Last Mile Health Selected as the 2026 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize Recipient
Last Mile Health Selected as the 2026 Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize Recipient
The world’s largest annual humanitarian award for nonprofits is awarded to an organization providing life-saving care in the world’s most remote communities.
In Liberia, nearly 30% of the population lives more than five kilometers from the nearest health facility. Since 2007, Last Mile Health has partnered with the Ministry of Health to build a workforce of community health workers who cross footbridges and canoe rivers to bring life-saving care to remote communities — and now serve every county nationwide. © Last Mile Health
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation today announced that Last Mile Health — an organization dedicated to delivering primary healthcare in the world's most remote communities — has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize and will receive $3 million in unrestricted funding. For nearly 20 years, Last Mile Health has partnered with governments to equip skilled and compassionate community health workers with the resources they need to provide essential primary healthcare to remote communities that otherwise lack access — so-called “last mile” communities. Today, the organization partners with governments to support more than 20,000 professional community health workers who provide primary care to over 32 million people across Ethiopia, Liberia, Malawi, and Sierra Leone.
Last Mile Health was chosen through the same deliberative process that has defined the Hilton Humanitarian Prize for over three decades. The following individuals served on the 2026 Hilton Humanitarian Prize Jury: The Right Honorable Helen Clark, Leymah Gbowee, Conrad N. Hilton III, Sister Joyce Meyer, Her Majesty Queen Noor, Kennedy Odede, Zainab Salbi, and Dr. Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León.
“Last Mile Health’s work embodies Conrad N. Hilton’s enduring belief that improving the human condition is our shared responsibility,” said Peter Laugharn, President and CEO of the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. “Across Africa, Last Mile Health’s work is ensuring that care reaches millions of people who have historically been left behind. These are neighbors caring for neighbors and communities building stronger systems from within. We are proud to shine a spotlight on Last Mile Health’s extraordinary work and its contributions to advancing human progress.”
At a moment when reductions in global aid are straining under-resourced health systems, Last Mile Health’s model offers a powerful example of how countries can strengthen access to care through local health workers. An estimated two billion people live in remote communities outside the reach of healthcare, contributing to unacceptably high rates of maternal and child mortality. The consequences of these gaps become even more urgent during public health emergencies, including the recent Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. While Last Mile Health does not work directly in these countries, the challenges in the region underscore the need for trusted, well-supported community health workers as the foundation of resilient health systems. Last Mile Health’s work is urgently important in times of crisis and calm.
“We are deeply honored to receive the Hilton Humanitarian Prize on behalf of the Last Mile Health team, including the community health workers who make this work possible,” said Lisha McCormick, CEO of Last Mile Health. “This recognition affirms a simple but powerful idea: where someone lives should not determine whether they receive healthcare. In partnership with local communities and governments, we are helping shift how healthcare is delivered and financed across Africa, working to ensure that access to quality primary healthcare is universal.”
Last Mile Health was founded nearly 20 years ago with the belief that strong health systems must begin at the community level. Professional community health workers can save as many as three million lives globally each year, while improving outcomes for mothers and young children. Their impact extends beyond healthcare, providing paid jobs, helping families invest in their children’s education, and opening new opportunities for the next generation.
“Anyone who has watched a loved one fall ill knows the lengths they would go to get care. For too many, that means making perilous journeys just to find the nearest clinic,” McCormick said. “Last Mile Health believes that everyone, everywhere deserves care, and the Hilton Humanitarian Prize funding will help us accelerate a continent-wide shift in how healthcare is delivered and financed, bringing quality care within reach of millions more people.”
Since 1996, the Prize has awarded over $50 million to 31 nonprofit organizations around the globe. The 2026 Prize Ceremony honoring Last Mile Health will take place on October 6, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. Nominations for the Hilton Humanitarian Prize are open year-round.
About the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation
Founded by international hotelier Conrad N. Hilton in 1944, the Foundation invests in organizations tackling some of the world’s toughest challenges, helping people living in poverty and experiencing disadvantage. We think big about solutions, working in partnership with local communities to improve lives, strengthen systems, and bring meaningful change. The Foundation partners with organizations worldwide, with a special focus on Africa, South America, and the United States, including our home in Los Angeles. Additionally, the Foundation awards the world’s largest annual humanitarian prize for nonprofits — the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize. For more than 30 years, the Prize has recognized nonprofit organizations setting a global benchmark for excellence and advancing the collective progress of humanity. The Foundation is one of the world’s largest and has awarded grants to date totaling more than $4 billion, with nearly $353 million in 2025. Please visit www.hiltonfoundation.org for more information.
About Last Mile Health
Last Mile Health partners with governments to build strong community health systems that equip professional community health workers to provide primary healthcare in the world’s most remote communities. The organization works side-by-side with Ministries of Health in Ethiopia, Liberia, Malawi, and Sierra Leone, and has supported more than 30,000 community health workers serving over 52 million people. They also co-founded Africa Frontline First, a continent-wide initiative to drive smarter, more effective financing for community health. Please visit www.lastmilehealth.org for more information.
