The Chronicle

Issue date: 10/26/07 Section: News
Last update: 10/26/07 at 6:39 AM EST

Sherryl Broverman

Media Credit: RALI PENEVA Senior and cofounder Andy Cunningham and sophomore Adela Griswold have traveled to different schools around the country to generate support for WISER and raise money to educate girls in Kenya.

WISER accomplished a lot more this week than selling T-shirts and cupcakes on the West Campus Plaza.

The Kenyan government recognized the Women's Institute for Secondary Education and Research as an non-governmental organization Monday, propelling it toward its goal of funding 120 students to attend an all-girl secondary school in Muhuru Bay, Kenya, said Sherryl Broverman, executive officer of the NGO.

"It's a huge breakthrough for us and really allows us to start moving in Kenya," said Broverman, who is also the co-founder of WISER and an associate professor of the practice of biology. "[NGO status] is a legal entity that allows you to function."

Senior Andy Cunningham, a co-founder of WISER, said the organization's expansion extends beyond official international recognition to a broader movement to aid global disparities.

Since the beginning of the month, Cunningham has been visiting schools across the country to encourage them to sponsor a WISER student. Once committed, the schools agree to donate $700-the total annual fees to support a WISER student-by November 2008 and continue to provide $700 a year for the following three years.

Each WISER-sponsored girl will develop a personal connection with her sponsors by sending them quarterly reports regarding her life and progress, Cunningham said.

He added that six schools have already committed, and he hopes to get 42 in total by Feb. 1, 2008.

"So far, every single time we've given a presentation we've been guaranteed a scholarship to the school, especially when there's the formal element of a student coming back to [his or her own] school, partnered with Duke and acting on a global level," said sophomore Adela Griswold, who travelled to schools with Cunningham.

Griswold said the similarities between her high school and the WISER school resonated strongly with her.

"To send girls to boarding schools in the U.S. is upwards of $20,000 a year or more," she said. "The fact that I can go there and tell [my high school] that we can do it for these girls in Kenya for $700 [a year] is completely within reach."

Cunningham said the program hopes to build connections rather than merely raise money.

"[WISER] is looking to provide already existing student organizations the chance to really form a relationship with someone halfway around the world," he said. "When you ask them to then commit to a four-year relationship, it's much different than 'I'm going to fund raise and that's going to be it.'"

The idea for expanding the WISER support network to high schools emanated from the WISER 100 Club-a group open to any school, organization or individual who donates $1,000 or more, Cunningham said, adding that his elementary school in Maine is a member of the club.

"Seeing the excitement and engagement by the elementary school students in a place of the world they've never really heard of and seeing that connection form and sustain itself in just that elementary school, we realized 'Why can't that happen in high school?'" he said.

WISER acts as a model of student activism evolving to a global scale, and Duke plans to continue to support the program, Broverman said. She added that she has been discussing the expansion of the group with administrators because of its recent international recognition.

"Duke remains really excited about the potential for WISER," Broverman said. "It really goes with President [Richard] Brodhead's interest in expanding Duke's participation in international interest, and we're doing all we can to make it as successful as possible."

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