Fondation RAJA Women’s Awards 2023 : twelve associations honoured
21 November 2023Twelve women's charities were honoured by the RAJA-Danièle Marcovici Foundation at its biennial awards ceremony in Paris on 14 November. Each will receive an endowment of between €10,000 and €15,000, giving a total of €150,000. Since 2006, the Fondation RAJA-Danièle Marcovici has supported 741 projects for women, with a total budget of 17 million euros.
Hosted by comedian Sophia Aram, the 10th Fondation RAJA Women's Awards ceremony was attended by over 400 people at the Théâtre du Trianon. In the audience were three former women's rights ministers: Najat Vallaud-Belkacem, Laurence Rossignol and Isabelle Rome. Singer Olivia Ruiz gave the first performance of her new single, "La Réplique".
End-of-event photo featuring representatives of the winning associations of the RAJA Women’s Awards 2023, gathered around Danièle Kapel-Marovici, CEO of the RAJA Group, founder and president of the RAJA-Danièle Marcovici Foundation, Sophie Pouget, general delegate of the Foundation, the operational team of the Foundation, Olivia Ruiz, Sophia Aram, the ceremony’s mistresses of ceremony, and the listeners and pre-welcome staff of 3919 present at the ceremony. © Julien Faure for the RAJA Danièle Marcovici Foundation.
Six organizations have been awarded the “RAJA Women’s Awards Foundation”:
- Committee for the Health of Exiles (Comede), awarded in the category of “Defense of Rights and Fight against Violence against Women and Girls,” for its work in supporting female migrants in Île-de-France.
Sophia Aram, the mistress of ceremonies (seen from the back), and Alissata NDiaye, President of the National Federation of GAMS, a laureate of the 2021 RAJA Women’s Awards in the category of “Defense of Rights and Fight against Violence against Women,” surround Céline Pellegrin, Head of Financing at the Committee for the Health of Exiles (Comede), a laureate of the 2023 awards in the same category. Trianon Theatre, Paris, November 14, 2023. © Julien Faure for the RAJA Danièle Marcovici Foundation.
- FEMAID, awarded in the category of “Education and Equal Opportunities,” for its program educating young girls deprived of schooling by the Taliban in Afghanistan:
Sophia Aram, the mistress of ceremonies (seen from the back), and Ngossé Diop, Secretary-General of the association “Futur au présent,” a laureate of the 2021 RAJA Women’s Awards in the category of “Education and Equal Opportunities,” surround Carol Mann, historian and sociologist specializing in gender and armed conflict issues and President and Founder of Femaid, a laureate of the 2023 awards in the same category for her work in Afghanistan promoting the education of girls. © Julien Faure for the RAJA Danièle Marcovici Foundation.
- Emanik, awarded in the category of “Professional Integration and Economic Rights of Women,” for its efforts in supporting mothers of children with disabilities in Peru:
Sophia Aram, the mistress of ceremonies (seen from the back), and Stella Claudé, President of the Emanik association, a laureate of the 2023 RAJA Women’s Awards in the category of “Professional Integration and Economic Rights” for its work in Peru. © Julien Faure for the RAJA Danièle Marcovici Foundation.
- Ishpingo,awarded in the category of “Women’s Actions for the Environment,” for its project introducing agroforestry to women in Kichwa communities in Ecuador:
Sophia Aram, the mistress of ceremonies (on the right), and Clotilde Bato, co-director of SOL and laureate in 2021 in the category “Women’s Actions for the Environment,” surround Flore Moser, co-founder of Ishpingo, a laureate in 2023 in the same category for her work in Ecuador. © Julien Faure for the RAJA Danièle Marcovici Foundation.
- Centre Primo Levi, Public Choice Award (over 15,000 votes), for its support initiatives for women victims of torture and political violence, refugees, or asylum seekers in France:
Sophia Aram, master of ceremonies (right) and Hélène Bonvalot, General Director of the Primo Levi Center, winner of the public’s choice award at the 2023 RAJA Foundation Women’s Awards. ©Julien Faure for the RAJA Danièle Marcovici Foundation.
- Dessine l’Espoir, Jury’s Special Award, for its training program for women who are distant from employment in sustainable agriculture techniques in Eswatini:
Sophia Aram, the mistress of ceremonies, and Danièle Kapel-Marovici, CEO of the RAJA Group, founder and president of the RAJA-Danièle Marcovici Foundation, present the Jury’s Special Award at the 2023 RAJA Women’s Awards to Cyrille Varet, president of “Dessine l’espoir” for its work in Eswatini. © Julien Faure for the RAJA Danièle Marcovici Foundation.
“It is necessary to prioritize solidarity and shine a spotlight on the nonprofit actors who often work under challenging material and financial conditions,” stated Danièle Kapel-Marcovici, the founder and president of the RAJA-Danièle Marcovici Foundation, also the CEO of the RAJA Group.
Danièle Kapel-Marovici, CEO of the RAJA Group, founder and president of the RAJA-Danièle Marcovici Foundation, during her opening speech at the 10th-anniversary ceremony of the RAJA Women’s Awards. © Julien Faure for the RAJA Danièle Marcovici Foundation.
On November 14th, Danièle Kapel-Marcovici announced three new initiatives:
- Strengthening the foundation’s commitment within the #ReStart collective, alongside the Maison des Femmes de Saint Denis, created by the obstetrician-gynecologist Ghada Hatem.
- The establishment of the Maison de Benjamin (Benjamin’s House), a space dedicated to associations working for women, in memory of Benjamin Kapelusz, the first general delegate of the foundation.
- Support for feminist philanthropy. Out of 15 billion euros spent in the general interest sector, only 15 million euros are specifically allocated to women, according to estimates from the RAJA-Danièle Marcovici Foundation.