Tanatswa Chikaura, 24, is a UK Based Zimbabwean currently studying at the University of Cambridge and was recently awarded the prestigious Princess Diana Award for her role in mental health awareness.
Tanatswa is the Founder and Director of Ndinewe Foundation, a youth-led mental health organization that seeks to promote good mental health for children, adolescents, and youths; the organization launched a mental health booklet in July 2022 which was endorsed by Allied Health Practitioners Council Zimbabwe.
Chikaura is a holder of a BSc. Hons Psychology degree from the University of Zimbabwe. She is currently pursuing her MPhil in Basic and Translational Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge and her current project is using blood markers and focusing on cytokines in an attempt to identify the cognitive decline and neuropsychiatric features within frontotemporal dementia. Tanatswa is the recipient of the Postgraduate Beit-Cambridge Scholarship 2022.
The award is in memory of Princess Diana and is awarded by the charity, with is the only charity set in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, and her belief that young people have the power to change the world. They are empowering young people to make the change by creating opportunities, unlocking opportunities, and inspiring action. Established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, The Diana Award is the most prestigious accolade a young person aged 9-25 years can receive for their social action or humanitarian work.Tanatswa is the Founder and Director of Ndinewe Foundation, a youth led mental health organisation that seeks to promote good mental health for children, adolescents and youths; the organisation launched a mental health booklet in July, 2022 which was endorsed by Allied Health Practitioners Council Zimbabwe.
Chikaura is a holder of a Bsc. Hons Psychology degree from the University of Zimbabwe. She is currently pursing her MPhil in Basic and Translational Neuroscience at the University of Cambridge and her current project is using blood markers and focusing on cytokines with the attempt to identify the cognitive decline and neuropsychiatric features within frontotemporal dementia. Tanatswa is the recipient of the Postgraduate Beit-Cambridge Scholarship 2022.
The award is in memory of Princess Diana and is awarded by the charity, with is the only charity set in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales and her belief that young people have the power to change the world. They are empowering the young people to make the change by creating opportunities, unlocking opportunities and inspiring action. Established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, The Diana Award is the most prestigious accolade a young person aged 9-25 years can receive for their social action or humanitarian work.
The 2023 Diana Award put the spotlight on over 180 young people receiving the highest accolade a young person can achieve for social action or humanitarian efforts and the Prince of Wales and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex delivered personal recorded messages to the young people who received the award.
Speaking to 263Chat in a separate interview, Chikaura expressed her gratitude and humility for the award and had this to say, “ I am honestly honoured to have my work recognized on such a high platform. This is the first award of this magnitude have received in relation to my work with Ndinewe”.
This is surely a well deserved award for Tanatswa who has been actively participating and promoting mental health awareness initiatives and campaigns.