Christy’s primary accomplishments are the Lao Teacher Development Workshops, which she facilitated in Xieng Khoung and Savanakhet – two provincial capitals in Laos.

Christy also has saved the lives of hundreds of Laotian children, educating them with the help of Lao primary school teachers about unexploded bombs in their country. During the Vietnam War era, millions of anti-personnel bombs were dropped on Laos, but 30 percent of them didn’t detonate. The bombs are about the size of a baseball, usually painted bright yellow, and extremely attractive to children. The average age of “unexploded ordinance” (UXO) accident victims is 7 years old, and most accidents are caused when a child picks up a bomb and starts playing with it.

As a Youth and Community Development Agent, Christy spends every day helping people gain skills and resources to improve their quality of life. Though that commitment to people transfers easily to Laos, it isn’t part of her job description. She volunteers her time, and raises funds to support the project.

Volunteering in rural Laos is physically demanding, but Christy spends at least one month there every year. She places herself at risk of malaria, food-borne illness, and accidental unexploded ordinance detonation. She endures cold showers, squat toilets, unpaved roads and other discomforts, all without complaint. That’s deep commitment that makes Christy a real hero.

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