Like many Duke students, Raisa Chowdhury came into Duke as a premed major— until she did a DukeEngage Independent project in Chilmari, Bangladesh. Since then, she returned to Dhaka, Bangladesh and later Washington, D.C. to work on projects across a range of topics including rights of vulnerable populations, peace-building, and digital development. She’s now a master’s student focused on international development at Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs.
Why did you choose your DukeEngage program/independent project?
I met a woman in high school who facilitated summer volunteer experiences in Bangladesh in collaboration with an NGO named Friendship NGO and found her and the work she spoke of incredibly inspiring. She brought up the idea that when I started college, I may have access to funding that I could use to do my own project so I had scoped out the DukeEngage independent project fund before I even applied. There are many pots of funding available at Duke, but collectively, the resources available for hands-on learning experiences were a part of what attracted me to Duke.
In terms of the content of my project, I was working on understanding why past educational interventions related to pediatric respiratory illness in the river islands of Bangladesh hadn’t been effective. Pediatric respiratory illness was the leading cause of child mortality, and rates hadn’t changed. It seemed like a valuable opportunity to provide support where I would do no harm and could potentially add value even in a short period of time. As part of the Bangladeshi diaspora, I also figured that I was more likely to be useful in Bangladesh where I spoke the language, blended in, and understood the culture along with regional differences.
What are you doing now academically/professionally?
I’m currently a master’s student focused on international development at Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs. Between grad and undergrad, I worked for five years on projects across a range of topics including rights of vulnerable populations, peace-building, and digital development. I was based in Dhaka, Bangladesh, for about two-and-a-half years (a move I might not have had the courage to make without a shorter-term international experience in undergrad) and two-and-a-half years in DC.
Did DukeEngage influence your academic or career path? If so, how?
Yes! DukeEngage was life-changing. It played a huge role in convincing me that premed wasn’t for me. I realized that I was less interested in the delivery of medical care and more interested in the political, social, and cultural systems that create inequity. It helped me realize that I was more interested in thinking and working at a more systemic level.
What was the most meaningful part of your DukeEngage experience (personally, academically, or professionally)?
Professionally, DukeEngage introduced me to the field of development, which is a field I am still in and that I do really love working in, despite its limitations. It also gave me some practical experience from which to start asking hard questions about the field’s neocolonial roots as well as the racism, arrogance, and inefficiencies that are built into the system.
Do you have a specific lesson learned from your DukeEngage experience that still holds true today? If so, what was it?
Because I was in a place where I spoke the language, I was able to connect with both the mid-level workers at my partner organization and those we served on a more personal level. That first experience has been grounding for me, even many years later, and reminds me to treat people who have less power than me through an accident of birth as equals who have sophisticated emotions, thoughts, and ideas. I see many well-intentioned, usually white American or European aid workers, speaking down to people or just speaking past and blatantly ignoring people from other cultures and I don’t think they even realize they do it.
Do you think DukeEngage is an important program? Why or why not?
I don’t think it’s necessarily important in terms of the impact students have on the communities they visit, though hopefully, they do provide something of value. However, I think it is an incredible opportunity for students.