It’s hard to imagine a room more inspiring than one with representatives from mission-driven organizations all over the world coming together to celebrate and support each other’s work to make the world a better place.
The inspiration and passion was electric at the sixth annual .ORG Impact Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. on October 8. The awards, hosted by Public Interest Registry (PIR), the nonprofit that runs the .ORG domain, honor and celebrate outstanding mission-driven organizations and individuals working to make a difference in their communities. The awards are eligible to anyone with a .ORG website. The seven 2024 winners were selected from over 1,700 applicants from more than 87 countries.
The prestigious .ORG of the Year award and a $50,000 donation went to Philippines-based nonprofit Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation, which provides access to education for children in remote and poverty-stricken areas by providing boats to reach their schools.
The foundation’s story began in 2010 when a group of friends learned about the struggles of children in a coastal community in the Zamboanga Peninsula who had to swim to get to school. The group decided to provide a yellow boat to these children so they could go to school safely and comfortably – inspired by the concept of the yellow school bus on the water.
“Education is a universal right, and addressing its accessibility is a shared global responsibility. Humanity will never progress if we look only after our own backyards. Accessible, quality education is key to breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty. I dedicate this award to thousands of Hope Paddlers, not just in the Philippines, but worldwide,” said Dr. Anton Mari H. Lim, President, CEO and Co-founder of Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation. “With hope, the impossible becomes possible.”
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