Acorn Strategy and the Future Communicators Foundation (FCF) have announced Fathimath Nooha as the winner of the inaugural 2025 Acorn Strategy Future Communicators Foundation Scholarship. Acorn Strategy sponsors one annual scholarship of $2500 USD for senior undergraduates enrolled in the School of Media and Communication at Murdoch University Dubai.Fathimath Nooha won for her “Mai Sahara: The Desert Doesn’t Forget a Drop” campaign, which focused on how “water isn’t free, it just feels that way.” By raising awareness of the “invisible cost” of water, Nooha proposed an “interactive, youth-driven campaign that transforms passive water use into conscious, measurable action.” The campaign created six targeted actions for Home, Public Space, Campus Life, Emotional Engagement, and Innovation/DiY. 

"Receiving the Acorn Strategy FCF Scholarship means so much to me, not just as recognition, but as encouragement to keep creating meaningful work,” says Fathimath Nooha. “Winning the Acorn Strategy FCF Scholarship has given me more confidence to keep using creative ideas, especially approaches that speak to the tech-savvy generation, to talk about climate and sustainability in ways that actually stick.”

“With Project Mai Sahara, I wanted to show that even small actions can add up and help us think differently,” said Fathimath. “We often forget how much energy it takes to make water usable here in the desert. This project was my way of making that more real for people, especially young people like me. Using AR filters, playlists, and DIY kits, it shows that youth-driven ideas can make a real impact”.

“We are delighted to congratulate Fathimath Nooha as the first recipient of the Acorn Strategy Future Communicators Foundation Scholarship, in partnership with Murdoch University Dubai,” says Kate Midttun, CEO of Acorn Strategy. “Her campaign, Mai Sahara, is an outstanding example of imaginative and strategic communication that blends creativity with impact”.

“Nooha’s Mai Sahara reflects exactly what we aim to cultivate through the FCF Scholarship; the ability to translate complex environmental issues into compelling, actionable stories,” added kate. “At Acorn Strategy, we believe that to address the sustainability challenges of today and tomorrow, we must plant strong ideas, nurture emerging talent, and grow the next generation of communicators. Fathimath’s work stands as a powerful testament to that mission.”