regional impact categories will also be included.
Organisers said the awards aim to shift attention from visibility and popularity to measurable and sustained impact, rewarding individuals whose work has strengthened communities and contributed to social progress.
Since its establishment, The List Awards has grown into a prominent impact recognition platform, providing winners with not only public recognition but also various forms of support, including prize money in previous editions.
The awards process is overseen by an independent governance structure comprising a Board of Advisors, Selection Committee, Jury, and Adjudication processes. Organisers say these structures are designed to uphold transparency, integrity, and credibility throughout the selection process.
Eligibility requirements stipulate that nominees must be at least 18 years old and demonstrate a minimum of five years of verifiable impact, service, leadership, or contribution in their community, profession, or sector. Both self-nominations and third-party nominations are permitted, and there is no nomination fee.
The nomination period runs from June 15 to July 26, 2026.
Nominations can be submitted online through The List Awards website.
The awards organisers have encouraged communities across the region to participate in identifying individuals whose efforts are helping to build stronger, more inclusive, and more resilient societies.