A former student at Pembroke College who was seriously injured in
last year’s tsunami has been nominated by national magazine New Woman for their
Woman of the Year award.Naomi Bowman was visiting the Thai
island Koh Phi Phi last December when she was swept almost a mile away from the
beach by giant waves. Despite sustaining
multiple injuries, which needed six operations and a month in five different
hospitals, Naomi returned to Oxford
to complete her maths degree last summer. Upon her return to England in
January this year, Naomi decided to launch an extensive fundraising appeal to
help the local residents of Koh Phi Phi who survived the tsunami. In ten months
Naomi has already managed to raise over £5,000 in donations, which has been
divided between Thai families affected by the disaster, a school and a charity.Having previously considered a
career as a City banker, Naomi now works as the project manager for the committee charged with rebuilding
the devastated island, having emigrated to Thailand in the summer. Elizabeth Dawson,
deputy Features Editor of New Woman, described Naomi’s story as “inspirational”
and “one which other women would like to emulate”. Naomi said, “I don’t believe it’s
important how much money I have raised or what I’ve personally done. I don’t
feel I’m anything special or above the other people who work just as hard and
harder to help the place.”ARCHIVE: 3rd week MT 2005
Tsunami victim named for award
