NEWS ALERT - December 12, 2024 l Abuja, Nigeria
Abuja, Nigeria The Stop TB Partnership is thrilled to announce the winners of the 2024 community award, a global recognition celebrating groundbreaking efforts to address TB stigma through creative arts. This year, the award with the largest financial prize designed specifically for TB communities received 32 submissions from 28 countries, showcasing the power of innovation and community-driven solutions.
This annual award is possible thanks to the joint efforts of the Humana People to People Foundation and the Stop TB Partnership. .
The six winning organizations and artists are:
TBPeople Global and Paulina Siniatkina
Rekat Peduli Indonesia Foundation with Ani Herna Sari
Stop TB Partnership Ukraine and team members Yevheniya Kuvshynova, Valeriia Parkhomenko, Inna Osminina, Olena Vysotsʹka, and Valentina Shopina
Students And Youth Working on Reproductive Health Action Team (SAY WHAT) and Denzel Tavonga Whata
Beza Posterity Development Organization, featuring creative performers Kadijah Mohamed, Fatuma Mohamed Ali, Mohamed Mashie, and Mohamed Awole
Caritas Tajikistan and Rahmat Nazri
This year’s theme, “Ending Stigma Through Creative Arts,” highlights how innovative approaches, including performances, storytelling, film, comics, anime, and social media, can combat the stigma that continues to be a significant barrier to TB prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care. Jesper Wohlert from Humana People to People Foundation, the Stop TB Partnership Community
Award co-sponsor, reflected, “We are very proud to co-sponsor the Stop TB Partnership Community Award for the fourth time. This year, our six outstanding winners challenge misconceptions, break down barriers, and give a platform to people affected by TB stigma.”
The award winner, Paulina Siniatkina from TBpeople, reflected on her experience with TB: “My experience with TB shaped my identity forever. I see stigma as the main obstacle in the fight against TB. Surviving a highly stigmatised, deadly disease almost made me lose my identity. Through art and activism, I confronted the stigma, which helped me overcome my trauma. Art is the language that can restore broken connections within societies. I feel honoured and grateful for this award, and it will help me to create more engaging art projects tackling stigma in TB and offering ways to reclaim agency by opening, sharing personal stories, and showing vulnerability”.
Other winners also brought unique perspectives and creativity to address TB stigma through various art forms. The Rekat Peduli Indonesia Foundation, a women-led TB survivor network, created an anime-inspired short film celebrating the journey of overcoming stigma through peer support. This powerful piece highlights the importance of solidarity and shared experiences in fostering resilience.
The Beza Posterity Development Organization developed a poignant film focusing on the pastoralist community in Ethiopia. The film emphasises the critical role of clan leaders in challenging stigma, particularly within marital relationships, showcasing how community leadership can drive acceptance and understanding.
The Stop TB Partnership Ukraine took an innovative approach with a comic book designed for youth living with TB in the context of conflict. The comic addresses misinformation and stresses the importance of supporting friends through treatment, blending creativity with critical health messaging.
From Zimbabwe, the Students And Youth Working on Reproductive Health Action Team (SAYWHAT) delivered a moving piece of spoken word poetry. Their work powerfully captures the emotional toll of TB stigma while inspiring hope and determination to complete treatment.
Finally, Caritas Tajikistan contributed a heartfelt song celebrating stigma-free TB treatment and the dedication needed to overcome the disease. The melody calls for compassion, acceptance, and hope in TB care, resonating with communities emotionally.
These creative works reflect the winners’ shared commitment to amplifying the voices of TB-affected individuals and challenging stigma through the transformative power of art.
Complementing the evening's theme, the Stop TB Partnership has scaled up its stigma-focused work in 2024, including supporting Stigma Assessments in 22 countries and organising three hackathons to develop practical solutions to end Stigma.
“For Stop TB Partnership and our friends at Humana, this award holds a special place where we recognise people who are often not given the recognition they deserve or are not encouraged to keep going. I am so happy with this year's theme, and I deeply congratulate all six winners, all the entrants and all the TB communities working daily to fight stigma.” - Lucica Ditiu, Executive Director, Stop TB.
Congratulations to all the winners!
