Cambodian woman activist given $1.3 million awardNovember 14, 2008
The Associated Press
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia: A Cambodian woman activist who has spearheaded her country's battle against sex traffickers is the first recipient of an award from a recently established human rights foundation, the German Embassy announced Friday.
The 1 million euro ($1.269 million) award to Somaly Mam from the Munich-based Roland Berger Foundation rivals in amount the Nobel Peace Prize, which includes a grant of 10 million Swedish kroner ($1.268 million).
The Roland Berger Human Dignity Award was given to Somaly Mam — who herself is a former sex trade victim — "in recognition of her fight for a world without slavery," the German Embassy said in a statement.
Somaly Mam was sold into prostitution as a child and later escaped with the help of foreigners and aid workers. She has written about her experience in a recently published book, "The Road of Lost Innocence."
She currently heads a group named AFESIP — from the French acronym for Acting for Women in Distressing Situations — which has helped build safe houses that provide refuge, care and schooling for girls rescued from slavery.
AFESIP has rescued about 4,000 girls and women from the sex trade since it was founded in 1996, AFESIP spokesman Som Sophatra said. There are 166 former victims now living in the group's three shelters in Cambodia.
Somaly Mam could not be reached for comment Friday. Colleagues said she was traveling abroad.
Som Sophatra said she received news of her award two weeks ago.
"First she didn't believe it and she went to confirm the story (with the foundation) about the donation," he said. "She was nervous and very happy at the same time because she never got such a big amount of money."
He said the award could not have come at a better time as the group has been facing a shortage of funds since the beginning of the year.
German Federal President Horst Kohler will present the award at a ceremony in Berlin on Nov. 24, the embassy said. It praised Somaly Mam for her "fearless voice for political lobbying and numerous campaigns against human trafficking."
In April, Somaly Mam received an award from the Swedish Children's World Association for her work. In 2006, she was honored as one of Glamour magazine's women of the year.
The independent Roland Berger Foundation, which documents human trafficking and slavery, was founded in March by Roland Berger, a guest professor of business administration at the Brandenburg Technical University in Cottbus, Germany. It says the award is intended "to raise awareness on human dignity and human rights worldwide."
The 1 million euro ($1.269 million) award to Somaly Mam from the Munich-based Roland Berger Foundation rivals in amount the Nobel Peace Prize, which includes a grant of 10 million Swedish kroner ($1.268 million).
The Roland Berger Human Dignity Award was given to Somaly Mam — who herself is a former sex trade victim — "in recognition of her fight for a world without slavery," the German Embassy said in a statement.
Somaly Mam was sold into prostitution as a child and later escaped with the help of foreigners and aid workers. She has written about her experience in a recently published book, "The Road of Lost Innocence."
She currently heads a group named AFESIP — from the French acronym for Acting for Women in Distressing Situations — which has helped build safe houses that provide refuge, care and schooling for girls rescued from slavery.
AFESIP has rescued about 4,000 girls and women from the sex trade since it was founded in 1996, AFESIP spokesman Som Sophatra said. There are 166 former victims now living in the group's three shelters in Cambodia.
Somaly Mam could not be reached for comment Friday. Colleagues said she was traveling abroad.
Som Sophatra said she received news of her award two weeks ago.
"First she didn't believe it and she went to confirm the story (with the foundation) about the donation," he said. "She was nervous and very happy at the same time because she never got such a big amount of money."
He said the award could not have come at a better time as the group has been facing a shortage of funds since the beginning of the year.
German Federal President Horst Kohler will present the award at a ceremony in Berlin on Nov. 24, the embassy said. It praised Somaly Mam for her "fearless voice for political lobbying and numerous campaigns against human trafficking."
In April, Somaly Mam received an award from the Swedish Children's World Association for her work. In 2006, she was honored as one of Glamour magazine's women of the year.
The independent Roland Berger Foundation, which documents human trafficking and slavery, was founded in March by Roland Berger, a guest professor of business administration at the Brandenburg Technical University in Cottbus, Germany. It says the award is intended "to raise awareness on human dignity and human rights worldwide."
16 comments:
Congratulation...she's smart just focus on Human rights. Not politic. But now that HUN Sen regiem want to know about NGO financial... How much of that money will the CPP get?
God bless you. Keep doing you nobel job, we hope to see you win the nobel price then it will be the time to run for the president of Cambodia in 5 years from now. It will be an another leader who started from the bottom of society to become the top.
Don't be so unrealistic.. running
a prime minister just because she win an award.
Like one of the employee had saided, it's come
in a good time. They need money.
The money prize is for Miss Somaly, so she
can keep it or make a donation.
We'll see.. if she flees the country
or stay in Cambodia...
There are so many NGOs in Cambodia.
Some belongs to Hun Sen and some are with SRP.
Too much confusion.. when NGOs are supposed
to be neutral and then they are associated
with political's parties.
NGOs raised the bar too high for monkey Sen to jump.he's angry and manipulated his wolfpack CPP to annihilate NGOs.
Now Ms.Somaly Mam puts monkey Sen in the spot light.
Shame on RGC and its monkeys.
Viva Diva Somaly Mam!
It's not hard to beat ah Sen and his yuon masters, they are equivalent to shit.
Congratulation to Somaly Mam and a big thank to Roland Berger Foundation for the recognition.
Keep up the good work.
wowowo!!!! congratulation!!! MS. SOMALY...
you are even much better than BUN RANY HUN SEN and governmental officials. as a Cambodian girl, i really proud for all good deed you have done for our country and our women.
as a buddhist, i pray to Lord Buddha and angels provide you the strong soul and energy to save the way you are doing...
bravo!!!! SOMALY
Please don't compare Somaly Mam to that low Yuon bitch Ka Heang (Bunrany).
Congratulation Somaly,
Your deserve it and my advise to you is doing anything you can so you won't be robbed by those corrupt gangsters. I am sure they smell the money already when they have heard the news that your are the recipient of award. Keep up good work Khmer hero.
The things that make me deeply impress is not about the money,
about the Nobel Peace Award, not many people in the
whole world get that.
She is the model for all Cambodians woman.
Unlike CPP people buying PhD degree, Master degree
and bachelor degree, it just makes me sick.
Congratulation to Somaly Mam and thanks very much
to Roland Berger Foundation.
congratulations! you helped to make a difference not only in cambodia but the entire world as well. god bless.
Thanks to Roland Berger Foundation for care of human dignity in the Cambodian society. I hope my Cambodian leaders would emulate the same thing to their own people.
I am so delighted to hear this news. I respect this lady so much for her struggle.
May she be blessed by heaven for the works she has done.
Khmer Republican
Hi Mam, because of you, now I'm a little proud to be a Khmer. Thank you for your excellent effort in fighting against human trafficking. My heartfelt congratulations to you, Mam.
She desrves for her hard and risking work.
Unlike Mee Kahing who got a " PHD in Humanity" (what kind of PHD?, she has no bodyguards, no villa, no wealth. Will Hun Sen and
" Madam PHD in Humanity" be jalous of her?
Unlike CPP officials, she nas no 4 stars like Men Am An, but she is one of the real " STAR" of Cambodia and the world.
let wait and see: How many Khmer politicians officially congratulate Mam Somaly.
I've just read Somaly's book and is deeply touched by her heroic courage. She is a wonderful person, with a big heart! I hope that there are more Khmer people out there that would follow in her footstep, instead of seeing only dollar signs! I hope Cambodia may one day find their moralities and truthfullness in themselves, and not let corruption take over. Its so sad to have such an unstable, and dishonest society!
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