2015 CNN Hero of the Year Maggie Doyne helps women, children in Nepal

 

Maggie Doyne, a New Jersey woman who used her babysitting savings to change the lives of hundreds of Nepalese women and children, was named the 2015 CNN Hero of the Year on Tuesday Nov 17,2015 at a star-studded awards ceremony in New York.

 

A decade ago Doyne's backpacking trip to Nepal transformed into a long-term commitment. Spending $5,000 in savings from her babysitting days, Doyne bought land and worked with the community to build a school, a women's center and the Kopila Valley Children's Home

Doyne was chosen from this year's Top 10 Heroes in an online vote by CNN's audience. She'll receive $100,000 for BlinkNow in addition to $10,000 that each Hero received for being named to the Top 10

Note

CNN Heroes: An All-Star Tribute is an award-winning television special created by CNN to honor individuals who make extraordinary contributions to humanitarian aid and make a difference in their communities

The program was started in 2007

Nominees are introduced during the fall of each year and the audience is encouraged to vote online for the CNN Hero of the Year

Ten recipients are honored and each receive USD$50,000 ($25,000 in 2014). The top recipient is chosen as the CNN Hero of the Year and receives an additional USD$250,000 ($100,000 in 2014) to continue their work.