One of the driving forces that helped form our organization

It was with great sadness that we received the news from Oxford, England of the recent death of Babs Knox. Babs was so much an integral part of the formation of the volunteer group at the World Bank.

She sat in all the planning meetings and carried on giving her energy to the beginning of “WIVES” (The precursor of WBFN was WIVES). She had trained as a nurse and had great empathy for newcomers trying to settle in to new and strange surroundings. Babs also started the Book Project and worked tirelessly in the early days of its beginnings.

She and I also established the Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund. The purpose of the fund, which was Mrs. McNamara’s wish, was to educate women from the developing world in America. The success of which is a tribute to Margaret McNamara’s memory. Now that success is also a tribute to Babs’ memory. Babs was wonderful to work with. She always had a clear view of what our aim was and never faulted from that path. I feel it was an honor to work with her, and her loss leaves a void in the volunteer group.

By Ruby Wingate

Our organization may have gone through several name changes (WIVES at its inception in 1972, then WBVS in 1984, to become WBFN in 2003) but the quality of our membership has remained constant: a group of smart and outgoing people, often with a professional background, who selflessly dedicate their time and efforts to improve the world around them.

Our founding members and Babs Knox in particular had the vision and the drive to build a strong community which took care of its own, while still reaching out to the world through the Book Project and the MMMF. Their legacy is a precious gift. It is our privilege to continue to keep it alive.

By Rula Ghani