According to the foundation, which supports 172 underprivileged children from the Gawair slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh and provides them with access to education, Maria “dedicated her award to her adoptive mother Maria Cristina, who is the inspiration behind the Maria Cristina Foundation.”
GQ is one of the biggest men’s fashion, culture and lifestyle magazines and usually attributes ‘Man of the Year’ awards.
But, a statement from the foundation explained, GQ Portugal “was so moved by Maria’s achievements that for the first time in history they skipped the Man of the Year Award and gave it to a woman instead”, recognising Maria Conceição for her humanitarian and sports achievements with a Woman of the Year award.
Maria da Conceição founded Maria Cristina Foundation in 2005 after witnessing the extreme poverty of Bangladesh while she worked as a flight attendant for a UAE airline.
After travelling to Bangladesh with her job for the first time in 2003, she says she was unable to forget what she witnessed and one month later she returned to Bangladesh determined to help the impoverished community.
In July 2005, with the support of family, colleagues and friends, Maria started a charity project to help the many families in Bangladesh, starting with a one-room school.
She has, since 2005, been developing and running humanitarian projects in Bangladesh focusing on providing free education to children, thus breaking the cycle of poverty.
In her efforts to keep funding for the Foundation coming in she has, in recent years, undertaken a series of staggering feats, including becoming the first Portuguese woman to climb Mount Everest. She is holder of three records for marathon running, and six Guinness World Records.
More recently, in September, she attempted to swim the English Channel but was forced to abandon her plucky bid several hours into the crossing due to overpowering tidal currents.
Quoting her adoptive mother, Maria Conceição said: “‘Who feeds six, can feed seven’. It is with this motto that I have managed to educate over 600 children and hope to raise enough funds to put the remaining 131 students through school. This award belongs to our generous supporters, without whom I would not be standing here today.”
For more information or to make a donation, Facebook MariaCristinaFoundation, or see website: www.mariacristina-foundation.org.