The DWBI Project
Our First Logo (2009 - 2015)
Present Logo (Since 2015)
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The Dreams we believe in project is the first of its kind at NIST. It was initiated in 2009 by Ishita Trivedi, Pearl Jain, Anchal Mirchandani and Sakina Kapasi (Class of 2011) as a CAS service project. CAS or Creativity, Action and Service is a requirement for IB students. However, the DWBI Project has become much more than a graduation requirement.
The project has been running for 7 years now. We have had various successful fundraisers and organized a lot of activities for children living with HIV. Prior to the 2014-15 academic year, DWBI worked with the Mercy Center, but recently we changed to Baan Gerda, a children's charity providing care for HIV infected orphans in Lopburi. All of our events and projects go towards improving the living condition of the children at baan gerda as well as strengthening the bond between them and the NIST community. |
Our Mission |
To create an ongoing bond of friendship between the NIST community and the children living with HIV/AIDS through empathy and love, in order to fulfill their dreams and give them a sense of belonging.
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Core Principles |
1) Empathy not Sympathy
Empathy not sympathy means to build friendships with the children rather than feeling sorry for them. This principle relates to our mission as sustaining friendships with them is the best way to give them a sense of belonging 2) Student Empowerment The group is run by students at NIST consisting of 20+ high school students that meet every week in order to plan events. It is important that the group is based off students ideas and efforts as these are the people that will be bonding with the children from Baan Gerda. The student body is the most influential group of people within the school, so having the group run by them will bring forth creativity that will benefit both NIST and Baan Gerda. 3) Sustainability Sustainability means to keep the group active through the means of passing on roles to younger students. This is important as an "ongoing bond" must be created with the children, so we should aim to work with Baan Gerda for as long as we possibly can. Also, societal norms take time to change and as long as the stigma associated with HIV/AIDs remains, our group will still have the goal to raise awareness and remove that stigma. The leadership role of the "DWBI Coordinators" is typically passed on every 2-3 years. There are always 6 active coordinators who are usually high school students. They are dedicated and passionate about the issue and are willing to give up their time for the children. As coordinators begin to graduate, the group selects members who they feel have demonstrated the qualities of a coordinator to take up the mantle so that the group can continue its progress. |
Meet the Team
Marisa Kitjatanapan (Class of 2019)
Student Coordinator - Mercy Fun Day, Christmas Party, and H20 Water Project |
Sherienne Koh (Class of 2018)
Treasurer and Student Coordinator - World AIDs Day, Christmas Party and Special Trip |
Title Sakulborrirug (Class of 2018)
Website Manager and Student Coordinator - World AIDs Day |