EMBRACE named 2012 Asia Society-Bank of America-Merrill Lynch Asia 21 Young Leaders Public Service Award Winner
Dhaka – In recognition of their outstanding work in providing quality maternal and child health support in China, India, Zambia, Uganda, and Somalia—Embrace has been named winner of the 2012 Asia Society-Bank of America Merrill Lynch Asia 21 Young Leaders Public Service Award (Asia 21 PSA). Rajan Patel, Area Manager of Embrace based in Gujarat, India, accepted the award during the ceremonies at the Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Embrace advances maternal and child health by delivering innovative solutions to the world’s most vulnerable populations. They catalyze the creation of products with strong potential to improve the health outcomes in developing countries and work to get those products directly to the people who need them the most. Embrace has designed a low-cost infant warmer that addresses the challenge of caring for hypothermic infants by warming and regulating their body temperature, at a fraction of the cost of a traditional incubator. The Embrace infant warmer does not require constant electricity, is portable and lightweight, locally reparable, and allows mothers to breastfeed while providing maternal support.
The Asia 21 Public Service Award recognizes an organization that has made an outstanding contribution in reaching underprivileged social/economic groups by providing a meaningful service to a community and the public in the region. The selection is overseen by the incumbent Asia 21 Fellowship Class, a core group of young leaders from across the Asia-Pacific, based on project innovation and feasibility, quantifiable impact, sustainability and growth potential.
Aside from receiving $10,000, Embrace also gains access to the network of resources and expertise of the 2012 Asia 21 Fellowship Class. This may include interaction in such areas as Strategic Planning, Capacity Building and Training, Resource Mobilization, and Program Development and Management.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ):
1. What are the criteria for this award?
All organizations applying for this award must:
- Be nominated by an Asia 21 Fellow or Delegate of a past Asia 21 Young Leaders’ Summit;
- Be based and conduct activities in the Asia-Pacific region;
- Have a plan to engage actively with and accept ongoing support from the Asia 21 Class of 2012 Fellows;
- Have permission to accept funds from the United States of America;
- Demonstrate positive impact from their work at the time of submission of their application;
- Have an annual budget of less than US$3,000,000; and
- Have a transparent accounting process for finances.
For a list of additional desirable criteria, please see the complete application form.
2. What documents are needed for applying?
- Completed nomination form;
- Two (2) references / letters of recommendation from individuals and/or organizations clearly indicating their support for the nomination for the Asia 21 2012 PSA and attesting to the nominee’s contributions. These supporting letters must come from appropriate project stakeholders (e.g. project beneficiaries, government officials, or private sector);
- Most recent annual report of the organization from 2010-2011 or 2011-2012, including an annual financial statement (please include only the latest report);
- Additional information that supports your application (such as press releases, reports or other data relating to projects mentioned in your application). The additional information should be a maximum of five (5) pages. This is not essential to your application. We may request additional information during the review process.
3. When is the award going to be decided and what are the deadlines of which I should be aware?
- Call for Nominations: July 19 – September 10, 2012
- All proposals for the Asia 21 2012 PSA should be submitted by email to the Jury Administrator by September 10, 2012, 12:00 midnight ET.
- Review of proposals and the selection of Top 5 nominees: September 11 – October 1, 2012.
- The Top Five contenders are notified of the results of the Asia 21 2012 PSA: November 1, 2012.
- Asia21 2012 PSA Presentation Ceremony at the Asia Society’s 2012 Asia 21 Young Leaders Summit in Dhaka: December 7-9, 2012
4. Why is it important for the organization that I nominate to be able to communicate with Asia Society Asia 21 in English?
In addition to the US$10,000, a very important component of the Award is access to the Asia 21 Fellows’ network for program development and mentoring. To ensure that the award-winning organization gets the most out of their experience through this exchange, English proficiency is a requirement.
5. Is the award only for organizations or can individuals also apply?
This award is only for organizations that are based and conduct activities in the Asia-Pacific region.
6. Can I nominate my own organization if I work at a public service organization?
If you are a past Asia 21 Fellow or Delegate, you are also encouraged to nominate your own organizations.
7. Who should I contact if I have more questions about the Public Service Award?
For further queries, please e-mail us at: blinden@asiasociety.org. In order to ensure a speedy response, please do NOT leave a question in the comments section on this page.
