AAFSW/Secretary of State's Award for Outstanding Volunteerism Abroad
Year 2001 Winners
AAFSW is honored to recognize six outstanding volunteers, one from each of the six geographic bureaus, who are serving at posts abroad. These individuals have demonstrated a remarkable commitment to their respective communities. Click each name to read a biography or scroll through all of them on this page.
Ellen Kramer Wright
Nairobi, Kenya
Since her arrival in Nairobi in 1999, Ellen Kramer Wright has selflessly devoted herself to improving the quality of life for both Americans and Kenyans. Guided by her philosophy of "what more can I do for someone else", she has taught Junior Achievement at the Muslim Girls School of Nairobi; she is the High School representative of the International School of Kenya; she has taught marketing and basic business management at the Product Design Center of Nairobi and has volunteered in numerous ways within the U.S. Embassy community. Ellen has also taught crafts and arranged a volunteer fair. Through her many activities she has improved the skills of many poor and disadvantaged Kenyan women, and has expanded their economic opportunities.
Melodie Gage
Kathmandu, Nepal
Melodie Gage has devoted her time in Kathmandu to bringing a measure of hope and joy to children with cancer who otherwise would spend lonely days with nothing to do in the cancer ward at Kanti Children's Hospital in Kathmandu. Her project, "chirajeevi", which means long life, resulted in developing a core group of volunteers so that every day at least two visit the children and offer them a chance to play. She has provided the volunteers and the children's families, as well, psychiatric counseling to help them cope, and she has arranged mental health workshops for the children. Melodie has developed a network of medical professionals and volunteers, both Nepalese and expatriate, to implement "chirajeevi" and to assume its sustainability after she leaves Kathmandu later this year.
Anja Lundberg
The Hague, Netherlands
Anja Lundberg has been a model for volunteerism and community services during her two years at U.S. Embassy The Hague. Through her extraordinary and tireless work in establishing a much needed pre-school, she has demonstrated extraordinary service and commitment to the Dutch, expatriate, and Embassy communities. Anja has exhibited exceptional support and dedication to the less fortunate in efforts to mobilize assistance for Kosovo refugees and orphanages in Thailand and Romania. Her work in the Embassy community - hosting newcomer events, supporting the Marine Ball, founding playgroups, and organizing travel events - has boosted the morale and sense of community at post.
Ana Saviñon
Caracas, Venezuela
As Charity Director of the Embassy Volunteer Association (EVA), Ana Saviñon spearheaded a major expansion of EVA activities. Under her leadership the EVA now actively supports six charities in Caracas, double the number at the time of her arrival. Through her example and drive, she has generated great excitement in the Embassy community and enlarged the number of individuals involved in working with the homes for unwed mothers, recovering alcoholics, the elderly and three orphanages. Ana has been especially skillful in matching specific skills of individual Americans with the unique needs at the six locations where EVA is involved. She has a distinctly human touch - warm and sincere - that wins praise both in the Embassy community and at the homes and orphanages that the EVA helps. Ana Saviñon is an Administrative Assistant in the Narcotics Affairs Section at the U.S. Embassy in Caracas, Venezuela.
Melanie Kilmarx
Bangkok, Thailand
Melanie Kilmarx has a stunning array of accomplishments to her credit in Chiang Rai, the northernmost province of Thailand. She has learned to speak Thai and has drawn on this capability to teach natural childbirth methods and to help local women who wish to have a natural child birth delivery in Chiang Rai. She has also worked closely with a home for abused and orphaned hill tribe girls including providing employment for some of the graduates of the home. Melanie's principal achievement, however, has been the successful launch of the Chiang Rai Montessori School. This is the first child-centered, English language school in the area. She did a magnificent job of bringing Thais and westerners together to complete the daunting range of tasks to get the school established including obtaining a license, a school building, teaching materials and recruiting teachers and students. Melanie can be proud of what she has done to promote education, child welfare and Thai-American cooperation in Chiang Rai.
Leslie Harnish
Cairo, Egypt
Through her numerous volunteer activities, Leslie Harnish has demonstrated in many ways that an individual can make a difference. Active in her church, the Women's association and as Treasurer of the American Embassy Employees Cooperative and Welfare Association, Leslie has broken new ground. For Example, by generating new programs and services for employees living in downtown Cairo; by enlisting the support of local businesses in school programs and by encouraging environmental awareness and clean-up programs in Zamalek and Port Said. Leslie's activities enhance the well being of her community and are an inspiration to Americans and Egyptians alike.