AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award

AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award
The Lions Humanitarian Award is the highest honor of the association given to an individual or an organization with exemplary humanitarian efforts. This award includes a grant from LCIF of up to US$250,000 for continuing humanitarian activities. Lions clubs members may nominate deserving philanthropists, and the international president of Lions Clubs International and the LCIF chairperson select the winner. Prior recipients are listed below, in order of fiscal year.
| Sl | Name | Country | Flag | Year | Awarded For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | Shee Kupi Shee | Kenya | 2025 | for his extraordinary courage in protecting lives and restoring humanity & peace. | |
| 12 | Olivier Vandecasteele | France | 2024 | for his extraordinary courage in protecting lives and restoring humanity & peace. | |
| 11 | Sofia Sprechmann | Uruguay | 2023 | for her extraordinary courage in protecting lives and restoring humanity & peace. | |
| 10 | Mohamed Ashmawey | United States | 2022 | for his extraordinary courage in protecting lives and restoring humanity & peace. | |
| 9 | Dahabo Abagaro Bagajo | Kenya | 2021 | for her extraordinary courage in protecting lives and restoring humanity & peace. | |
| 8 | Jess Markt | United States | 2019 | for his extraordinary courage in protecting lives and restoring humanity & peace. | |
| 7 | Michael Kühnel | Austria | 2017 | for his extraordinary courage in protecting lives and restoring humanity & peace. | |
| 6 | Cynthia Maung | Myanmar | 2016 | for her extraordinary courage in protecting lives and restoring humanity & peace. | |
| 5 | Sean Casey | Armenia | 2015 | for his extraordinary courage in protecting lives and restoring humanity & peace. | |
| 4 | Christian & Marie-France des Pallières | Cambodia | 2014 | for their extraordinary courage in protecting lives and restoring humanity & peace. | |
| 3 | Jumana Odeh | Palestine | 2013 | for her extraordinary courage in protecting lives and restoring humanity & peace. | |
| 2 | Abbas Gullet | Kenya | 2012 | for his extraordinary courage in protecting lives and restoring humanity & peace. | |
| 1 | Janina Ochojska | Poland | 2011 | for her extraordinary courage in protecting lives and restoring humanity & peace. |

AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award Laureates (2030 ~ 2021)

Shee Kupi Shee
AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award 2025
Shee Kupi Shee is a prominent Kenyan humanitarian and peace-building expert, currently serving as the Director of Disaster Risk Management and Peace Building for Lamu County. Born to a Kenyan mother and a Somali father, his personal background deeply informs his work in the fragile borderlands between Kenya and Somalia.Key Contributions and Impact
Humanitarian Leadership: He has spent over a decade leading community-driven initiatives in conflict-prone areas like the Boni Forest.Maritime Safety: Following a tragic boat accident in 2016, he established the Disaster Response Team (DRT) to improve maritime search and rescue in a region where 91% of the population relies on the sea.Peace-Building: He integrates disaster response with conflict resolution, using local cultural heritage and indigenous knowledge to bridge divides between refugees and host communities.Global Recognition
In 2025, he was named the AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year in Geneva. His other accolades include the Averted Disaster Award (2024) for his proactive response to devastating floods and the IMRF Individual Contribution Award for excellence in maritime rescue.

Olivier Vandecasteele
AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award 2024
Olivier Vandecasteele is a Belgian humanitarian worker with nearly two decades of experience serving international NGOs, including Médecins du Monde, Relief International, and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). His career has taken him to conflict-affected regions such as Afghanistan, Mali, and India.Detention in Iran
In February 2022, while visiting Tehran to finalize his departure after years of service there, Vandecasteele was arrested and held for 455 days. He was eventually sentenced to 40 years in prison and 74 lashes following a trial that international experts and the Belgian government characterized as a "sham." During his imprisonment, he was kept in solitary confinement under harsh conditions, leading to significant health concerns and a hunger strike.Release and Advocacy
He was released on May 26, 2023, through a prisoner swap mediated by Oman, involving the return of an Iranian official held in Belgium. Following his return, Vandecasteele shifted his focus toward protecting others in his field. In 2024, he founded "Protect Humanitarians," an NGO dedicated to advocating for the safety of aid workers and providing support to those who face attacks or illegal detention worldwide.

Sofia Sprechmann
AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award 2023
Sofía Sprechmann Sineiro is a Uruguayan sociologist and a prominent figure in international development, known for her long-standing leadership at CARE International. She served as the organization's Secretary General from 2020 until October 2024, capping a career of over 30 years with the global confederation.Leadership and Advocacy
Sprechmann Sineiro has been a vocal champion for gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. Key highlights of her work include:Decolonizing Aid: She co-founded and co-chairs the Pledge for Change, an initiative aimed at re-imagining the role of international NGOs to create a more equitable aid system based on local self-determination.Global Program Strategy: Before becoming Secretary General, she served as CARE’s Program Director, where she spearheaded the organization’s first unified global program strategy and placed gender justice at its core.Humanitarian Response: She has consistently advocated for marginalized groups, including domestic workers and survivors of gender-based violence, while coordinating high-level humanitarian responses in regions like Syria and Ukraine.Background and Recognition
Originally from Uruguay and currently based in Ecuador, she holds a B.A. in Sociology and an MSc in Epidemiology. In 2023, she was honored with the Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award for her dedication to transforming power relations within the aid sector.
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Mohamed Ashmawey
AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award 2022
Dr. Mohamed Ashmawey is a distinguished leader in the international humanitarian sector, currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Human Appeal. With a career spanning over two decades, he has held top leadership positions in some of the world's largest non-governmental organizations, including serving as CEO of both Islamic Relief Worldwide and Islamic Relief USA.Professional Background and Education
Dr. Ashmawey holds a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Maryland. Before transitioning to the humanitarian sector in 2006, he had a successful 18-year career in the corporate world, including management roles at General Motors and Electronic Data Systems. This experience in process re-engineering and organizational restructuring has informed his approach to making aid delivery more efficient and impact-led.Humanitarian Impact
Organizational Transformation: Since joining Human Appeal in 2019, he has focused on strengthening governance, transparency, and accountability, doubling the organization's income to reach millions of vulnerable people.Global Advocacy: He has been a member of the World Economic Forum’s Civil Society Advisory Team and has advocated for climate change action and gender justice at high-level forums like Davos.Awards: In 2022, he was honored with the AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award in recognition of his leadership and commitment to empowering marginalized communities.

Dahabo Abagaro Bagajo
AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award 2021
Dahabo Abagaro Bagajo is a Kenyan registered nurse and a dedicated human rights defender from a pastoralist community in Marsabit County. She has gained international and national recognition for her efforts to improve maternal health and advocate for the rights of women and girls in remote, underserved regions.Healthcare Initiatives
As a nurse, Bagajo founded the "Healthy Mother Healthy Baby" initiative to address the critical lack of antenatal care in her community, where the nearest health facility can be hundreds of kilometers away. She has trained approximately 150 safe motherhood promoters who help operate mobile clinics, providing essential medical care and education to thousands of women and children.Advocacy and Human Rights
Beyond clinical care, Bagajo is a vocal advocate against harmful cultural practices:FGM and Early Marriage: She works to eliminate female genital mutilation and forced early marriages, focusing on community sensitization that has impacted over 3,000 girls.Community Leadership: She founded BIFTU, a community-based organization dedicated to female empowerment through education and reproductive health awareness.Recognition
Her work has earned her several prestigious honors, including being a nominee for the Human Rights Defender of the Year Award in Kenya (2022 and 2023) and participating in the Mandela Washington Fellowship, where she studied civic leadership in New York.

AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award Laureates (2020 ~ 2011)

Jess Markt
AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award 2019
Jess Markt is an internationally acclaimed wheelchair basketball coach and a leading advocate for disability sport and social inclusion. He currently serves as the Global Disability Sport & Integration Advisor for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), a role he has held for over a decade.Career and Humanitarian Impact
Markt’s humanitarian journey began in 2011 when he traveled to Afghanistan to train a newly formed wheelchair basketball team. Since then, he has:Expanded Global Programs: He has helped establish and grow wheelchair basketball programs in over 20 countries, including South Sudan, India, Cambodia, Syria, and Palestine.National Team Development: He served as the head coach for the Afghanistan men’s and women’s national teams, leading them to their first international competitions.Promoted Social Inclusion: Beyond the sport itself, Markt uses basketball as a tool for physical rehabilitation and a vehicle to help people with disabilities reintegrate into their communities, pursue education, and find employment.Background
Originally from Portland, Oregon, Markt was a competitive high jumper at the University of Oregon before becoming a paraplegic following a car accident at age 19. He found that wheelchair basketball was the "final piece" of his own recovery, which inspired his lifelong mission to bring the sport to war-torn and developing nations.

Michael Kühnel
AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award 2017
Dr. Michael Kühnel is a German physician and humanitarian who has gained recognition for his frontline medical work in crisis zones. He is notably associated with the German Red Cross (Deutsches Rotes Kreuz), where he has volunteered his medical expertise to provide emergency relief in high-pressure environments.Medical Missions and Impact
Dr. Kühnel is frequently cited for his work in Greece, particularly at the Idomeni border camp during the height of the European migration crisis. In these settings, he provided critical primary healthcare under squalid conditions, treating hundreds of patients weekly for ailments such as bronchitis and pneumonia. His approach is characterized by:Direct Field Care: Performing procedures like stitching wounds and treating infections in temporary medical tents.Compassionate Communication: He is known for building trust with patients despite language barriers, emphasizing a "language of humanity."Logistical Coordination: Working alongside groups like Médecins du Monde and the Hellenic Red Cross to ensure a continuous handover of care.Recognition
His dedication to selfless service led to him being recognized as a "Humanitarian Hero," illustrating the vital role of medical volunteers in navigating complex humanitarian emergencies. His work highlights the importance of immediate medical intervention for displaced populations facing harsh weather and a lack of basic services.

Cynthia Maung
AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award 2016
Dr. Cynthia Maung is a Burmese medical doctor and human rights advocate who has dedicated her life to providing free healthcare to refugees and displaced persons. After fleeing the military crackdown in Myanmar in 1988, she crossed the border into Thailand. In 1989, she established the Mae Tao Clinic in Mae Sot with only a handful of instruments, which she famously sterilized in a rice cooker.Over three decades, the clinic has transformed from a makeshift facility into a comprehensive community health center. It now treats over 100,000 patients annually, including migrant workers and orphans. Beyond immediate medical care, Dr. Maung manages child protection services, education programs, and "backpack medic" teams that travel into conflict zones to deliver essential aid.Her tireless humanitarian work has earned her global recognition, including the Ramon Magsaysay Award (2002), the Sydney Peace Prize (2013), and most recently, an honorary doctorate from Naresuan University in 2025.
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Sean Casey
AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award 2015
Sean Casey is a highly experienced humanitarian and public health expert, currently recognized for his role as a Health Emergency Officer and Emergency Medical Team Coordinator for the World Health Organization (WHO). He has been a prominent voice in reporting on the dire health conditions and the collapse of medical infrastructure in the Gaza Strip throughout 2023 and 2024.Humanitarian Career and Impact
With a career spanning over 30 countries, Casey has been a first responder to some of the most significant global crises:Ebola Outbreak: He served as the Regional Director for the Ebola Response with the International Medical Corps in West Africa (2014–2015).Natural Disasters: He helped lead the emergency response following the 2015 earthquake in Nepal, where he was present when the disaster struck.Conflict Zones: His extensive portfolio includes emergency work in Ukraine, South Sudan, Mali, and the Philippines.Recognition
In 2015, Casey was voted the AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year, an honor bestowed by his peers in the humanitarian and development sector. He holds an MPhil in HIV/AIDS and Society from the University of Cape Town and has worked extensively on protection initiatives for marginalized groups and survivors of torture.

Christian & Marie-France des Pallières
AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award 2014
Christian and Marie-France des Pallières were a retired French couple whose lives were transformed in 1995 while on a humanitarian mission in Cambodia. Struck by the sight of hundreds of children scavenging for survival in the toxic Stung Meanchey garbage dump in Phnom Penh, they vowed to "do something" to help.Pour un Sourire d’Enfant (PSE)
In 1996, they founded the NGO Pour un Sourire d’Enfant (For a Child’s Smile). What began as a simple program providing one meal a day and basic schooling grew into a massive educational complex. Their philosophy, "from destitution to a vocation," focused on providing long-term solutions:Holistic Care: PSE provides nutrition, healthcare, and protection to thousands of children.Vocational Training: They established world-class training centers in mechanics, hospitality, business, and even a renowned film school.Family Support: To prevent children from returning to the dump, they provide rice to families to compensate for "lost wages" while their children study.Legacy and Honors
Affectionately known as "Papy" and "Mamie" by the children, the couple received the French Legion of Honor and were granted Cambodian nationality for their service. Christian passed away in 2016, but Marie-France continues their mission. Their story is movingly captured in the 2016 award-winning documentary Les Pépites (Little Gems).

Jumana Odeh
AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award 2013
Dr. Jumana Odeh is a distinguished Palestinian pediatrician and public health expert. In 1994, she founded the Palestinian Happy Child Centre (PHCC) in Ramallah, an organization dedicated to supporting children with special needs and developmental disabilities. Her work has been instrumental in shifting public perceptions of disability within her community.Key Contributions
Comprehensive Care: Since its inception, the PHCC has provided specialized medical care, early screenings, and therapy to approximately 38,000 children and families.Systemic Reform: She successfully advocated for the Palestinian Ministry of Health to implement a nationwide screening program for the early detection of childhood disorders, including autism.Academic Leadership: Dr. Odeh serves as a Faculty Director at the Harvard FXB Center for Health and Human Rights, where she focuses on disability rights programs.Awards and Recognition
Dr. Odeh has received numerous international accolades for her humanitarian service:AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year (2013): She was the first Arab professional to receive this prestigious award.World of Children Awards: She received the Health Award in 2008 and the Alumni Award in 2017.APHA Health Equity Award (2025): Recognized by the American Public Health Association for her lifelong commitment to health equity.

Abbas Gullet
AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award 2012
Dr. Abbas Gullet is a renowned Kenyan humanitarian leader, best known for his transformative tenure as the Secretary General of the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) from 2001 to 2019. Under his leadership, the KRCS evolved from a struggling entity into one of the most efficient and self-sustaining national societies in the world.Key Achievements and Innovation
Financial Sustainability: Gullet introduced a unique business model to fund humanitarian efforts, founding the Boma Group of Hotels, which is fully owned by the KRCS.Emergency Medical Services: He established E-Plus, which manages the largest fleet of critical care ambulances in Kenya and Sub-Saharan Africa.Crisis Leadership: He led the "Kenyans for Kenya" campaign in 2011, mobilizing millions of dollars for drought relief, and coordinated the response to the 2007/2008 post-election violence.Global Recognition and Recent Roles
His contributions have earned him numerous accolades, including the UN Person of the Year in Kenya (2007) and the North-South Prize (2017). In 2025, President William Ruto appointed him as the Chairperson of the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) Board of Directors.

Janina Ochojska
AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year Award 2011
Janina Ochojska is a renowned Polish humanitarian, social activist, and astronomer. She is the founder and long-standing president of Polish Humanitarian Action (PAH), one of the most prominent NGOs in Poland.Foundation of PAH and Impact
Her humanitarian journey began in the 1980s while volunteering for the French organization EquiLibre. In 1992, she organized the first Polish aid convoy to besieged Sarajevo, a pivotal moment that galvanized Polish society. This led to the official establishment of PAH in 1994. Under her leadership, the organization has:Global Reach: Delivered aid in over 44 countries, including South Sudan, Chechnya, Iraq, and Ukraine.Focus Areas: Prioritized access to clean water, food security, and education, building nearly 1,000 water intakes and dozens of schools worldwide.Modern Culture of Aid: Focused on shaping humanitarian attitudes in Poland and promoting self-reliance for people in crisis.Advocacy and Recognition
Ochojska, who has been physically disabled since childhood due to polio, is a powerful advocate for the marginalized. In 2019, she was elected as a Member of the European Parliament, where she serves on committees for development and human rights. Her honors include the French Legion of Honor (2003), the Pax Christi International Peace Award (1995), and being named the AidEx Humanitarian Hero of the Year in 2011.
