Founders Story & Award
Ellie Maxwell (1977–2009) was a social activist with grace, wit, and purpose. At 21, she founded Firefly International, a Scottish charity supporting multi-ethnic youth projects in Bosnia and beyond.
Ellie started by canvassing local neighbourhoods with fellow students, later gaining support from the Princess of Wales Charitable Trust. Her dedication earned her a number of awards including Young Achiever of the Year (1997) and Catholic Woman of the Year (1998).
Ellie’s life was cut short, but her work continues. Through her initiative, Firefly & Svitac continue to thrive founded on her belief that “For social change to occur, people’s networks must cross boundaries of race, nationality, or language.”
Ellie’s obituary by John Stickney was published in The Guardian, 28 April 2009 . You can reed the full article from The Independent here.
The Ellie Maxwell Award
The Ellie Maxwell Award ran from 2019 to 2025 providing £1,000 seed funding and a years mentorship to student- led charitable initiatives driving social change and inclusivity, inspired by Ellie’s work in Bosnia and legacy in Palestine, Turkey, and Syria.
Award Winners:
- 2019: Maisie Palmer – mxogyny
- 2019: Moh Al Haifi & Pauline Libsovar – Colours of Edinburgh
- 2021: Forget Shareka – Life Hope Future Association
- 2022: Saloni More – Mahim Aboli Foundation
- 2023: Joana CG Rodrigues – In2MedSchool
- 2024: Ella Duffield – Sanitree
- 2025: Saadatu Sulaiman - Fight Malnutrition