On Saturday, April 24, Over 100 attendees came together to celebrate S4Si and its scholars.
The night began with a pre-auction gathering of S4Si Alumni, who were excited to reminisce about their time with S4Si. The Auction officially kicked off with a greeting by Executive Director Anneliese Gegenheimer and a buffet of East African cuisine, catered by Palace International of Durham. Silent auction items were separated by region and allowed guests to bid on unique items from all over the world. During dinner, guests enjoyed music by Group Mentality and dance by Oasis' Zankiliwa.
After dinner, Camryn Anderson and Iris Lattimore, members of the 2009 Tanzanian Delegation, gave a brief presentation about their experiences with S4Si scholars in Zanzibar last summer. The keynote speaker, Mr. Derreck Kayongo, entertained guests with his stories and message about women's empowerment and the importance of education. The night ended with a special 15th Anniversary Celebration and beautiful cakes made by Diana Chou.
By the end of the evening, guests had donated over $10,000 to support Students for Students International. Thanks to all attendees and supporters for making the auction a great success!
Click here for pictures by Matthew Stevens. Click here for an interview with Francis Kaitano, which debuted at the auction. Francis is an S4Si Advisory Board member and former S4Si Zimbabwe scholar.
Increases in access to education among girls accounted for a decline of 43 percent in the malnutrition rates between 1970 and 1995.