2005 Global Humanitarian
Kristine Pearson - Executive Director, FreePlay Foundation
Global Humanitarian Award Presenter, Mike Splinter, President & CEO of Applied Materials and Kristine Pearson
Kristine Pearson's humanitarian leadership is having a profound impact on the world. A Californian who immigrated to South Africa twenty years ago, Kristine considers herself to be a true "African-American." Her passion for the continent, the huge potential of its people and her conviction that with information and education Africans will be empowered to build a better future for themselves and their children, are her continued motivation.
Throughout Africa, Kristine was moved by the strength and struggles of people living with illness, poverty, and political instability. She realized that one of their greatest needs was to be connected to education and practical information. Valuable radio programs covering health, business, politics, current events, and classroom lessons were available but the batteries to run radios are expensive, and electrification reaches only ten percent of sub-Saharan Africa, rendering the devices useless. After meeting countless Rwandan children orphaned by AIDS or genocide, bearing burdens far beyond their years, she was inspired to develop a radio especially to help connect these children to news and on-air classroom lessons.
2005 Global Humanitarian video (3.5 Mb QT movie)
Kristine's sweeping strategic vision has been key to the rapid growth of the FreePlay Foundation. In 2001, FreePlay Foundation used the first $50,000 The Tech Awards prize to develop the Lifeline radio. There are now almost 100,000 Lifeline radios committed to various humanitarian projects in developing countries, with over 2 million listeners.
Orphans in Rwanda, Zambia, Tanzania, refugees from Burundi, and tsunami survivors in Indonesia's Aceh province are all benefiting from their Lifeline radios and programming. The trusted and encouraging voices of the announcers provide vital information on AIDS and health issues, educational programming, news, weather and agriculture.
Kristine Pearson is a fellow of the Schwab Foundation for Outstanding Social Entrepreneurship. In 2003, she was a finalist for the Wharton Infosys Business Transformation Award. In 2004, she attended the Global Social Benefit Incubator at Santa Clara University, a result of winning The Tech Award. In 2004, she became a lifetime fellow of the World Technology Network. The BBC has twice featured her in the field in Rwanda, supporting the FreePlay Foundation's work on behalf of orphans living on their own.
Kristine is committed to retaining FreePlay Foundation's focus on the needs of the poorest of the poor, especially orphaned children, women and refugees in Africa, and remaining ready to address the problems of vulnerable groups anywhere.
Under Kristine's leadership, FreePlay Foundation is currently exploring initiatives in Latin America and India, including micro-financing. The Foundation's two-year goal is to serve five million listeners, while offering outstanding logistical support and service to its stakeholders.
