A community health worker providing essential care in an underserved community. /PHOTO;AI
A nonprofit working to expand access to healthcare in underserved African communities has been named the 2026 recipient of the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize, securing $3 million in unrestricted funding.
Last Mile Health was selected for the award in recognition of its work strengthening community health systems and expanding primary healthcare in remote communities.
The organisation, headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, partners with governments in Ethiopia, Liberia, Malawi and Sierra Leone, supporting professional community health workers to provide essential care to populations that otherwise have limited access to health services.
Over the years, the nonprofit has supported more than 20,000 professional community health workers who provide primary care to over 32 million people across the four countries.
The award comes as reductions in global aid place additional pressure on under-resourced health systems and threaten progress in access to healthcare.
“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.”
Lisha McCormick, CEO of Last Mile Health, said the recognition affirms the importance of making healthcare accessible regardless of where people live.
“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,” McCormick said.
The $3 million award is unrestricted, allowing the organisation to direct the funding towards its priorities.
The Hilton Humanitarian Prize has awarded more than $50 million to 31 nonprofit organisations since 1996. The 2026 award ceremony will take place on October 6 in Los Angeles, California.
