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| Dr Sam Prince Received 2008 JCI TOYP Trophy in New Delhi |
Dr. Sam Prince
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I have known Dr. Prince for nearly two years. I have witnessed the evolution of his interest in community work from the time it was first a thought in his mind to the point where we currently stand, with a global Foundation focusing on providing IT infrastructure to people of deserving countries… Dr. Prince is a very passionate and eager person, dynamic and dedicated, with a mature outlook on his ultimate goals.
-- Mr. Balapatabendi, Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Australia
Chosen by a distinguished jury in the category of “Humanitarian and/or voluntary leadership,” Dr. Sam Prince was honored at The Outstanding Young Persons of the World (TOYP) Ceremony during the JCI World Congress in New Delhi, India, on November 5, 2008.
Born in Dundee, Scotland, Dr. Prince was impacted during early childhood by his parent’s struggle when they migrated to Australia. Coming from a remote Sri Lankan village, the family moved to cosmopolitan Australia in 1986. Dr. Prince’s simple roots led him back to rural and remote areas in developing nations later on in his extraordinary life.
Dr. Prince was gifted academically. He achieved the Dux of the School Award chronologically from early primary school into high school, and his excellence in academic ventures continued throughout college. He began tertiary education at the age of 16 at the Australian National University. After finishing school, Dr. Prince pursued an undergraduate Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery at Monash University in Melbourne.
While at the university, Dr. Prince began to delve in philanthropy and voluntary work. He became a crisis counselor for people with mental illness and suicidal behavior, and pioneered and organized “The Jump Off,” a concert in which he also performed for the protection and prevention of cruelty to animals.
While still a full-time medical student, Dr. Prince also pursued entrepreneurial endeavors. He started by working part-time as a kitchen hand to support himself, and ended up setting up his first and self-funded Mexican Restaurant, the Zambrero Fresh Mex Grill, which is expanding Australia-wide with franchise inquiries coming in nearly every day. In addition to Zambrero Pty. Ltd., Dr. Prince also owns a graphic design firm. These two businesses turn over more than AUS $1 million per year and employ more than 30 people.
Due to the success of above companies, Dr. Prince was able to fund and start his largest project to date – the Emagine Foundation -- with the main goal of providing Information Technology (IT) infrastructure to all rural and remote areas in developing nations.
Based on the idea that education will ultimately be the salvation of many underprivileged people, the Foundation seeks to assist the underprivileged in as many areas as possible. With this privately funded institution, Dr. Prince was able not only to identify a problem that affected developing countries – the lack of IT infrastructure – but also to develop a plan to correct this problem in a sustainable and systematic fashion. He had the courage to stand for his convictions by putting his own hard-earned money into the problem, traveling to the affected areas, negotiating, and building and overseeing the construction of IT centers.
Dr. Prince is a full-time public hospital doctor at only 24 years of age. Additionally, as a result of his determination, courage and commitment, the Emagine Foundation has now grown into a global organization with representatives in the UK, Australia, India, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia and Malaysia. In a world moved by technology, the Foundation is helping provide education opportunities to many children who had never even seen a computer before.
Enjoy JCI World Congress photos courtesy of JCI Official Photographer Junichi Kaku…
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