Italian woman receives UN refugee award for work with Somalis

An Italian woman who has spent more than three decades helping displaced Somalis has been honoured with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) annual humanitarian award.

Presenting the Nansen Refugee Award - given to individuals or organizations that "have distinguished themselves in work on behalf of refugees" - UNHCR chief Ruud Lubbers yesterday praised 60-year-old Annalena Tonelli for her "profound generosity of spirit" and the incredible sacrifice she has made to bring assistance to one of the most destitute populations in the world.

Ms. Tonelli has spent the last 33 years working with the Somali people, both in Kenya and those returned home. She currently runs a 200-bed hospital in Borama and has also established a school for the deaf in the same area. Ms. Tonelli also organized visits by surgeons from a German charity that have so far restored sight to more than 3,700 people.

A lawyer with diplomas in tropical medicine, community medicine and control of tuberculosis, Ms. Tonelli has single-handedly set up outreach clinics to support her 30-year-old fight against tuberculosis among the nomadic Somali communities. She has raised funds to run the clinics, care for the patients, and raise HIV/AIDS awareness and the harmful effects of female genital mutilation.

The High Commissioner said Ms. Tonelli was chosen to demonstrate that with limited means, but with passion and limitless energy, many lives can be saved and many desperate people given hope.

She is the 59th recipient of the annual award, which includes a $100,000 grant. It was created in 1954 and named after Fridtjof Nansen - world famous Norwegian polar explorer and the world's first international refugee official.