Waislitz Global Citizen Award

2021 Waislitz Global Citizen Award – Apply Now

Calling all entrepreneurs, innovators and changemakers dedicated to ending extreme poverty — applications for 2021 Waislitz Global Citizen Awards are open!

The Waislitz Global Citizen Awards are annual cash prizes totaling $250,000 that recognize the excellence of individuals in their work to end extreme poverty. The grand prize is $100,000 with three additional prizes at $50,000 each, for a total of four prizes.

Due to ongoing COVID-19 health crisis and its impact across the globe, we are once again inviting applications for the Waislitz Global Citizen COVID-19 Response Award. This award will be given to an extraordinary global citizen who has implemented a specific adaptation or new program that addresses the impacts of COVID-19.

Applications close on Sunday, June 13, 2021.

Apply Today!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Empowering Individuals To Meet Their Full Potential

The Waislitz Foundation exists to create a positive social impact locally and globally through innovative projects that empower individuals to meet their full potential and make a measurable difference to the world.

Ending extreme poverty is not a choice, it’s an obligation. My hope is that it will inspire many thousands of people around the world to do what they can to improve the living standards of those in dire need.

Alex Waislitz - Chairman & Founder of the Melbourne-based Waislitz Foundation
View Waislitz Foundation Press Release

2023 Waislitz Global Citizen Award Winners

This year, hundreds of applicants applied for the Waislitz Awards, all with a deep commitment to ending the injustice of poverty and improving the living conditions of people globally. With so many incredible individuals having applied, our team of judges evaluated applicants based on five areas: global citizenship, proof of concept, disruption, scalability, and adaptability.

After months of analysis, we’re excited to announce that three winners have now been selected, receiving cash prizes, along with networking support, which will help them accelerate and scale the impact that they’re already having.

The winners of the 2023 Waislitz Global Citizen Awards are the following: Peter Njeri from Kenya as the 2023 Waislitz Global Citizen Grand Award winner; Esther Kimani, also from Kenya, as the Waislitz Global Citizen Disruptor Award winner; and Oluwafunke Adeoye, from Nigeria, as the Waislitz Global Citizen Choice Award winner.

The Waislitz Foundation Global Citizen Awards

The Waislitz Global Citizen Awards are annual cash prizes totaling $250,000 that recognize the excellence of individuals in their work to end extreme poverty. The grand prize is $100,000 with two additional prizes at $75,000 each, for a total of three prizes. The awards are presented by the Waislitz Foundation and Global Citizen, and supported by the leading US and Australian based cellular medicines company, Mesoblast Ltd. and Unico Capital Holdings. 

“Ending extreme poverty is not a choice, it’s an obligation. My hope is that it will inspire many thousands of people around the world to do what they can to improve the living standards of those in dire need,” Chairman and Founder of the Melbourne-based Waislitz Foundation, Alex Waislitz.

The Waislitz foundation exists to create a positive social impact locally and globally through innovative projects that empower individuals to meet their full potential and make a measurable difference to the world.

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2022 Global Citizen Winners

Waislitz Global Citizen Award Winner
Kristin Kagestu

Kristin Kagetsu, the Grand Prize winner of the 2022 Waislitz Global Citizen Awards.

Meet the Activist Behind India’s First Biodegradable Menstrual Pad

Waislitz Global Citizen Award Winner
Oladiwura Oladepo

Meet the Nigerian Activist Using Technology as a Powerful Tool to Fight Poverty in Africa

Waislitz Global Citizen Award Winner
Naom Monari

Meet the Woman Bringing Health Care to the Doorsteps of Low-Income Kenyan Communities

Past Waislitz Award Winners

2021
2021

Bina Shrestha​

Bina Shrestha, the Grand Prize winner of the 2021 Waislitz Global Citizen Awards, was selected for her excellence in all five areas of the award’s evaluation criteria.

Bina founded Build Up Nepal, an organization that helps rural families build homes with environmentally friendly materials and offers entrepreneurial opportunities to people in need for long-term income stability.

Image: Courtesy of Bina Shrestha

2021
2021

Tania Rosas​

Founded Fundación el Origen (Origin Learning Fund) to not only expand education but make it more effective in helping students learn and adapt to the 21st century. This is achieved, in part, through utilizing digital learning tools so students can become well-versed in digital education.

2021
2021

Jimmy Pham​

His social enterprise Know One Teach One (KOTO) has grown from a small sandwich shop employing teenagers to an organization that provides training in hospitality, life skills, English, and IT literacy, as well as board and welfare support. Jimmy also received a letter of congratulations from the Embassy of Australian Vietnam which can be viewed here.

2021
2021

Dr. Abiodun Adereni​

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Abiodun Adereni focused his efforts as the founder and CEO of HelpMum on providing pregnant women in rural areas with the resources they need to make childbirth as safe and sterile as possible.

2020
2020

Haroon Yasin​

Haroon Yasin, co-founder and CEO of Orenda, an educational tech company that creates content for children.

To find out more more about Haroon Yasin and Orenda click here.
2020
2020

Nnaemeka

Nnaemeka from ColdHubs won the Disruptor award in 2020.

To find out more about ColdHubs click here.
2020
2020
Muzalema Mwazana
Muzalema Mwazana won the Covid Response award in 2020. For more information visit the Safe Motherhood Alliance - https://www.safemotherhoodforall.org.au/
2020
2020

Farhad Wajdi

Nnaemeka from Ebtakar Inspiring Entrepreneurs of Afghanistan Organization won the Citizen's Choice Award in 2020.
Click on the winners name for more information
2019
2019
Charlot Magayi

Charlot Magayi founder and CEO of Mukuru Stoves, is an eco-entrepreneur on a mission to eradicate household air pollution in Africa. With over 5 years’ experience in the cookstove industry, Charlot believes in a world where every household is smoke-free and has dedicated her time, skills and knowledge to work towards achieving this dream.

To find out more about Mukuru Stoves click here.
2019
2019
Qabale Duba
Qabale Duba from the Qabale Duba Foundation won the Citizen's Choice award in 2020.
For more information click the winners name.
2019
2019
Yogesh Kumar
Yogesh Kumar from Even Cargo won the Disruptor award in 2020. For more information click the winners name.
2018
2018
Koketso Moeti

Koketso Moeti saw the potential of cell phones to amplify the voices of poor women and hold government accountable. Working to turn every cell phone into an active citizenship tool, Koketso founded amandla.mobi, a movement of over 200,000 active citizens across South Africa who campaign against poverty.

To find out more about amandla.mobi click here
2018
2018
Tabithia Mpamira
Tabitha Mpamira from Mutera won the Citizen's Choice award in 2018.
For more information, click the winners name
2018
2018
Caitlin Barrett

Caitlin Barrett from Love Mercy won the Youth Innovation Award in 2018.

For more information, click the winners name
2017
2017
Wilma Rodrigues
Wilma Rodrigues founder and CEO of Saahas Zero Waste believes in persistence and practicality. Wilma has had a diverse career path – from being a tour guide and German language translator in the eighties, to a business journalist in the nineties, and for the past 16 years a pioneer in the Waste Management Industry. When not at work, Wilma likes to spend her time planting and nurturing trees, making compost and being around family. To find out more about Saahas Zero Waste click here.
2016
2016
Clarisse Uwineza

Clarisse Uwineza whose Environmental Protection and Organics organization focuses on converting organic waste into fertilizer in Rwanda, said that her project will “help reduce waste and empower farmers to produce more food.” Her BIORGOFERT project converts bio-organic waste into an environmentally friendly and clean fertilizer.

To find out more about BIORGOFERT click here
2016
2016
Elise Kendall
Elise Kendall from KinoSol won in 2016.
To find out more about KinoSol click here.
2016
2016
Melissa Kushner

Melissa Kushner from Yamba Malawi won in 2016.

To find out more about Yamba Malawi click here.
2015
2015
Twesigye Jackson Kaguri
Twesigye Jackson Kaguri the director of Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project, won the 2015 prize for his work in making education more accessible to AIDS orphans in Uganda. This includes developing schools but also helping the women - or “grandmothers” as he calls them - who raise these orphans. To find out more about Nyaka AIDS orphans project click here
2014
2014
Anoop Jain

Anoop Jain the founder of Humanure Power, won the 2014 prize for his work in rural India building sanitation facilities. Anoop believes that building toilets addresses the underlying causes of poverty, which affect broader health, social, and economic change desperately needed in India.

To find out more about Sanitation Rights in India click here

Media Gallery

2019 Waislitz Award Winners

See the winners of the 2019 Waislitz Awards

Qabale Duba Foundation

2019 Waislitz Global Citizen Award Winner

Sanitation & Health Rights In India

Waislitz Global Citizen Award Winner

Environmental Protection & Organics

Waislitz Global Citizen Award Winner

Saahas Zero Waste, India

2017 Waislitz Global Citizen Award Winner

The Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project

2015 Waislitz Global Citizen Award Winner

Meet humanitarian and gender advocate, Nurse Anna Qabale Duba, Aster Guardian’s Global Nursing Award winner

Nurse Anna Qabale Duba is the first Kenyan to win the prestigious Aster Guardian Global Nursing Award. Shortlisted from an initial pool of 24,000 nominee nurses worldwide, she shone through because of her service to vulnerable girls in Northern Kenya.

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