A Cameroon village leader who organised support for tens of thousands of refugees fleeing conflict has won one of the world’s most prestigious humanitarian awards. 

Chief Martin Azia Sodea is the 2025 Nansen Awards global laureate. 

“When refugees from the Central African Republic fled to their village, the people of Gado-Badzéré did not turn them away. Led by Chief Sodea and his family, they offered the newcomers a chance to rebuild, providing land for shelter and farming,” the awards citation read. 

“His leadership turned a small village into a symbol of solidarity, built on the belief that those who arrive in distress deserve support and space to breathe,” it said. 

Established in 1954, the Nansen Award honours individuals, groups and organizations who go beyond the call of duty to protect refugees, as well as internally displaced and stateless people. 

The awards are named after Fridtjof Nansen, a Norwegian scientist, polar explorer, diplomat and first High Commissioner for Refugees for the League of Nations. 

Chief Martin is among four extraordinary individuals and a front-line national organization, who have demonstrated inspirational courage and compassion by helping those forced to flee, honoured in this year’s awards. 

Other winners were: the founder of a refugee-run school in Tajikistan; a women’s organization in Iraq reaching 105,000 conflict survivors; a business executive in Mexico who helped hire hundreds of refugees; and frontline responders in Ukraine who stay put when others evacuate. 

UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi said the Nansen Refugee Award celebrated extraordinary courage and compassion. 

“This year’s laureates remind us that, even in dark times, compassion remains undimmed. Their unwavering commitment to protecting and uplifting displaced people offers hope and inspiration. They embody the spirit of Nansen – a belief that every person forced to flee, wherever they are, deserves dignity, safety and hope,” he said. 

Chief Sodea has also inspired other traditional leaders to support refugees, helping spark a shift in how refugees are welcomed across the region, and proving that empathy can be a powerful force for change. 

His message to the awards ceremony was simple yet profound: “We are all human beings, and we have to take care of each other”. 

“We had to start by addressing social needs. It was really this social approach that saved the lives of these people because some were already dying on their journey here. We had to go find them, bring food and rescue them,” he said. 

“We could not watch our brothers die. There is no distinction between the refugees and the host population. We live together,” Chief Martin said. 

The four regional winners to be honoured this year are: 

Pablo Moreno Cadena (Americas), a business leader in Mexico who has become a trailblazer for refugee inclusion in the country. A senior executive at MABE, a major appliance manufacturer, he encouraged the company to actively hire and integrate refugees into its workforce. 

Proliska (Europe), a Ukrainian organisation providing life-saving aid to more than 3.2 million people, often in the most dangerous and isolated areas. In the aftermath of air strikes and shelling, Proliska is often among the first to respond, ensuring no one is left behind. 

Taban Shoresh (Middle East & North Africa) is an aid worker, women’s rights activist and founder of The Lotus Flower, a women-led organization that supports conflict survivors in Iraq. A genocide survivor, Taban was inspired by her own experiences to make a real difference in the lives of displaced women and girls in the Kurdistan region of Iraq. 

Negara Nazari (Asia-Pacific), an Afghan refugee and co-founder of the Ariana Learning Centre in Tajikistan. A former DAFI scholar with a degree in economics, Negara chose a path rooted in compassion and action. Instead of pursuing a corporate career, she decided to build a school for young Afghan refugees who were unable to access education. 

Read more here: UNHCR Nansen Award winners show compassion for refugees is alive and well | UNHCR