CURATED BY NIKI DE WITT
Wedu is a Bangkok-based program that empowers women in developing Southeast Asia by helping them gain access to higher education. Unlike a scholarship, the program offers hands on assistance throughout the entire experience, providing microfinancing, mentorship and counseling opportunities to the selected students. In order to protect the program’s credibility, Wedu is very selective and candidates must undergo an intense screening process, paying special attention to leadership qualities.
FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES
SINGAPORE “” Mari Sawai and Mario Ferro, who graduated in 2009 from the Masters in Development program of the London School of Economics, founded Wedu last year, a program to help women in Southeast Asia gain access to higher education through microfinancing, mentorship and counseling.
Their aim, they say, is to apply private sector investment practices to a nonprofit organization.
In the 18 months since Wedu “” an acronym derived from Women’s Education “” conducted its first workshop, the organization has raised about $130,000, providing backing for just five students, but it plans to expand fast and to be working with as many as 1,500 students by 2017″….Continue Reading
Niki is currently exploring Asia while working on a children’s book series about travel. As a child, she traveled and moved often for her parents’ jobs. As a result of this, she has always felt most at home when she’s off and away. She is interested in international films, working on building an impressive tea collection, and can often be found with her camera in hand. You can have a look-see at her blog and follow her on Twitter @nikidding.