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Mercator Fund Press Release
6 June 2005
European Foundations pay tribute to the Aga Khan Development Network's Achievements in Afghanistan
Major Philanthropy Prize recognises Mr Aly Mawji's Significant Contribution to the Reconstruction of Afghanistan
Budapest - A prize honouring outstanding contributions to philanthropy was awarded this weekend to Mr Aly Mawji, Resident Representative in Afghanistan for the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), a group of institutions founded and chaired by His Highness the Aga Khan, spiritual leader of the Shia Ismaili Muslims. The award was made in the presence of 500 members of the European Foundation Community for the contribution of the Network to peace and security in Afghanistan.
The Raymond Georis Prize for Innovative Philanthropy in Europe was awarded to Mr Mawji in Budapest on Saturday at the 16th Annual General Assembly of the European Foundation Centre. The Prize was launched last year by the Network of European Foundations' Mercator Fund and aims to reward high-impact European philanthropic initiatives that illustrate European leadership on global issues.
"Mr Mawji's leadership has contributed to the long-term development of Afghanistan and a strengthening of its communities," said Mr Georis, who presented the Prize to Mr Mawji at the Award Ceremony. Georis is the Prize's namesake and was a member of the jury which was chaired by Javier Solana, Secretary-General of the Council of the European Union. "He has been responsible for a highly effective and courageous programme providing assistance for the reconstruction of Afghanistan. His work has played an important role in the return of stability to these regions."
The Award aims to underline the important role that European Foundations and philanthropic community play in the future of world peace, security and development. It was created in honour of Mr Raymond Georis, widely hailed as the "Father" of European philanthropy. The Prize's mandate is to annually recognise the innovative work of successive generations which have followed in the footsteps of this exceptional man of vision.
"The Prize is essentially an award for bravery for individuals and organisations that have made a profound difference in people's lives," said Mr Georis. "Mr Mawji's work for the Aga Khan Development Network in Afghanistan demonstrates that the organisation is a leader in the field of philanthropic initiatives."
The Aga Khan Development Network operates in thirty-three countries and started its work in Afghanistan in the early 1990s with a large scale humanitarian relief programme for fragile communities, internally displaced people and Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Since 2001, its work has evolved to include longer-term reconstruction and capacity building. From building roads, bridges, irrigation channels, hospitals, health clinics, schools and basic plumbing to funding community and women's groups, AKDN has, through its work, become a source of stability and progress in Afghanistan.
The Prize Jury said that the Network has helped Afghans to help themselves by ensuring that they share in the reconstruction effort, all the while respecting the cultural traditions of the country.
The Jury also praised the innovative application of the Network's micro-credit and loan programme which set up the first micro-credit bank in Kabul. Farmers who receive credit pay the loan back to their village rather than to the Network. The Network also provides credit to other farmers to buy fertilizer and feed or uses the money for teachers' salaries, infrastructure development, or any one of a number of community projects. In this way, the same money is used not only to benefit multiple farmers but also to strengthen economic and social ties. It also provides the poor with the first opportunity to insure their assets. The bank also has programmes for farmers exposed to the lure of poppy cultivation, estimated to make up more than half of the country's GDP. Healthy development of Afghan society will be jeopardised if the country is allowed to become a narco-economy.
AKDN's cultural programmes, which include the restoration of the Timur Shah Mausoleum, the Bagh-e-Babur gardens and the Asheqan wa Arefan neighbourhood in the Old City of Kabul, are premised on the basis that improvements in the built environment can enhance the quality of life, foster self-understanding and community values, and expand opportunities for economic and social development into the future.
Despite the progress, "there is much left to do in terms of social, economic and political development," Mr Mawji said, and underlined the importance of civil society's role in Afghanistan. "Civil society makes an enormous contribution to human development; it occupies the space between government, the private sector and communities, contributing to nation building. More importantly, civil society underwrites human progress: it acts as a stabiliser or buttress in times of economic slowdown or social stress. When democracies are failing, or have failed, it is the institutions of civil society that can carry an added burden to help sustain improvements in the quality of life."
Mr Mawji encouraged the international community to continue its work in Afghanistan, which "remains a very fragile state both in terms of the socio-economic and political dynamics within the country as well as instability in the region."
The first Raymond Georis Prize was awarded in 2004 in Athens at the 15th Annual General Assembly of the European Foundation Centre. The Prize was awarded to Ms Avila Kilmurray for the courage of her work with the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, which enabled local activists to take action to promote stability, security, and peace in local communities. The community development programme that Ms Kilmurray developed was subsequently exported to the Balkan region.
Contact:
The Mercator Fund - Jane Francis Tel: +33 1 49 96 63 70 - Fax: +33 1 49 96 63 73 - email [email protected] - mobile: +33 6 60 26 19 82 - website: www.mercatorfund.com
Javier Solana - Chair of the 2005 Raymond Georis Prize Selection Committee
President, Madariaga European Foundation - Tel: +32 2 209 62 10 - Fax: +32 2 209 62 11 - email: [email protected] - website: www.madariaga.coleurop.be
The Aga Khan Development Network - Joanne Trotter Tel +44 207 591 6803 fax: +44 207 591 0641 - email: [email protected]
In Afghanistan - Shahid Punjani Tel: +93 79 335 701 email: [email protected]
About AKDN
The Aga Khan Development Network is a group of private, non-denominational development agencies and institutions that seek to empower communities and individuals, often in very disadvantaged circumstances, to improve living conditions and opportunities in specific regions of Africa and Asia. The underlying principle is the ethic of compassion for the vulnerable in society. Its agencies and institutions work for the common good of all citizens, regardless of origin, gender or religion.
About last year's winner
Avila Kilmurray has been Director of the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland since 1994. The Foundation's mission is to enable local activists to take action to improve the conditions of life of the marginalized and the most disadvantaged. The Foundation endeavours to create to the conditions and identify the opportunities for social solidarity, which is in Avila Kilmurray's vision, the basis for peace.
But Ms Kilmurray's commitment to peace and social justice in Northern Ireland, where the Foundation's work was first focused, has resulted in collaborative work with other regions.
The Foundation has initiated five operational "YouthBank"s in Serbia, Bosnia, and Croatia. These were based on the experience from Northern Ireland of the operation of YouthBanks, involving catholic and protestant young people working together to identify need, promote philanthropy, and take decisions to assist local youth activity. The YouthBank project revolves around community relations, the exploration of identity, and the development of understanding, trust and respect, as well as issues around conflict resolution.