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May Week
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== May Week Alternative == May Week Alternative (MWA),<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.trin.cam.ac.uk/news/george-rosenfeld-receives-vc-award-for-may-week-alternative/|title=George Rosenfeld receives VC award for May Week Alternative|date=26 March 2019 |language=en-US|access-date=2019-10-03}}</ref> is a "feel good" initiative set up by undergraduates at [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge University]] to encourage students to celebrate the end of the academic year through charitable endeavours. In the organisation's first 3 years, it attracted the support of approximately 650 students, and raised Β£150,000, protecting almost 180,000 people from malaria<ref>{{Cite web|title=May Week Alternative|url=http://www.mayweekalternative.org.uk/|access-date=2020-07-22|website=www.mayweekalternative.org.uk|language=en}}</ref> according to the [[Against Malaria Foundation]]. === Aims === The organisation states three main aims: # '''Direct impact:''' MWA seeks to raise money for AMF and in doing so transform tens of thousands of lives by providing life-saving [[Mosquito net|anti-malaria nets]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tcs.cam.ac.uk/may-week-alternative-a-new-way-to-celebrate/|title=May Week Alternative: a new way to celebrate|date=2018-06-08|website=The Cambridge Student|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-10-03}}</ref> # '''Put charity at the heart of May Week celebrations''': The initiative attempts to equip students with a positive framework which allows them to celebrate May Week by making the world a better place. By inviting students to see charity as a central and positive part of the May Week experience, MWA believes it can "unlock huge philanthropic potential". # '''Inspire students with a bold, positive vision for giving:''' By inviting students to engage with significant giving through this explicitly positive, celebratory context, May Week Alternative hopes that students will develop philanthropic tendencies which they will take forward into their future careers, rather than seeing charity as a burden. === Chronology === * In the spring of 2018, a group of five students founded the initiative and raised Β£12,000 for AMF, with over 40 students joining. * In February 2019 MWA hosted its first annual Launch Party. MWA also presented at various events, including the Cambridge International Development Conference, [[Cambridge Union]], and [[TED (conference)|TEDxCambridgeUniversity]] * In the same month it was one of only four initiatives recognised at Cambridge University's first ever Social Impact Awards. * In March 2019, MWA raised over Β£36,000 (having acquired matched funding), with more than 170 students joining. This total was triple the previous year and according to AMF's calculations is sufficient protect 40,000 people from malaria. * In June 2019 the initiative hosted a Summer Party with over 140 participants, and the support of 11 university and corporate partners. * In 2020, the cancellation of all May Balls and other May Week events as a result of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] lead to the creation of The May Week Mega Event. Co-hosted by May Week Alternative, Cambridge [[Rag (student society)]], and the May Ball Presidents' Committee, this virtual celebration of May Week featured over 500 performers from across the university in a four and a half hour livestream, attracting over 10,000 viewers. Over the course of the evening, over Β£14,000 was raised to support [[Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust]] and the [[Centre for the Study of Existential Risk]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Distanced students celebrate 'May Week Mega Event'|url=https://www.varsity.co.uk/news/19568|access-date=2020-07-01|website=Varsity Online|language=en}}</ref>
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