The Crown Prince and Crown Princess’ Humanitarian Fund

In Norway grants are allocated to projects aimed at improving conditions for children and young people. In countries abroad, the fund targets projects related to health and education. Grant awards are announced on 25 August, the wedding anniversary of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess.

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess played an active role in the design of the fund, and they continue to stay apprised of the board’s decisions. The chairman of the board is Mr Eivind Reiten.

As one of the fund’s activities, in spring 2006 the Crown Prince and Crown Princess invited all middle school pupils in Norway to participate in an essay competition on the topic of development. The Crown Princess headed the panel of judges. The two girls from Tønsberg who won the competition received a trip to Zambia as the first-place prize. The competition’s focus on development was intended to encourage young people to consider how each individual can make a positive difference in the world.

In spring 2009 Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s Humanitarian Fund sponsored a competition to promote contact across generations through the medium of photography, short film, video interview or written work.

Grant recipients:

2010:

• The Shonglap programme (Bangladesh)
• The Jóvenes emprendedores programme (Ecuador)

2009:

• The "Vær stolt" (Be Proud) - project
• The HYWA project

2008:

• Fundación Xochiquetzal [Fundasion Šusital], Nicaragua

2007:

• The good childhood: A collaboration between the Norwegian municipality Karasjok and Lovozero municipality in Russia

2006:

• The Church City Mission: A youth project directed by the PMV Centre for health, dialogue and development (Oslo, Norway)
• The AIDS Centre, “Project Bus”, Patrozavodsk, Republic of Karelia (Russia)

2005:

• Right to Play: A sports and health project (Uganda)

2004:

• Yirga Alem Hospital Fistula Unit (Ethiopia)

• Rehabilitation of child soldiers (Democratic Republic of Congo)

2003:

• Norwegian People’s Aid project ”Følgesvennen”, providing companions and provisional guardians to asylum seekers (Asker, Norway)
• Norwegian Red Cross project “Leksehjelpen”, offering help with homework to pupils from minority backgrounds (Oslo, Norway)

2002:

• National Community of Women Living with Aids (Uganda)
• Education through Sport (Zambia)

2001

• The Vard Model (Haugesund, Norway)
• Basic education in Alefa Takusa (Ethiopia)
• Prevention of HIV/AIDS (Mozambique)