Photo: SOS Archives
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The Swedish Queen presented the director of the Tibetan SOS Children's Villages, Jetsun Pema, with the World's Children's Honorary Award at Gripsholm Castle in Mariefred on 20 April 2006. Each year, the Swedish organisation Children's World gives three awards to individuals, initiatives or organisations for their extraordinary humanitarian work for children. This time, 3.8 million children and young people across the world were part of the decision as to who the prize winner should be.
Jetsun Pema, the Dalai Lama's sister, has been committed to her work with Tibetan children for 40 years. They call her Ama La, which means "respected mother" in Tibetan. In the early 1960s, Jetsun Pema worked with great determination to build up the Tibetan SOS Children's Villages in the north of India. Each year, about 15,000 Tibetan children receive care and support at the seven SOS Children's Villages, numerous schools and vocational facilities.
"Jetsun Pema shows unbelievable commitment to the children. It is also a great honour for SOS Children's Villages to receive this sort of recognition", said the executive director of SOS Children's Villages Sweden, Elisabet Andersson, at the awards ceremony.
Jetsun Pema said herself that the prize was not for her, but for the wonderful mothers at the SOS Children's Villages.