Olga Alexeeva Memorial Prize

For developing philanthropy for progressive social change in emerging market countries

The Olga Alexeeva Memorial Prize of £5,000 is for an individual who has demonstrated remarkable leadership, creativity and results in developing philanthropy for progressive social change in an emerging market country or countries. The prize will be for the individual winner to use at their discretion.

This year’s prize is being generously supported by Charities Aid Foundation, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, Philanthropy for Social Justice and Peace and Vladimir Potanin Foundation.

The fifth Olga Alexeeva Memorial Prize

The Fifth Olga Alexeeva Memorial Prize has been awarded to Puja Marwaha, chief executive of Child Rights and You (CRY), for ‘illustrating some of the key elements critical for moving philanthropy. A driven leader who sets the tone and gives confidence that it is possible to mobilize resources…. Her local fundraising efforts not only bring resources to her work but also bring credibility to the local organizations working on the same issues with the added benefit of using indigenous resources.’

The prize will be presented at the ‘Investing in Philanthropy Development‘ WINGS International Meeting for Funders to be held 26–27 March 2018 in Barcelona, Spain. The prize winner and all the other finalists will be attending the meeting and given an opportunity to showcase their work.

Click here for more information about the winners and the runners-up.

Previous prize winners

2016
The Fourth Olga Alexeeva Memorial Prize was awarded to Bhekinkosi Moyo, executive director of the Southern Africa Trust and chair of the Africa Philanthropy Network, for ‘his broad and long-term contribution to African philanthropy, playing different roles and critically contributing to building African institutions and networks … dedicated to strengthening philanthropy in Africa and helping to create the potential to achieve progressive social change in a sustained manner’.

The prize was presented at the Global Summit on Community Philanthropy in Johannesburg, South Africa on 1 – 2 December 2016 and was hosted by the Global Fund for Community Foundations.

Click here for more information about the winners and the runners-up.

 

2015
The Third Olga Alexeeva Memorial Prize was awarded to Alina Porumb, strategic philanthropy programme director of Romania’s Association for Community Relations (ARC), for ‘the scale and quality of her accomplishments; her ‘indefatigable and inspiring leadership in support of the development of community foundations across Romania’; her intellectual leadership and her outreach internationally’.

‘Through this award, a community of philanthropy professionals are bringing to surface inspirational leaders and great work in the field of philanthropy globally, expanding the reach of these practices. Thank you for keeping Olga’s voice strong’

The prize was presented at the 2nd Emerging Markets Philanthropy Forum in Beijing on 23-24 November 2015 and hosted by the China Foundation Center.

Click here for more information about the winners and the runners-up.

2014
The Second Olga Alexeeva Memorial Prize was awarded to He Daofeng, CEO of the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) and chair of the board of the China Foundation Center, for his ‘significant, creative, far-reaching and, at times, courageous contributions to expanding the field of Chinese philanthropy and putting it on a trajectory to support progressive social change’.

‘Winning the Olga Prize last year was very important for me personally and also for its impact on the Chinese philanthropy sector. Philanthropy – and the spirit of commonweal, sacrifice and goodwill it involves – reflects how mankind’s basic character differs from that of animals. The Olga Prize gave me and my colleagues an example and a benchmark in this field and brought a new vision to Chinese philanthropy.’
He Daofeng

The prize was presented at WINGSForum 2014 in Istanbul, 26-28 March.

Click here for more information about the winners and the runners-up.

2013
The First Olga Alexeeva Memorial Prize was awarded to Jane Weru and Kingsley Mucheke of the Akiba Mashinani Trust, Kenya ‘for their innovative work to build assets among the most marginalized community in Kenya – landless slum dwellers – and for the way they have developed a philanthropic mechanism to support transformational efforts by that community’.

‘Winning the award came as a pleasant shock that strengthened my resolve to reach deeper, go further, work harder and give more of myself  to help the over 700,000 poor people living in Nairobi’s Mukuru slums. The global recognition helped tremendously at the local level as it gave us credibility, especially with government officials and policymakers, who became more responsive towards the allocation of resources to provide land, housing, water and sanitation in slums.’
Kingsley Mucheke

The prize was presented at the International Forum on Emerging Markets, Emerging Philanthropies in Peterhof, Russia in July 2013.

Click here for more information about the winners and the runners-up.

About Olga Alexeeva

Olga Alexeeva died suddenly and unexpectedly on 20 July 2011. Olga was only 42. She had recently left Charities Aid Foundation to set up the Philanthropy Bridge Foundation, whose goal was to build meaningful connections, partnerships and, most importantly, trust between philanthropists looking to give and individuals and institutions looking to ‘do’ in developing and emerging market countries around the world.

Underpinning this was Olga’s unswerving belief that philanthropy should and could be about making the world a better and fairer place, and that the best solutions invariably emerge when they are inspired and informed by local context rather than being imported from outside. This prize is in honour of her memory and beliefs.

About our funders

The Olga Alexeeva Memorial Prize is an Alliance project. It is generously supported by:

•  Charities Aid Foundation
•  Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
•  Vladimir Potanin Foundation

We are also grateful to the support of The Lodestar Foundation who funded the Prize between 2014 & 2016.

If you have any questions, contact olgaalexeevaprize@alliancemagazine.org