29 September 2021, Geneva, Switzerland – The winners of this year’s Kochon Awards and the Stop TB Affected Community and Civil Society Awards were announced on the first day of the Stop TB Partnership 34th Board Meeting that is taking place virtually from 28-30 September 2021.
All winners were selected based on their enormous and unique contributions to reach and care for people affected by TB during the COVID-19 pandemic and their dedication to rights-based people-centered TB care, free from stigma and discrimination.
Kochon Prize 2021
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Nominated by Honorable Dr. Nausheen Hamid, Parliamentary Secretary Health, Chairperson End TB Parliamentary Caucus Pakistan, and Mrs. Blessina Kumar, Chief Executive Officer Global Coalition of TB Activists, the winner of Kochon Prize 2021 “Celebrating TB heroes during the COVID-19 pandemic” is the DOPASI Foundation, Pakistan. DOPASI Foundation is one of Pakistan’s leading proponents in the fight against TB, striving hard to ensure people-centered TB care as a fundamental human right to every citizen of Pakistan, who in the face of COVID-19 leveraged innovative partnerships with affected communities, civil society and parliamentarians to maintain the focus on TB and to reach every person affected by TB with essential services.
“We at DOPASI are making every endeavor to accelerate TB care efforts including prevention beyond COVID-19 and politics, in partnership with civil society, affected communities, and parliamentarians, alongside robust advocacy through the provision of demand-driven services as an inalienable Human Right in line with our national targets and commitments. We are therefore grateful to the Kochon Foundation and the Stop TB Partnership for recognizing and supporting our efforts”, said Kinz ul Eman, Director Programmes, DOPASI Foundation.
Welcoming the winner, Mr. Doo Hyun Kim, Kochon Foundation Chairman, expressed his appreciation for all of this years’ remarkable nominations, commended the perseverance of the TB community during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Kochon Foundation’s gratification in being able to acknowledge these achievements.
The Kochon Prize was established in 2006 by the Kochon Foundation, a non-profit foundation based in the Republic of Korea. The annual winning prize awarded by the Stop TB Partnership of USD 65,000 is the largest prize globally devoted to TB.
Stop TB Affected Community and Civil Society Awards 2021
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The 2021 Stop TB Affected Community and Civil Society Award went to South Africa’s TB Proof and Survivors Against TB from India, recognizing and rewarding grassroots and TB-affected community initiatives.
In its fifth year, the theme of the award for 2021 hailed efforts to end TB stigma and discrimination at the national level. TB Proof impressed the Selection Committee with their work in stigma research, the “Unmask Stigma” campaign, and grassroots mobilization to end stigma amongst people and communities affected by TB. The network Survivor Against TB was awarded for working across media platforms to develop and disseminate strategic communications to end TB stigma.
“While we can cure TB, but we cannot cure people who have been subject to stigma,” said Chapal Mehra, Survivors Against TB.
“As people who have survived TB, we know the barrier that stigma presents, and that is why we do the work we do. We must support people on TB treatment but, to end TB; we must also create an enabling environment free from stigma and discrimination.” Phumeza Tisile, TB Proof.
Acceptance remarks from TB Proof, South Africa
Acceptance remarks from Survivors Against TB, India
This year’s extraordinary prize value of USD 50,000 was made possible with the generous participation of the Humana People to People Foundation, who joined together with Stop TB Partnership to elevate the importance of this award further. The Foundation contributes to development projects and charitable activities worldwide, including projects to “promote health and fight against diseases.”