Zonta global award for young Pinay

MANILA, Philippines - A young Muslim Filipina was one of five awardees of the Zonta International Young Women in Public Affairs (YWPA) for her work in building libraries and distributing books in areas known to be hotspots of rebel and terrorist groups.

Arizza Ann Sahi-Nocum, the 16-year-old administrator of the Kristiyano-Islam Peace Library (Kris), became the first Filipina to win the prestigious YWPA international award along with awardees Emily Kvalheim (USA), Mehitabel Markwei (Ghana), Anjali Chandrashekar (India) and Nasma Dasser (Switzerland).

Each of the five winners will get $3,000 from the Zonta International Foundation.

The five finalists were chosen through a rigorous screening and review process by 1,200 Zonta clubs across 64 countries. Zonta International is a global organization of executives and professionals working together to advance the status of women worldwide through service and advocacy.

Nocum “a Christian-Muslim” will receive an additional $1,000 for besting other finalists in the Zonta International District 17 which comprises Zonta clubs in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. Arizza was nominated by the Zonta Club of Quezon City.

“I dedicate this award to our Christian and Muslim scholars and library users whose determination to pursue their dreams amid war, hunger and extreme poverty inspires me to work harder to improve myself and to pursue our advocacy work amid my busy school schedules,” said Nocum, who started giving speeches and distributing books in poor public schools in Mindanao when she was only seven years old.

Chosen through her essay writings and advocacy work profile sent to Zonta International, Nocum earned the coveted award for her work in the non-profit organization Kris Peace Library, which was put up by her Catholic father Armand and her Muslim mother Annora. The Nocums started their advocacy in 2001.

The organization aims to eradicate poverty and conflict through the education of the youth throughout the Philippines. It believes that war is the product not only of religious extremism but also of poverty, lack of education, and hopelessness.  

Thus far, KRIS has built and established five libraries in a slum area in Quezon City; in a resettlement area for victims of typhoon Ondoy in Montalban, Rizal; in a suspected jump-off point of the Abu Sayyaf in Zamboanga City; and set the foundation for two more libraries in a Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) stronghold in Tungawan, Zamboanga del Sur.

The Kris Library has awarded 101 scholarship grants to poor children in these areas; provides free computer use and basic computer lessons to poor kids; and donated thousands of books, school supplies; and computers to public schools and poor communities all over the country.

“My dad always tells me: every book we get from our donors and send to the kids takes them one step away from poverty and one step towards a better life. That’s what I believe in too,” Nocum shares.

As administrator of the advocacy, Arizza catalogues the books at the libraries, writes news articles and letters to donors, facilitates activities with children, and interacts with volunteers, donors, and partners of the organization.

An honor graduate of the Philippine Science High School, Arizza is a freshman at the University of the Philippines where she is an Oblation Scholar. She is majoring in industrial engineering.

Zonta International president Dianne Curtis handed Nocum the award yesterday at the Zonta’s 16th District Conference at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay. Zonta’s YWPA award is given to young women aged 16 to 19 who demonstrate a commitment to leadership in public policy, government and volunteer organizations.