At only 22 years of age Alexander McLean has been recognised for his philanthropic work by winning the 2007 Beacon Prize of £30 000.

The acknowledgement and prize for the founder and director of the charitable initiative ‘The African Prisons Project’ took place at the Beacon Awards ceremony on 22nd November, at which 12 winners were also inaugurated as Beacon Fellows, a community of Beacon Prize winners who together champion charitable causes across the globe and nurture a wider culture of giving in the UK. Only Alexander received the cash prize of £30,000 to donate to the charitable cause of his choice.

Following a gap year visit in 2003 to East Africa, Alex – then aged just 19 – refurnished a sick bay in Luzira Maximum Security prison, Uganda. After encountering the dreadful conditions in the prison and its hospital, he felt compelled to do something to change their environment and that of all similar prisons and hospitals in Africa.

His African Prisons Project aims to alleviate the suffering of men, women and children who are prisoners in Africa, where they are kept in appalling conditions; malnutrition, inadequate health care and hygiene, overcrowding and brutal regimes are prevalent.

The Beacon Fellowship is a charitable organisation, set up to encourage individual contributions to charitable and social causes and to celebrate and showcase best practice in philanthropy.

To read the full list of winners visit the Beacon Fellowship website.