“Walker’s is [what] influenced my future professional and personal life.”
Walker's Alumna Ashley Washburn '79 Speaks About Efforts in East Africa
Date:
04/04/11 Ashley Washburn '79, was the presenter at our Centennial Chapel Series event on March 30. She shared with faculty and students her experiences in East Africa, where, in keeping with the philanthropic efforts of so many Walker's women, she is involved in supporting a variety of educational programs. She has created a website Asantesanaforeducation, which describes her efforts in great detail.
Washburn visited Tanzania with her family for a safari vacation a few years ago. She fell in love with the area and became committed to helping the area near Bagomoyo, which is on the coast. She has been back many times since with members of her family as well as friends. Her recent focus is to build a school in a small village, Kifundi. She has enlisted the help of Engineers Without Borders with the help of her son who is an engineering student at the University of Vermont.
She is planning another trip to the area this June with an assortment of volunteers to work at schools and orphanages. She seems to be following in the footsteps of people like Greg Mortensen, who is building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
It is fitting that in the Swahili language "asantesana" means "thank you very much," and that Bagamoyo means "lay down your heart". Washburn seems to have lost her heart to Tanzania and for that we say "thank you" and best wishes. We are proud that yet another Walker’s graduate is reaching out to the world in such a memorable way.
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– Molly, '45
