Meet our two inspiring finalists for the 2024 Fred Hollows Humanitarian.
Learn moreWho's the Fred in your world?
Professor Fred Hollows was a great Australian who had great faith in the humanitarian nature of everyday Australians. The Fred Awards recognise this type of everyday humanitarianism that Fred believed in.
The Fred Awards celebrate people who care for others in a decent, practical, and no-nonsense way – just like Fred did.
As part of the Fred Awards we are searching Australia-wide for a national Fred Hollows Humanitarian – someone who embodies kindness, compassion and integrity in their everyday lives. Someone who puts others first.
We believe every community has a Fred Hollows – the volunteer, the compassionate carer, or the advocate. Someone who goes out of their way to care for others and create a more egalitarian world.
To mark what would have been Fred’s 95th Birthday this year, nominations for the Fred Awards are open from Tuesday April 9, 2024 and will close on Monday August 12, 2024.
A group of finalists will be handpicked by a judging panel led by Founding Director Gabi Hollows AO, before being presented to the Australian public who will vote for our Fred Hollows Humanitarian of the Year.
Nominees must be over 18 years of age and must be an Australian resident.
Please note: Multiple entries do not increase the nominee’s chance of being named a finalist. The judging panel will select finalists based on merit and alignment with our values.
For FAQs about the Fred Awards, see here.
Nominate a Fred
Do you know an adult who embodies the values of kindness, compassion and integrity?
Do you know someone who routinely goes out of their way to make their community a safer or better place for everyone?
Do you know someone whose good deeds and selfless actions are never acknowledged?
Here's the chance to publicly thank them - nominate them for The Fred Hollows Foundation's Fred Awards below.
Note: If you would like to make a nomination for our Humanity Award which recognises Year 6 students who embody kindness, compassion and integrity, please visit this nomination form.
Nominations for The Fred Awards 2024 have now closed.
2023 Fred Hollows Humanitarian
Suzie Ratcliffe, South Australia
Suzie Ratcliffe is the Director and Co-Founder of a not-for-profit organisation called Leave A Light On.
Leave A Light On was inspired by the memory of her sister Joanne Ratcliffe, who was kidnapped from Adelaide Oval on August 25th, 1973.
After Joanne’s disappearance, her parents would leave the porch light on, in the hope that if she came home, she would know they were waiting for her.
Growing up in a family with a missing child, Suzie knows the pain of ambiguous loss that occurs without a likelihood of reaching emotional closure. This experience has led her to dedicating her life to connecting with and supporting the families of missing people.
After also having lost both her parents and her brother, Suzie was diagnosed with triple negative breast carcinoma in July 2022. Her mother would always say to her when growing up that you must keep putting one foot in front of the other. That legacy, along with the hope that she gives others, continues to carry her forward.
Annually on the 21 October, Suzie asks people to leave a light on in memory of the many missing persons across Australia. This symbol of hope reassures families their loved one will never be forgotten.
2022 Fred Hollows Humanitarian
Muzafar Ali
Muzafar is an Afghan Hazara photographer who left Afghanistan after the Taliban targeted his family.
He ended up in Indonesia with almost 10,000 stateless Afghans - stranded when Australia stopped refugee arrivals in 2014.
He set up the Cisarua refugee learning centre and dedicated himself to organising education for the many stranded children who were not allowed access to Indonesian schools.
Muzafar and his family were granted permanent residency and moved to Adelaide in 2018, where he devotes his time and energy to supporting the Learning Centre and raising awareness of the families still stranded.
To this day, Muzafar regularly returns to Indonesia to ensure, in person, that the work carries on.
