Matriculate

High school graduation for me was a given. All roads led there. As senior class president, it was my honor to give the graduation speech. It was full of ideals and dreams of the future. The immediate future was, for me, college. I had been accepted early admission to a great school and in the fall I was on my way. My biggest challenges were who my roommate would be and which meal plan to sign up for. I was graduating behind a long line of college graduates. More than most generations. I was merely putting my potential to work. 

As I prepare to cross the globe to watch the first class of young women EVER graduate from secondary school in Muhuru Bay, Kenya, I am stunned by the difference. Until being admitted to WISER, the most these girl could imagine was being sold into marriage for two cows. That was the future path. 

Knowing them, watching them and helping them has been my true education. They have taught me what is possible, what hope looks like, how to set a seemingly impossible goal and achieve it. It is so much more than just taking the next natural step in a predetermined course.

WISER girls are my inspiration. They are my hope. Knowing them only makes me grateful and certainly makes me wiser. I hope you will join me again for this leg of my journey. We take off March 1! 

Pictured below: Orange High School Class of 1989 Graduation Speakers, Missy Saunders (left) and Viki Klee (right).  

Last Supper

Jambo,

After a six hour, dusty drive, we are at the Fairview for one last dinner together before we head to the airport.

This has been an amazing, life-changing, eye-opening revelation. Whatever it is that drives you, inspires you, gets you out of bed in the morning, we promise that this would blow it away.

None of us really knew what to expect coming here. We took a leap of faith. And none of us will ever be the same.

We leave richer with experience, friendships, purpose and drive to continue the momentum to help these girls.

Join us. Invite us to present to a group, attend a gala, write to a girl. We need you. They need you. We CAN change the world...when we educate a girl.

kuona wewe baadaye,

Melissa Katz
Jeff Pearson
Wendy Hills
Camry Haskins
Matthew Arndt
Raman Mehta
Megan Goepfert
Sonia Thompson
Simon Do
Carrie Arndt

www.wisergirls.org

On the Road Again

After a visit to the Maasai Village, we bid a fond farewell to Sarova Game Camp in Maasai Mara. We are on the road to Nairobi where we will have dinner and head the the airport for our respective flights.

Paved Roads

Finally! Our butts took a beating on the dirt roads.

Last Day

Sunrise safari.

A Comment Posted by Michel Paul, Company Group Chairman, Diabetes Care, J&J on JNJBTW

Hello Melissa, Carrie, Jeff, Raman, Megan, Simon, Wendy and Sonia:

On behalf of the entire Diabetes Care Franchise, I want to thank you for dedicating your time and energy these last two weeks to the WISER girls in Africa. I am extremely proud of your efforts, and of all of our Diabetes Care Franchise employees’ efforts, to truly create better lives and promising futures for this community.

In supporting WISER, we are truly illustrating our Johnson & Johnson Credo at work. As you know, for the last seven years, many of our Diabetes Care Franchise Colleagues have supported the WISER organization. WISER’s mission is to ensure that one day, all women will be granted equal access to safe educational opportunities so that they may achieve leadership roles in their communities. Seeing your work these past two weeks, truly brings this mission to life.

Thank you again for your passion, dedication and commitment to making a difference.

Warm regards,
Michel Paul

We Saw a Rhino!

Now we just need a leopard.