Konexio Africa wins SIARAS 2025

November 12, 2025 / 2:59 PM

Sharjah 24: The Big Heart Foundation (TBHF), a global humanitarian organisation dedicated to supporting refugees and people in need, has announced Konexio Africa as the winner of the Sharjah International Award for Refugee Advocacy and Support (SIARAS 2025) in its ninth edition. The award recognises outstanding initiatives that have made a tangible difference in improving the lives of refugees and displaced communities worldwide. Among those celebrating the achievement was Fabian de Castilla, Director of Konexio Africa.

Expressing his gratitude, de Castilla thanked the Big Heart Foundation and the Excellencies of Sharjah, noting that the team was “deeply honoured to receive this prestigious award, which holds great significance as it is widely recognised within the refugee space and adds credibility to our small organisation through the involvement of many respected partners.”

New hope for refugees

Speaking exclusively to Sharjah 24, Fabian de Castilla, Director of Konexio Africa, explained that Konexio Africa focuses on two main areas to empower refugees and host communities across East Africa. The first involves providing digital and professional training that equips participants with the skills to work remotely and earn a sustainable income from their own communities. Through this programme, trainees engage in online work such as data projects, customer support, and social media management. The second area centres on offering outsourcing services to international companies seeking to combine business with social responsibility. By employing trained refugees to deliver high-quality digital services to clients around the world, the organisation creates a bridge between humanitarian support and economic opportunity.

1,000 direct beneficiaries and growing

De Castilla confirmed that Konexio Africa has so far trained around 1,000 individuals, representing approximately 7,000 indirect beneficiaries across East Africa.