WISER

WISER Week

Spring 2008 Review

In the spring semester, WISER invited academic speakers into its events, including Dr. Paul Farmer of Partners in Health. WISER also invited other campus groups to participate in the week’s events to more fully engage the student population. LiveWISER is tentatively scheduled to put on its second show and we are currently inviting all interested campus performance groups to participate.

Fall 2007 Recap

WISER executed its first full-scale fundraising event at Duke with the success of WISER Week Oct. 22-26. Through various events, the team surpassed its goal of raising $10,000 to provide funding for 10 girls’ scholarships at WISER, collecting more than $12,000 total.

WISER Week 2007 engaged the Duke student community and generated awareness on campus about the barriers young women face in receiving an equal education for young women in rural, impoverished Kenya. Each day, student volunteers tabled on the BC plaza walkway and during each WISER event. The following events occurred during the week:

• Monday: Free BBQ with live steel drum band for students to enjoy while learning about what WISER does and how students can get involved.
• Tuesday: LiveWISER - a benefit concert featuring the best student dance, comedy, and musical groups on campus - successfully raised over $1000. Following the concert, FEW Quad Council and Round Table hosted a cupcake-baking event.
• Wednesday: Cupcakes were sold in the BC center for donations.
• Friday: Students of the World presented a documentary directed by Duke Students. After the film, Ms. Violet Barasa, the woman whose life inspired the documentary, spoke to students and faculty about the making of the movie and her experience after graduating from Egerton University.