The 2012 Women for Education prize was awarded today to EAST ('Water, Agriculture Health in Tropical Zones') for its work in Madagascar
Promoting women's empowerment and their access to education and health
DEAUVILLE, France, October 15, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The 2012 Women for Education prize was awarded today to EAST (Eau Agriculture et Santé en Milieu Tropical, 'Water, Agriculture Health in Tropical Zones') for its work in Madagascar. The ceremony took place at the Women's Forum Global Meeting in the presence of Véronique Morali, President of the Women's Forum for the Economy and Society; Christine Albanel, Executive Vice President Events, Cultural and Institutional Partnerships and Philanthropy, Orange Group; Valérie Toranian, Director of ELLE magazine and President of the ELLE Foundation; and Caty Forget, Managing Director of Sanofi Espoir Foundation.
On behalf of its Malagasy teams, Dr. Loïc Monjour, President of the EAST non-governmental organization, received the 30,000 € award, which is financed by Orange Foundation and Sanofi Espoir Foundation.
The EAST project amply fulfills the objectives of the call for proposals that was launched last summer by the three Foundations ELLE, Orange and Sanofi Espoir:
A program whose goal is to contribute to the education of women, and to the improvement of their access to health, via new information and communication technologies (NTIC).
In the context of an overall program deployed in two neighborhoods of Madagascar's capital Antananarivo, EAST supports local Women's Associations for the Promotion of Hygiene and Health. The project selected for the award is aimed at complementing these associations' classic methods of education and sanitary prevention within local communities. The project strengthens the literacy skills of women as “health messengers” and trains them to use new information technology, in order to improve health behaviors of the local population in terms of hygiene, sanitary conditions, and individual and community health.
Created in 2007 by ELLE magazine, the ELLE Foundation and the Women's Forum, the Women for Education initiative annually honors an international NGO working towards the economic emancipation of women in a developing country, and their access to education and health. From 2007 to 2010, awards were given to five projects in Afghanistan, India, Mexico, Ethiopia and Haiti. In 2011, Women for Education supported the launch of "Stand up for African Mothers", an international campaign by AMREF Flying Doctors to improve maternal health thanks to midwives' training.
Press contacts:
Women's Forum for the Economy and Society
Caroline Simon
+ 33 1 43 12 56 25
Fondation ELLE
Karine Guldemann
+ 33 6 88 85 87 78
ELLE
Mirella Testori
+ 33 1 41 34 61 80
Fondation Orange
Mylène Blin
+ 33 1 44 44 93 93
Fondation Sanofi Espoir
Amélie Moritz
+ 33 6 74 55 89 47
ELLE Foundation
http://www.ellefondation.org
« To promote women and girl's education all around the world »
The ELLE Foundation, created in 2004 by the Lagardère Active Group, supports projects implemented by Non-Governmental Organizations to promote women's emancipation, girls' education, unskilled women's vocational trainings in France and abroad.
Nearly 8 years after its creation, the ELLE Foundation has supported more than 50 projects and contributed to help and empower thousands of women all around the world.
Orange Foundation
http://www.fondationorange.com
The Orange Foundation has supported projects in 30 countries in Africa, Europe, the Middle East and Asia where the France Telecom Orange Group operates since 2005. The Orange Foundation works closely with local communities and non-profit organisations, adapting to the context of each country, to encourage solidarity and address issues in three areas: health and disability, education, and culture. The Orange Foundation also leverages the potential of digital tools to support economic and social development.
Sanofi Espoir Foundation
http://www.fondation-sanofi-espoir.com
The Sanofi Espoir Foundation is dedicated to reducing inequalities in healthcare over the long term by addressing key issues in prevention, training, and access to care, particularly among the most needy communities and populations.
In addition to responding to humanitarian emergencies, the Foundation is committed to building long-term partnerships in the healthcare and development field so as to reduce the economic burden of disease and overcome the poverty-disease spiral. In 2011, nearly 60% of the projects of the Foundation were implemented in Africa, which represent 44 programs in 24 countries.
Women's Forum for the Economy and Society
http://www.womens-forum.com
Founded in 2005, the Women's Forum for the Economy and Society is the world's leading forum looking at major social and economic issues from women's perspectives. It promotes the empowerment of women worldwide, as well as the networks of collaboration that enable women's voices to be heard with clarity and force. The Women's Forum meetings, including a major annual Global Meeting, highlight unusual, strong and important women in politics, business, civil society and academe. The Global Meeting is also accompanied by The Discovery, a uniquely vibrant content relay that features meetings, discussions, classes and practical workshops.