ING Solidarity Awards 2018;

On Wednesday 21 November, a total of 34 non-profit organisations stepped on stage to be awarded prizes for this year’s 7th edition of the ING Solidarity Awards held at ING Lux House.
 
Empowering the Luxembourg non-profit scene ING’s main objective is and remains to empower people to stay a step ahead both in life and in business. And what better way to do so than support and promote the local non-profit and social development oriented sector?
 
The ING Solidarity Awards is a two-part contest based on: 1. An online vote; 2. A jury vote for a project.
 
1. The Online Vote: 93 contestants, 30 victors. The first part of the contest rewards the most publicly supported Luxembourg-based associations based on an online voting contest. Of 93 associations registered on ING.lu and with more than 30,000 votes accumulated, 30 associations were each presented with a €1,000 cheque.
The list of winners included: Aktion für Bären in Not ASBL; Amicale vun der Schoul fir Assistenzhonn ASBL (ASA); As Tricanas de Differdange  Asociacion Manos Abiertas ASBL (AMA); Association Culturelle et Humanitaire de Bairrada à Luxembourg; Association Luxembourg Roumanie; CISV Luxembourg ASBL; Coopération Nord-Sud ASBL; Een Häerz fir kriibskrank Kanner; Enfants Défavorisés de l'Ile de Madagascar (EDI); Fondation Meninos e Meninas de Rua (FMMR); Fondation sclérose en plaques Luxembourg; Friendship Luxembourg; GML; Grupo Etnografico do Alto Minho; "Il était une fois..." ASBL; Initiativ Liewensufank ASBL; La Trace; Les Amis de Gambie ASBL; Little Angels ASBL; Marion Fraisse la Main Tendue; Miau and Co ASBL; Mini-Miez ASBL; Cancioneiro do Alto Minho; Pets Angels Luxembourg ASBL; Philippines-Luxembourg Society ASBL (ONGD); Pour un Sourire d'Enfant Luxembourg ASBL; Rokku Mi Rokka; Smiley Kids; Special Olympics Luxembourg.
 
2. The Jury Vote: Rewarding impactful projects. Participating non-profit organisations could submit a project fitting one of the following three categories:
- “Humanitarian aid”: humanitarian projects to improve people’s quality of life or to ensure respect for fellow human beings;
- “Integration”: projects intended to promote adaptation, inclusion or the creation of social links between individuals;
- “Other”: projects for the benefit of others in areas other than humanitarian aid or integration.

The projects were evaluated by an independent 7-person jury composed of 3 ING members and 4 unaffiliated members (*jury details below). Selected projects within these categories were awarded €5,000 prizes. 

Winners by category:

1. “Humanitarian aid” category

- Prize for a project by a 100% volunteer-run non-profit organisation: Enfants Défavorisés de l'Ile de Madagascar (EDI)
- Prize for a project by a non-profit organisation with at least one employee: Friendship Luxembourg

2. “Integration” category

- Prize for a project by a 100% volunteer-run non-profit organisation: Asociacion Manos Abiertas ASBL (AMA)
- Prize for a project by a non-profit organisation with at least one employee: Special Olympics Luxembourg

3. “Other” category

- Prize for a project by a 100% volunteer-run non-profit organisation: Together for Children ASBL
- Prize for a project by a non-profit organisation with at least one employee: Marion Fraisse la Main Tendue

Honorable mentions also go to:

4. “Coup de Pouce du Jury”, the jury’s choice of projects deserving of a helping hand

- Digital Inclusion
- 2care2share ASBL

5. “Coup de Coeur du Jury”, the jury’s crush

- SOS Village d’Enfants Monde
 
Colette Dierick, CEO of ING Luxembourg, hosted the event and expressed her support for the participants in the ING Solidarity Awards : “It is so moving to hear the stories behind the projects. We can all feel proud to have so engaged and generous family, colleagues and friends. I feel so honoured to give these prizes to enable these noble causes!”