Bad Homburg v. d. Höhe, September 30, 2026 – The Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (EKFS) will confer the 2026 Else Kröner Fresenius Award for Development Cooperation in Medicine to Sister Dr. Sarah Kahumbya Deogratius, Medical Director of Cardinal Rugambwa Hospital (CRH) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Her project, “Strengthening Epilepsy Diagnosis and Care for Children with Disabilities in Tanzania,” aims to improve medical care and rehabilitation for children and at the same time combat stigmatization and social exclusion. The project was nominated by Lutheran Hospital Alsterdorf / Hamburg. The topic of this year’s award is “People with Disabilities.” It carries a prize of €250,000 and will be presented at a ceremony in Berlin on October 1.
The award-winning project builds on a partnership established between Cardinal Rugambwa Hospital and Lutheran Hospital Alsterdorf / Hamburg in 2019 that has been developed in a targeted manner since 2021. It combines medical care and rehabilitation with the training of local healthcare workers and community outreach.
“With this award, we are recognizing a project that enables children with epilepsy and disabilities to access better healthcare and participate more fully in their communities, while also strengthening local structures in the long term,” explains Dr. Judith von Heusinger, who is responsible for humanitarian aid at the EKFS.
Award ceremony in Berlin
The Associate Director of the Department of Neurosurgery at Ulm University Hospital, Prof. Dr. Thomas Kapapa, will give a keynote address entitled “Enabling Participation – Securing the Future” at the award ceremony on October 1. Marion Förster from Lutheran Hospital Alsterdorf / Hamburg will deliver a laudatory speech honoring Sister Dr. Sarah Kahumbya Deogratius. Matthias Seiche from the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) will then join project partners from Hamburg and Dar es Salaam to discuss the project’s future.
As a complement to the award ceremony program, a workshop on the topic of people with disabilities will take place on the same day. Around 40 invited experts will exchange ideas with the delegations from Hamburg and Tanzania on the care of children with disabilities, particularly those also living with epilepsy. Approaches to topics such as multidisciplinary care, rehabilitation services, epilepsy guidelines, and the availability of medications will be explored in presentations, a poster walk, and working groups. The aim is to pool experience from different projects, learn from one another, and develop solutions that participants can apply in their own work.
Inclusion was also taken into account when planning the award ceremony itself: Special attention was paid to accessibility and inclusive participation – from the venue layout and program to the catering and music. The event thus not only addresses this year’s theme of “People with Disabilities” in its content, but also puts it into practice.
Medical care and rehabilitation
In Tanzania, many children with epilepsy or disabilities have limited access to specialized care and rehabilitation. At the same time, prejudice makes it difficult for them to access medical care. In some places, disability is seen as a source of shame or a curse, leading families to keep their children at home. “Children with disabilities are among those to suffer the most in their communities. Some are kept hidden away at home,” says award recipient Sister Dr. Sarah Kahumbya Deogratius. “That’s why I want to say loud and clear that having a disability doesn’t mean you’re incapable.”
Cardinal Rugambwa Hospital not only provides medical care, but also addresses these social barriers. Depending on their individual needs, children receive medication in addition to physiotherapy and occupational therapy there. In 2025, the hospital’s rehabilitation department supported almost 1,400 children with disabilities. Between 70 and 80 percent of them also have epilepsy. The team trains healthcare workers and runs targeted outreach programs in local communities to reach affected children and support their families.
Sister Dr. Sarah Kahumbya Deogratius has been Medical Director at Cardinal Rugambwa Hospital since 2016. Under her leadership, the former district hospital has been transformed into a state-recognized regional referral hospital. She is particularly committed to raising awareness for children with disabilities and enabling them to participate more fully in society.
€250,000 to expand the project
The prize money will be used to expand the rehabilitation and diagnostic services, train more healthcare workers, and expand activities in underserved areas. Efforts will moreover be made to strengthen the long-term support for children and their families. The project will build on existing structures and focus on training local workers.
Sister Dr. Sarah Kahumbya Deogratius’ long-term goal is to establish an inpatient rehabilitation program where children with disabilities can live several days a week and receive medical care as well as ongoing treatment.
Else Kröner Fresenius Award for Development Cooperation in Medicine
With its Else Kröner Fresenius Award for Development Cooperation in Medicine, the EKFS honors outstanding projects and the individuals leading them, who work to improve healthcare in countries with limited resources. Every year, the prize focuses on a different theme. Since 2026, it has been endowed with €250,000.
More information:
https://ekfs.de/en/humanitarian-funding/humanitarian-award
A film on the award winner will be available from 6 p.m. on October 1, 2026:
https://youtu.be/S_rzDw3whCM
Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (EKFS) – Advancing research. Helping people.
The Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung is a nonprofit foundation that promotes medical research and supports humanitarian projects. To date the foundation has funded around 3,000 projects. With an annual funding volume currently of approximately 90 million euros, it is the largest foundation in Germany supporting medical advancement. For more information, see https://ekfs.de/en
Press contact:
Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung
Bianka Jerke
Public Relations
Tel.: + 49 6172 8975-24
Email: b.jerke@ekfs.de