Selected messages from Laureates
Following the announcement of their selection for the Prize, many Laureates send us messages of joy and thanks for the inspiration thisaward means to them. They also inform us of developments of their programs and projects.
Laureate 2012 - INDIA
Ban SAHU
“It’s a great honor for me, which I never expected. Saying thanks is insufficient to express my feelings.“
The following link is about her latest task:
http://panos.org.uk/2012/07/18/land-and-natural-resources-must-belong-to-the-people/
Link to her profile: Ban Sahu Profile
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Laureate 2012 - ARMENIA
Nune Sarukhanyan
“II wish to thank you once again (for the Prize for women’s creativity in rural life 2012), which obliges me to even serve better the development of Armenian villages and the improvement of the quality of life of Armenian rural women and the protection of their rights. We will organize an event on 15 October, International Day of Rural Women. Active women, collaborating with us, will be invited and will receive certificates of acknowledgement by ‘Green Lane’.“
Link to her profile: Nune Sarukhanyan Profile
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Laureate 2012 - NICARAGUA
Rose CUNNINGHAM
“Thank you so much for the wonderful news about our partner Rose Cunningham. She is truly an inspiration and we were thrilled to hear that she is one of the ten laureates for the 2012 WWSF Prize for women’s creativity in rural life.“Message sent by the nominator, MADRE, NY
Link to her profile: Rose CUNNINGHAM Profile
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Laureate 2012 - D.R.CONGO
Jacqueline MUSUGANI NYANGOMA
“Nous nous réjouissons grandement de vous annoncer la réception du Prix pour notre lauréate et vous remercions très sincèrement. Nous profitons de cette occasion, pour remercier très sincèrement les membres internationaux de jury du Prix WWSF ont bien voulu opter pour la candidature de notre lauréate ainsi que vous personnellement, Madame la directrice, Elly Pradervand. Nous allons célébrer le Journée international de la femme rurale le 15 octobre. Notre candidate pourra bientôt réagir. Elle venait de connaître un sérieux problème technique de la fermeture de sa boit e-mail“Messages de la nominatrice Marie Rose Sezikana
Link to her profile: Jacqueline MUSUGANI NYANGOMA Profile
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Laureate 2010 - INDIA
Nominator of Pratibha Rajesh Bukkawar
“We thank all of your team for your special efforts to empower rural women across the world and for your support in our efforts to promoting rural women to become independent. We are pleased to inform you that the Honorable Consul General of Switzerland in Mumbai at the Swiss Consulate presented the WWSF Prize for women’s creativity in rural life to laureate Pratibha Rajesh Bukkawar on 15 October in the presence of his Deputy and Pratibha’s family along with our colleagues and media persons. The Government of India’s TV channel Doordarshan interviewed both the Consul General Mr. Nievergelt and Mrs. Pratibha, which was telecast on the same day all over the country. Pratibha Rajesh Bukkawar was also invited for a live TV discussion of 15 minutes the same day…“
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Laureate 2010 - CAMEROON
Anne Stella Fomunbod
“I have been receiving a world of congratulations from partners, friends and admirers. You cannot imagine how much psychological and moral support these acknowledgments and congratulations affect my life and the work I do. Once more, thanks a thousand times for this honor from WWSF. I remain grateful for all, especially as your award is now impacting on all my strategic engagements. It is my dream to meet with you and the WWSF family one day either in Switzerland or Cameroon, to say THANK YOU. God will give us this opportunity, for sure…“
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Laureate 2010 - INDIA
Dr. T.V Anna Merci
“It is with great pleasure that I heard the news that I have been selected for the WWSF Prize for women’s creativity in rural life 2010. I am extremely motivated by this great honor. I have no words to express my deep sense of gratitude to the organizers of WWSF for considering me for this great award and selecting me as one among the 11 laureates in 2010. This has definitely inspired me to continue with my work and do more things for the rural women in my place. I wish I could extend this to other parts of India also... “
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Laureate 2010 - LAOS
Veronika Utz, Nominator of Nuansy Ratanasithy
“…Thank you and WWSF once again for this great honor and appreciation of a rural women in Laos as well as in other parts of the world. Good luck to your valuable work and all the best for you personally, it was a pleasure to cooperate with you. I would like to submit some pictures of the Nuansy’s prize ceremony that took place in Laos, mainly at the Province Governors Office in Sayaboury. The press release was published in the newspaper Vientiane Times, and I put the announcement of the prizewinners at the info screen at GTZ Head Office in Eschborn/Frankfurt for several days. Thank you so much and kind regard…“
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Laureate 2010 - INDIA
Nominator of Ms Santosh Bai Sahariya
“…We are grateful to WWSF for recognizing the contribution of Santosh Bai Sahariya, fighting harmful traditional practices in rural life. We invited her to a State level event to celebrate her selection and transmit to her your certificate“
Laureate 2010 - KENYA
Dorothy Awino
“Thank you very much for this award. You have defined my path and I can now smile. I am going to use the prize money to put down a payment for a plot of land as a safe haven for disinherited women in the rural areas where they can stay while we find ways to resettle them.“
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Laureate 2010 - INDIA
Liliane de Toledo and Jacques Martenot, nominators of Narmada Baldeva Gond
“We thank you for selecting Narmada Baldeva Gond for the 2010 Prize for women’s creativity in rural life. We are planning a trip to India in February 2011 to personally honor her with the WWSF certificate and prize money…“
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Laureate 2010 - INDIA
Dr. T.V.Anna Merci, Professor, College of Fisheries, Kerala Agricultural University
“…Thank you very much. The news has been published in the newspapers of Kerala on 15 October itself. I received lots of congratulations from all of my colleagues, friends, well wishers, relatives from in and out of the country. It has really motivated and encouraged me to do more for the people of the rural community. The WWSF certificate will be delivered to me at a meeting of the Rotary International. I feel proud of it and assure that I will continue to do the same in a more effective manner. I am planning to donate the award amount to the Ornamental Fish Farmer's Society of the rural people of Kumbalam panchayat so that they will be motivated and benefited. It will be a seed money for their capital investment...“
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Laureate 2009 - NIGERIA
Assumpta NGOZIKA REGINALD – A pioneer in the fight against AIDS
“… I am so excited to receive the news of the award. I want to thank the whole WWSF team for making me one of their prize recipients in 2009. I promise to now impact even more the lives of rural women in the Masaka community, Nasaraw North Central Nigeria, and, I believe, this award will have a multiplier effect in the lives of rural women and most especially for women living with HIV in Nigeria...“
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Laureate 2009 - PHILIPPINES
Mother Petra MACLIING Protecting indigenous land and culture
Letter to WWSF: Please extend to the WWSF family my personal gratitude for the award and the prize money. We will have an award ceremony during the regional congress of our indigenous people’s organization, the Cordillera Peoples Alliance, on 8 November 2009… I am greatly honored and our women are much inspired to persevere in our empowerment and development efforts in rual communities….“
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Laureate 2009 - BRAZIL
Maria Lucia LOPES DE OLIVEIRA Feminism as a tool for development
Message received from the nominator, Marisa Viana, who translated from the Portugese: “… We are really excited that Maria Lucia was selected as one of the Laureates for this year’s competition. We are a strong believer that Maria Lucia’s work with rural women in the Cariri region in the North of Brazil has greatly contributed to their empowerment and livelihood and we hope to continue to work with her in the future. The Prize has been received with much appreciation and commitment to continue working to improve the lives of rural women….”
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Laureate 2007 - KENYA
Merci Kiyapyap
Distinguished for her outstanding work as a development trainer in her community was thrilled about this award and shared her commitment to continue her mission for development and peace in her country. She was honored with a big ceremony organized by the Swiss Bio Vision Foundation who transmitted the certificate, badge and prize money.
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Laureate 2007 - MEXICO
Paula Sandoval Eliseño (85 years old)
was honored during the National Forum for community development in her country by the President of Patronato DIF-Nuevo Leon. The wife of the governor and the Mayor of Montemorelos, Nuevo Leon joined in the celebrations.
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Laureate 2007 - BURKINA FASO
Association pour la promotion féminine de Gaoua (APFG)
“All APFG members join me to thank you very sincerely for the honor which you give us by awarding us the Prize. This recognition honors all rural women. We congratulate you for initiating this award, an idea which would need to be invented if it did not exit.
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Laureate 2006 - LIBERIA
Liberia Crisis Center President, Beverly Goll-Yekeson
“I am so excited about winning the prize. The money will be used to provide vocational and technical skills and basic literacy training, build the capacity of our alert team in 25 communities in the areas of counselling, data base and filing system…. I was not the only person that is excited about winning the award, but especially the organisation’s 25 women alert team volunteers. On behalf of the Liberia Crisis Center for Abused women and children, we are very thankful for the award and your contribution to Liberia...”.
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Laureate 2006 - BENIN
Rune K. Adjovi
“We are honoured by this award and wish to inform you that the award money will be used to import a modern extension of our basic production equipment to help in our soap manufacturing initiative…”.
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Laureate 2006 - INDONESIA
Margaretha Sako
Since her English is not so good, we received a message from the World Neighbors organisation that an award ceremony with over 500 farmers had been organized by the West Timor Farmers Union (male and female), icluding the media and government representatives. All honored the Laureate for her community work to develop new agricultural techniques and women’s initiatives.







