The Guardian, in partnership with the United Kingdom (UK) Department for International Development (DFID) and Marie Stopes International, invites public voting on nominees for The Guardian Achievements in International Development Award. They propose to recognise people who have made an impact by improving the lives of some of the world's economically poorest people. This award is for someone who has made a contribution directly through their own work or activities, or indirectly as a result of others using their achievements to improve lives (e.g. via technological inventions or agricultural research). People from all over the world are eligible.

After the original July 24 2009 deadline, a judging panel selected a short list of five finalists, descriptions of which are featured on the Guardian website. Guardian readers and visitors to the website are invited to vote for the one they think most deserves the award. The public voting process runs between August 24 - September 30 2009. The five shortlisted finalists are:

1. Javed Abidi, founder of the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) in India;
2. Mauricio Agostinho Camuto, director of Radio Ecclesia, Angola’s "only independent radio station';
3. Maggy Barankitse, founder of Maison Shalom, a home for children orphaned by conflict and HIV/AIDS in the small town of Ruyigi, Burundi;
4. Chea Mony, president of the Free Trade Union (FTU) in Cambodia; and
5. Fred Sai, Ghana's special adviser on reproductive health and HIV/Aids, and a lifelong advocate for the rights and needs of women.

The winner will be announced jointly with the winners of the Guardian International Development Journalism Competition 2009 at an awards ceremony on November 19 2009 in London, UK.

Click here for more information on the short list of nominees and the voting procedure.

Press release from Diana Thomas, formerly Communications Manager, Marie Stopes International, on June 26 2009 and a press release from Nicole Brown on September 17 2009.