Awards and testimonials

21.04.2023, Mettmenstetten / Philadelphia

The Swiss NGO ADES works to protect livelihoods and social security in Madagascar. On 20 April, it was awarded the Lipman Family Prize in Pennsylvania. The prize is awarded by the University of Pennsylvania and honours pioneering and innovative organisations in the social sector. For ADES, this is the second international award within a short period of time.

On 20 April 2023, the Lipman Family Prize was awarded at the University of Pennsylvania (USA). The Swiss NGO ADES received the award as one of the three international winning organisations. The prize, awarded by the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, recognises pioneering and innovative organisations from the social sector. The focus is on developing the greatest possible impact and transferability of measures. The organisation "Build Up Nepal" was chosen as the main winner. The third award-winning organisation is "Healthy Learners" from Zambia.

Award founder Barry Lipman explains: "The work of the three award-winning organisations is very different, but their quest for a just life for all is common to them. This forms the basis of human coexistence and we are inspired by their innovative models, their impact and their potential for even wider dissemination."

The main prize is USD 250,000, the other winners will each receive USD 125,000. In addition, the winning organisations will benefit from a long-term cooperation with the University of Pennsylvania and receive scholarships for courses in NGO management.

Since 2001, ADES has been working to preserve Madagascar's forests and alleviate poverty with solar and energy-saving cookers, reforestation projects and educational measures. For ADES, this means the second international award within a short period of time: In November 2021, the organisation already received the title of Organisation of the Year at the .ORG Impact Awards.

9.10.2021, Mettmenstetten / USA

ADES is International Organisation of the Year 2021! At the .ORG Impact Awards ceremony on 9 November 2021, ADES not only won in the category "Overcoming Climate Change", but shortly afterwards also the main prize: Organisation of the Year!

Non-profit organisations worldwide use the top-level domain .ORG for their internet presence. The .ORG is administered by the Public Interest Registry (PIR) based in the USA. Every year, PIR presents the .ORG Impact Awards to organisations that stand out and make a big impact with their work. 633 organisations were nominated for the finals in seven categories. As a finalist in the category "Overcoming Climate Change", ADES was also in the running for the main prize.

PIR presented ADES with the USD 10 000 Impact Award as the winner of its category in an online event on 9 November. As if that wasn't enough, ADES also briefly won the top prize and is officially .ORG Organisation of the Year 2021! This glorious award comes with an additional prize money of 35 000 USD. The PIR explained its decision in a press release

of the Impact Awards, among other things, with this: "The work of ADES serves to protect the climate, biodiversity and health, while at the same time enabling a path out of poverty in Madagascar."

This international award is a great recognition of our work. The Impact Award confirms how efficiently and effectively we at ADES implement our vision, even with limited resources. Our work serves the protection of Madagascar's forests, but also all the inhabitants of this wonderful island. Receiving this award helps us to draw attention to the problems and solutions in Madagascar and to further expand our commitment.

In 2010 Regula Ochsner was awarded the prize of the Dr. J.E. Brandenberger Foundation as an outstanding Swiss personality.

Since 1990, the Dr. J. E. Brandenberger Foundation has annually awarded prizes to outstanding Swiss personalities who have rendered outstanding services to humanitarian culture, social progress or the raising of living standards.

In 2008, the Swiss Foundation for the Dorn Prize awarded ADES for its commitment in Madagascar.

From the explanatory memorandum:

"Solar cooker to save the tropical forests

Eighty percent of the wood harvested in Madagascar is used by the local population for cooking on open fires. Due to the large population growth and progressive deforestation, the forest cover has shrunk to ten percent, and large parts of the island are now deserted. A unique natural paradise and the habitat of predominantly rare plant and animal species are in danger. ..."

In 2008, the Africa Link Organisation awarded the title FRIEND OF AFRICA to Regula Ochsner.

"Africa Link Organisation presents the 2008 FRIEND OF AFRICA Solidarity Award to Regula Ochsner for her leadership in the fight against deforestation in Madagascar through the promotion of alternative energy for cooking, driven by the Association pour le Developpement de l'Energie Solaire Suisse-Madagascar (ADES)."

In 2007, the Swiss Solar Agency awarded ADES the Jury Prize.

From the explanatory memorandum:

"The non-profit Association pour le Développement de l'Energié Solaire Suisse-Madagascar (ADES), founded in 2001 by Regula Ochsner, builds solar cookers in southern Madagascar. In the provincial capital of Tuléar and 250 km south of Ejeda, ADES operates two renewable energy centres. By promoting renewable energies, the living conditions of the people are improved and valuable forests are saved from deforestation. With the local production and distribution of solar cookers on site, new jobs are created and understanding for the new cooking method is promoted. By mid-2007, 2000 solar cookers had already been sold, reducing CO2 emissions by 3 to 5 tonnes per solar cooker annually."