The Dorabjee Award

Jimmy Dorabjee was a pioneer in international harm reduction policy and practice, a major figure of the movement in Asia. Before moving to Melbourne Jimmy was the Program Manager for Harm Reduction at the Sharan Society NGO in Delhi and the driving force behind the formation of the Asian Harm Reduction Network.

“Jimmy was a globally respected visionary leader. He was brave and was one of the few courageous people who openly identified as a person who uses drugs,” said members of the Network of Asian People who Use Drugs (NAPUD).

Jimmy was associated with Burnet’s Centre for Harm Reduction from its inception in the early 2000s. He received the prestigious National Rolleston Award in 2001 for his profound impact on international harm reduction policy and practice.

“Jimmy mentored and inspired many, and he epitomised lived experience and peer education,” said Burnet principal research fellow Associate Professor Peter Higgs.

Jimmy Dorabjee died in 2019. His life and legacy as a former Burnet senior staff member, researcher, and passionate advocate for harm reduction, is acknowledged with 2 awards sponsored by Burnet: The Dorabjee Award International, and The Dorabjee Award Asia.

1. Awardees must be actively working in harm reduction policy, practice or research.
2. Awardees must provide evidence that they have submitted an abstract to a suitable conference focused on harm reduction.
3. If applicable, awardees must provide evidence that their attendance is supported by their employer or connected organisation.

The 2025/26 application form included the following key questions.

• Please detail how you or the nominee are actively working in harm reduction policy, practice, or research. (1000 characters max)
• Please describe how you or the nominee have demonstrated significant positive impact on the health and wellbeing of people who use drugs (including how you/they have ensured community involvement). (1000 characters max)
• Please describe how you or the nominee have shown (or plans to show) leadership in the sector. (1000 characters max)
• Please describe your or the nominee's commitment to the ongoing sharing and development of knowledge and skills for the community and/or for others working in the sector. (1000 characters max)
• Please provide a summary of experience, expertise and contribution to the sector (including links to any publications or other supporting material). (1000 characters max)
• What is the reason you have chosen this conference and what do you hope to get from attending it? (1000 characters max)
• Do you wish to add any additional information to support this application. (1000 characters max). You can upload a short video (up to 2 minutes) as an option.

Applications are reviewed by a judging panel that includes representation from Burnet Institute, the International Network of People who use Drugs (INPUD), the Network of Asian People who Use Drugs (NAPUD), Professor Nick Crofts and Del Aulich.

Applications are judged in response to the selection criteria.

2025–26 recipient

Molly Ogbodum – Nigeria

Public health researcher and advocate Molly Ogbodum works at the intersection of drug policy, mental health and harm reduction in Nigeria, with a strong focus on improving services for young people and women who use drugs.

Through initiatives such as The Possibilities Collective, Molly helps create spaces where communities can shape conversations about their health and wellbeing.

Through the Dorabjee Award, Molly will attend the International Network on Health and Hepatitis in Substance Users (INHSU) Conference in Prague, where she will connect with global leaders and strengthen the work she is leading in her community.

2024–25 recipients

Bambang Yulistyo Dwo Mulyanto (Tedjo) – Indonesia (International recipient)
Sujata Khadka – Nepal (Asia recipient)

Bambang Yulistyo Dwo Mulyanto, known as Tedjo, is the initiator of Forum Akar Rumput Indonesia (FARI), a grassroots movement supporting people who use drugs across 12 provinces in Indonesia.

In 2018 he founded the Yayasan AKSI Keadilan Indonesia (Act for Justice Foundation) to support people who use drugs who have been arrested in the Greater Jakarta area. Through collaboration between FARI and the AKSI Foundation, more than 700 people have received legal assistance and access to healthcare services, including HIV treatment, tuberculosis care and hepatitis C medications.

FARI also uses digital platforms such as WhatsApp groups to coordinate case management, share information and provide community support across Indonesia’s geographically diverse regions.

Sujata Khadka is the team leader at Recovering Nepal Women (RN-Women), the first national network led by and for women who use drugs in Nepal.

RN-Women delivers gender-specific harm reduction services, including needle and syringe programs, HIV testing and counselling, hepatitis C testing, overdose prevention and referrals to opioid agonist therapy.

The organisation also works to address systemic barriers faced by women who use drugs, such as access to identification documents, citizenship and legal protections.

2023–24 inaugural recipient

Kouadio Dié N’dri Sandrine – Côte d’Ivoire

The inaugural Dorabjee Award International was awarded to Kouadio Dié N’dri Sandrine, founder of the Association Paroles Autour de la Santé in Côte d’Ivoire.

Sandrine’s work focuses on supporting people who use drugs and promoting recovery, dignity and access to essential services.

Her advocacy is deeply shaped by her own lived experience.

“For 15 years, I navigated the world of addiction, facing imprisonment, stigma, violence and extreme vulnerability,” Sandrine said. “These experiences have given me a unique perspective on the challenges faced by people who use drugs.”

She established her organisation to transform those experiences into hope and support for others, advocating for the rights of people who use drugs and helping individuals rebuild their lives.