Annual Awards for Achievement 2008

Award For Personal Achievement (16-25)

Winner - Tedros Hagos

Tedros Hagos, a young man of 20 who fled his home country of Eritrea, has won an Achievement Award from national employment charity Tomorrow's People.

The charity's Annual Awards for Achievement pay tribute to people who have overcome significant barriers in their quest to get into work. Tedros attended the Awards ceremony at Plaisterers' Hall, London on Wednesday 12th November. He won the category 'Award for Personal Achievement (16-25yrs)' which recognises individuals who have overcome personal difficulties to get into employment, education or training.

Tedros lived in Eritrea until he was three, and moved to Ethiopia with his Father after his parents split up. However, when the war broke out he moved back to Eritrea, where, he faced conscription on turning 18. He did not want to take part in the fighting and was put in prison for refusing to join up. Not knowing how long his imprisonment would last, an army friend of his father secured his release for a high fee and he was eventually brought to England.

Once settled, Tedros was keen to find a job or get onto a training programme and was recommended to the Tomorrow's People Working It Out project in Southwark. Alison Moore, Head of Project at Southwark noticed that he was always helping others out and was brilliant at motivating and guiding his peers. He also made himself responsible for certain aspects of the group work, and was an all round asset to the group.

Tedros has a huge passion for food and his main goal was to become a chef. Alison referred him to Fifteen's chef apprenticeship programme, the charity founded by Jamie Oliver, where he went through a series of interviews and was eventually offered a well deserved place.

Tedros has also been helping Tomorrow's People run their weekly flower stall at Kennington Cross. In this role he has shown himself to be a skilled communicator and consistently reliable and courteous. Alison Moore commented that "Tedros has been a delight to have on the programme, his attitude has been outstanding and his contribution to the programme excellent. He has demonstrated a willingness to learn and to help his peers which has been exceptional."

Runner Up - Kelly-Jo Jones

Read her story here.