A 15-year-old Victorian student with a passionate anti-bullying message was the youngest recipient of an AMP Tomorrow Fund grant in Sydney overnight.

Melbourne’s Monique Mastrobattista was one of the 43 grant recipients who were announced as AMP’s 2018 Tomorrow Makers.

She has turned her own experience of being bullied into a positive – becoming an advocate for others through her range of books, her social media accounts, and through school presentations.

“I don’t want other children to have to go through what I went through.”

She said she was honoured to be chosen as one of AMP’s 2018 Tomorrow Makers and plans to travel Australia to spread her anti-bullying message to other young adults.

“I’m so excited to work toward my dreams and spread awareness about bullying and kindness,” Monique said.

“I don’t want other children to have to go through what I went through.”

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Tomorrow Fund, with some $5 million in total funding being provided to 230 Australians in that time.

Helen Liondos, Head of Sustainability at AMP and the AMP Foundation, said the Tomorrow Fund helps Australians who might find it difficult to get traditional funding for their work.

“This year’s recipients are truly inspiring, and many have been motivated by very personal experiences to create a better tomorrow,” she said.

“The diversity of this year’s Tomorrow Makers once again demonstrates the talent, innovation, and compassion that exists in our community.”

The 2018 AMP Foundation Tomorrow Fund recipients include scientists, educators, social entrepreneurs, artists, and athletes.

Some of those recipients are: Eva Kimonis, a clinical psychologist helping the families of children with serious behavioural disorders in south-west Sydney; Hunter Johnson, a Victorian-based entrepreneur running preventative and emotional intelligence programs for young men; and Robyn Leonard, who founded Brain Cancer Biobanking and wants to help make donor brain tissue more accessible to researchers.

“They have challenged the status quo to stand up for what they believe in."

AMP CEO Francesco De Ferrari congratulated all the 2018 Tomorrow Makers, and said their success celebrated the connection between AMP and the community.

“The diversity of AMP’s Tomorrow Makers supports the idea that Australia is really a place where people can make their mark regardless of where or how they started,” Mr De Ferrari said.

“I am discovering Australians will go to great lengths to ensure a fair go for everybody.”

Mr De Ferrari said he hoped people would be inspired by the hard work of the 2018 Tomorrow Makers and be encouraged to do their own work to benefit all Australians.

“They have challenged the status quo to stand up for what they believe in,” Mr De Ferrari said.

“May you pay this opportunity forward by inspiring and encouraging many more Australians that they too have the potential to do extraordinary things for the good of the community.”

Top photo: Some of AMP's 2018 Tomorrow Makers celebrate in Sydney.

2nd photo: 15-year-old 2018 Tomorrow Maker Monique Mastrobattista, AMP CEO Francesco De Ferrari, and 2017 Tomorrow Maker Bronwyn King.

3rd photo: 2018 Tomorrow Maker Fatma Elzein (left) and friend.