Koirala named 2010 CNN Hero of the Year
Sunday, 21 November 2010 . Chief of Maiti Nepal, Anuradha Koirala, who along with her dynamic team, has rescued more than 12,000 women and girls from sex slavery has been named the 2010 CNN Hero of the Year, Saturday. She will receive $100,000 to continue her work with Maiti Nepal, in addition to the $25,000 awarded to each of the top 10 CNN Heroes.
The online edition of CNN reported today, Koirala was chosen by the public in an online poll that ran for eight weeks on CNN.com. CNN's Anderson Cooper revealed the result at the conclusion of the fourth annual "CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute."
"Human trafficking is a crime, a heinous crime, a shame to humanity," Koirala said earlier in the evening after being introduced as one of the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2010. "I ask everyone to join me to create a society free of trafficking. We need to do this for all our daughters," the report said. It further mentioned that Koirala was introduced by actress Demi Moore, who along with her husband, Ashton Kutcher, created DNA, The Demi and Ashton Foundation, which aims to eliminate child sex slavery worldwide. "Every day this woman confronts the worst of what humanity has to offer," Moore said of Koirala, CNN wrote, adding, she says, "Stop. Stop selling our girls."
Moore explained further that Koirala raids brothels and patrols the India-Nepal border, saves girls from being sold into the sex trade, where they are being repeatedly raped for profit, tortured and enslaved.
Addressing the event Koirala said, "This is another responsibility to me to work with all your support. We have to end this heinous crime. Please join hands with me to end this crime."
According to CNN, she further said, "Please try to respect the youth. They are the ones who are going to build the next generation. Thank you so much."
Koirala's speech capped the gala event, which was taped before an audience of nearly 5,000 and premieres Thanksgiving night on the global networks of CNN, according to the report.
Source: nepalnews.com