.Canadian aid worker killed in Afghanistan was 'brave, committed:' Husband
Jacqueline Kirk, one of the Canadian aid workers killed in Afghanistan on Wednesday, is being remembered as a hard-working, dedicated woman who was committed to ensuring children around the world, especially those in conflict zones, had access to education.
The 40-year-old woman from Outremont, Que., was an adjunct professor at Montreal's McGill University and had been working in Afghanistan as an education-programs adviser for the International Rescue Committee, a New York-based organization. She began working with the IRC in 2004 and travelled to Afghanistan several times a year for weeks at a time.
She and another Canadian woman, Shirley Case, were killed when the car they were in came under attack. Another IRC worker, a Trinidadian-American, and the Afghan driver, also died.
Kirk's husband, Andrew Kirk, described his wife - who is a dual citizen of Canada and the United Kingdom - as an amazing person who was extremely motivated and devoted to her work.
"She really just wanted to help the children of Afghanistan," he told Global Television. "She was such a positive person. She was one of these people who would always bring a solution to any problem. She was a very brave, very committed person."
While Kirk was away, the couple would keep in touch daily through e-mails and text messages, but Andrew hadn't spoken to his wife since July 26.
"I always worry when she goes to Afghanistan, every time she goes, but I try and convince myself that it's more dangerous driving to the airport here than there. But I guess on this occasion it wasn't," he said.
Kirk's husband, an associate professor in the department of electrical and chemical engineering at McGill, learned of her death shortly before 7 a.m. Wednesday in a phone call from IRC headquarters.
His wife was highly regarded in academic circles for her expertise in education in conflict and post-conflict situations. Her research focused particularly on the education of adolescent girls and young women. She earned her doctorate at McGill and was an adjunct professor in the faculty of education. She was also founding co-editor of an upcoming journal called Girlhood Studies, and she was involved with the university's Centre for Research and Teaching on Women as a research associate.
Before starting her work with IRC, Kirk applied her knowledge and expertise to a host of other international organizations and aid agencies, including CARE Canada. She helped the agency in 2003 with an education workshop in Zambia.
"I remember her as being very dedicated, very hard-working, very collaborative," said Richard Paterson, director of strategic programs for CARE. "She was very active in the education field internationally, particularly improving education services in emergency or post-emergency settings," he said.
The Gazette
The 40-year-old woman from Outremont, Que., was an adjunct professor at Montreal's McGill University and had been working in Afghanistan as an education-programs adviser for the International Rescue Committee, a New York-based organization. She began working with the IRC in 2004 and travelled to Afghanistan several times a year for weeks at a time.
She and another Canadian woman, Shirley Case, were killed when the car they were in came under attack. Another IRC worker, a Trinidadian-American, and the Afghan driver, also died.
Kirk's husband, Andrew Kirk, described his wife - who is a dual citizen of Canada and the United Kingdom - as an amazing person who was extremely motivated and devoted to her work.
"She really just wanted to help the children of Afghanistan," he told Global Television. "She was such a positive person. She was one of these people who would always bring a solution to any problem. She was a very brave, very committed person."
While Kirk was away, the couple would keep in touch daily through e-mails and text messages, but Andrew hadn't spoken to his wife since July 26.
"I always worry when she goes to Afghanistan, every time she goes, but I try and convince myself that it's more dangerous driving to the airport here than there. But I guess on this occasion it wasn't," he said.
Kirk's husband, an associate professor in the department of electrical and chemical engineering at McGill, learned of her death shortly before 7 a.m. Wednesday in a phone call from IRC headquarters.
His wife was highly regarded in academic circles for her expertise in education in conflict and post-conflict situations. Her research focused particularly on the education of adolescent girls and young women. She earned her doctorate at McGill and was an adjunct professor in the faculty of education. She was also founding co-editor of an upcoming journal called Girlhood Studies, and she was involved with the university's Centre for Research and Teaching on Women as a research associate.
Before starting her work with IRC, Kirk applied her knowledge and expertise to a host of other international organizations and aid agencies, including CARE Canada. She helped the agency in 2003 with an education workshop in Zambia.
"I remember her as being very dedicated, very hard-working, very collaborative," said Richard Paterson, director of strategic programs for CARE. "She was very active in the education field internationally, particularly improving education services in emergency or post-emergency settings," he said.
The Gazette
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