Pakistan’s largest orphan school ‘KORT Education’ won the prestigious Zayed Sustainability Prize of $100,000, earning the title of the best Global School in South Asia at COP28 climate conference in Dubai.
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan awarded KORT Education, overseen by the Kashmir Orphan Relief Trust (KORT), for their pioneering work in water conservation and organic farming. Sumaiya Bibi, who lost her parents in the devastating earthquake, accepted the award on behalf of KORT at the Expo City on December 1, symbolizing the triumph of resilience and dedication.
“We want to set up water filtration plants and sensor taps in our school to minimize water wastage,” Sumaiya Bibi said. “We also want to set up a kitchen garden in our school through organic farming so that the children can get nutrition from the organically grown food.”
KORT Education emerged as a beacon of hope for children orphaned in the tragic 2005 earthquake that claimed over 87,000 lives, leaving countless young souls in despair.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The Zayed Sustainability Prize, recognized globally for its commitment to sustainability and humanitarianism, aligns with the legacy of UAE’s founding father, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
This esteemed award acknowledges the efforts of small and medium enterprises, non-profit organizations, and high schools addressing critical challenges in health, food, energy, water, and climate.
“Today, the UAE reaffirms its dedication to combat climate change and empower vulnerable communities as we award US $1 million to each of our distinguished winners in Health, Food, Water, Energy, and Climate Action, and US $150,000 to each Global High Schools winner. This substantial funding will help scale their innovative solutions and deliver transformational progress around the world, especially across the Global South,” said His Excellency Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Director General of the Zayed Sustainability Prize, and COP28 President.
Over the past 15 years, the Prize, with its 106 previous winners, has touched the lives of a staggering 384 million people worldwide, making a significant impact on global well-being.
To further amplify its commitment to fostering sustainable and humanitarian development, the Zayed Sustainability Prize has decided to elevate its endowment from US $3.6 million to US $5.9 million, effective immediately.
This substantial increase underscores the Prize’s dedication to driving positive change and empowering initiatives that contribute to a more sustainable and compassionate world.
The triumph of ‘KORT Education’ on the global stage at COP28 reflects the school’s unwavering commitment to providing a bright future for orphaned children, emphasizing the profound impact of such initiatives on a larger scale.
11 winners recognized at the Awards Ceremony
In September, a distinguished panel of Jury members carefully selected the eleven winners for the current cycle of the Prize.
Each submission underwent rigorous evaluation, assessing its contribution and commitment to delivering impactful, innovative, and inspiring solutions in the six categories of Health, Food, Energy, Water, Climate Action, and Global High Schools. The winners include:
- Eau et Vie, an NPO from France
- Ignite Power, an SME from Rwanda
- Gaza Urban & Peri-urban Agricultural Platform (GUPAP) from Palestine
- Indonesia’s doctorSHARE
- Kelp Blue, a Namibian SME
- Colegio De Alto Rendimiento De La Libertad (Peru), represrnting The Americas
- Gwani Ibrahim Dan Hajja Academy (Nigeria) representing Sub-Saharan Africa
- International School (Morocco) from the Middle East & North Africa
- Northfleet Technology College (United Kingdom) from Europe & Central Asia
- KORT Education Complex (Pakistan), representing South Asia
- Beijing High School No. 35 (China), representing East Asia & Pacific
“This year’s winners have demonstrated a remarkable wave of ingenuity in their solutions to address urgent global challenges. We have confidence that these winners will catalyze substantial and scalable change in communities worldwide, propelling us towards vital climate action objectives and forging a path to a sustainable future for all,” said The Chair of the Jury and former President of the Republic of Iceland, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson.