HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser hands the Wise Prize for Education to the 2014 Laureate - Ann Cotton, founder of the Campaign for Female Education (Camfed). Credit: AR al-Baker/HHOPL.
By Joseph Varghese
Staff Reporter
Ann Lesley Cotton, founder and president of Camfed, the Campaign for Female Education, has won the 2014 World Innovation Summit For Education (Wise) Prize for Education. She gets an award of $500,000 and a specially minted gold medal.
The award was presented to Cotton by HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairperson of Qatar Foundation, at the inaugural session of Wise 2014 at the Qatar National Convention Centre yesterday.
Camfed's innovative education programmes have already benefited more than three million children in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana, Tanzania, and Malawi, and are implemented across 5,085 partner schools in 115 rural districts.
Presenting the award, HH Sheikha Moza said: "By recognising the dedication of true education pioneers and showcasing their innovation, the goal of the Wise Prize is to raise the status of education in the global agenda. Our Wise Prize for Education Laureates stand as examples of what is possible. By celebrating their achievements, we aim to inspire millions more social entrepreneurs, advocates and education innovators who deliver solutions one child, one village, one town at a time. "
Receiving the award, Cotton said: "I accept this prize on behalf of the million girls Camfed is committed to supporting through secondary education in the next five years - a million girls whose poverty has so far robbed them of confidence and agency, and who do not yet know what an amazing transformation awaits them. "
Sheikh Abdulla bin Ali al-Thani, chairman of Wise, said: "Ann Cotton has dedicated her life to improving the education of girls and the empowerment of young women in sub-Saharan Africa. She has created a successful education model not only benefiting millions of children from the poorest areas but also ultimately entire communities."
Congratulations have also poured in from British Prime Minister David Cameron who termed Cotton's work as “remarkable”. He said: "The scale and impact of the work she has done through Camfed to educate millions of girls and young women is simply remarkable. The government I lead is deeply committed both to universal high quality education and to improving the life chances of citizens in developing nations which is why I cannot think of a more worthy winner of this prestigious award."
Cotton spearheaded an internationally acclaimed model for girls' education, which has placed education at the heart of development in Africa. One of the most effective and innovative results of Camfed's work is Cama, a unique 24,436-member strong pan-African network of Camfed graduates, many of whom in turn train and mentor new generations of students.
In 1993, Cotton founded Camfed to provide financial, social and structural support to girls from primary through secondary school, college and beyond, as well as ICT, health and business training to young women. For more than two decades, she has focused on improving opportunities for children at the margins of education. Cotton's commitment to girls 'education in sub-Saharan Africa began in 1991 when she realised that poverty, rather than cultural barriers, was the main reason for girls' low school enrolment in rural areas.
