Wiesbaden (dpa/lhe) – This year, the Hessian Elisabeth Prize for Social Affairs is awarded to projects that combine ecology, economy and social affairs. The award winners showed that with a view to climate change, ecological and social progress “can go wonderfully hand in hand,” said Secretary of State for Social Affairs Anne Janz on Wednesday at the award ceremony in Wiesbaden.
The Hessian Elisabeth Prize for Social Affairs was launched in 2017 by the Hessian Welfare League together with Lotto Hessen and the state government. There is a total of 30,000 euros in prize money. First place (10,000 euros) was awarded to the Bike Bridge initiative from Frankfurt, which teaches women from all over the world to ride a bike.
“These low-threshold leisure activities create places for encounters, exchange and strengthen cohesion,” said the jury. “There are now 20 volunteer trainers in Frankfurt who organize bicycle courses for women and girls with and without a history of migration or flight.” One of three special prizes (2000 euros) went to the “Wapfl – From honeycomb to apple” project, in which people with disabilities can take part in environmental protection campaigns.
In addition, the association manages a property with orchards, flowering areas and a natural pond, the jury said. “In the project, people with chronic impairments such as anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia or drug addiction work together – with a lot of commitment and passion.”
