The Rose Acton Award
Andrea Drury Mangambo-Malungo (Class of 1996)
The Rose Acton Award is awarded in memory of former pupil, Rose Acton (Class of 2010) who died in 2020. It is presented to an alumna who has made an outstanding contribution to society, or who acts as an inspirational role model, either in a professional, voluntary or philanthropic capacity, or through their personal endeavours. Their achievements, outlook and conduct continue to reflect the school’s ethos and values, making them an exceptional ambassador for Withington.
Unlike the other awards, the recipient of the Rose Acton Award is decided by the school, rather than voted on by pupils.
Andrea very sadly passed away following an accident at the end of November 2023 and the award was presented to her family at Founders’ Day.
Andrea left Withington in 1996 to study French and German at Edinburgh University, which incorporated a year studying abroad in Belgium and Austria – the first of many overseas adventures. Her life was characterised by that sense of adventure, a curiosity about the world and a love of learning. Having volunteered in South Africa and Botswana, taught English in Japan and completed the first of her two Master’s degrees, Andrea found her true calling working with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Humanitarian work was Andrea’s passion and took her all over the world, from Rwanda to Colombia, to the Democratic Republic of Congo. She tackled some of the toughest challenges including human rights in prisons and the reunification of orphans with wider family members but always with equanimity. She continued her career with the ICRC right up until she died, moving into a learning and development role that took the family to Kenya, Thailand and then Geneva where she took up the post of Deputy Head of Learning and Development, training new recruits and supporting the career path of colleagues.
Andrea embraced both the challenges and the opportunities in life. She also made the smaller day to day things count. After her death, her many friends from around the world all said the same thing: that she was thoughtful, loving and always made time for them.
Andrea’s legacy will be the impact she has had, not only through her work, but on the many individuals that she encountered throughout her life.