Nepal’s Pushpa Basnet, who established a child care centre to provide housing, education, healthy meals and medical services to children forced to live inside prisons with their convicted parents, has been declared the CNN Superhero.

The award carries a purse of $50,000.

The American television network had shortlisted five past CNN Heroes for the CNN Superhero award—set up to celebrate 10 years of CNN Heroes.

Basnet, 33, the founder of the Early Childhood Development Centre (ECDC) in Kathmandu, was declared CNN Hero of the Year in 2012.

Basnet’s ECDC, established in 2005, currently houses 37 children.

Sabin Singh, a staffer at the child care centre, said everyone at the centre was extremely happy to learn about Basnet being declared CNN Superhero.

Laxmi Tamang, who is pursuing her bachelor’s in fine arts at Kathmandu University, is one among many at the ECDC who grew up under Basnet’s care.

“It’s yet another achievement for our ‘mamu’,” said Tamang who like all other children living at the ECDC calls Basnet ‘mamu’ which means ‘mommy’.

When Basnet’s name was announced as the CNN Superhero at the Shrine Auditorium, she was given a standing ovation in recognition of her perseverance.

When asked about her family’s initial reaction when she chose to start the child care centre about a decade ago, Basnet said, “...especially my father was not happy because he thought it was a wrong decision…”

“And I get this award for my dad… because girls can change the world and girls can prove,” said Basnet dedicating the award to her father.