camp GLOW 2008
MY NEW EMAIL IS rmiller100@gmail.com it is not @google like i said before, sorry!
I think I explained in my post last year but for a refresher, Camp GLOW (girls leading our world) is an annual, week-long camp Peace Corps and certain partner organizations puts on. The volunteers choose up to 4 girls from village, preferably those who have demonstrated leadership, dedication to school work, and high spirits. Throughout the week, we have sessions on health, environment, women’s rights, goals and motivations, and take a few field trips as well.
This year rocked! This year I was the director, or “directrice” in French. We’d been writing project proposals since December and finally USAID had a chunk of money set aside for HIV/AIDS education. The three Camp GLOWs that take place in Benin were totally funded by this, coming to a total of over $20,000. The Borgou region (that’s ours) is the longest running and we worked some kinks out from last year. Things were set in motion before I went on vacation but as future planning isn’t a big thing here, most things had to wait until the day I came back. Walked into the workstation at 11pm to a letter saying the University shuttle bus they’d scheduled for us was no longer available. See what I mean about planning? Another volunteer, Sandy, in the training class after mine helped out a ton so she could take the reins next year. We signed the food contracts, verified the lodging reservations, sent out speaker invitations, and solidified the schedule. Sunday the 22, volunteers started rolling in from villages with their girls and someone we call a “tutrice”, or the chaperone woman responsible for the girls. Dinner was great and afterwards we had a dance party. Some of the tutrices were literally tearing girls who were too cool, out of their chairs to get down. It was hilarious and everyone was wiped out by 9:30. Our three field trips went extremely well. A trip to Songhai agricultural farming center, the local University, and the government radio station, ORTB all showed the girls options for later on down the road after school. The radio even sent someone over afterwards to record the girls singing their GLOW song and it will be transmitted this week. One of the highlights for me and I think the girls also, was a 2 hour session with two medical students from the University. These 2 ladies were finishing their 7th year in a PhD program and continuing on for another 4 years in their specialties, one in pediatrics, one in psychology. They gave the girls a presentation on sexual health and wow, it blew some minds. Once they drew the ovary/uterus diagram that we’ve all been seeing since the 4th grade, it was game time. The girls never stopped asking questions and the students had a great answer every time. The session even ran a half hour into lunch because we wanted them to get as much information as possible. I’m pretty sure this was the first time the girls have had this information presented to them and been given the opportunity to discuss rather than just memorize. Among the sessions we also had sports in which the girls had stations of yoga, aerobic dance, dizzy bat races, untying human knots, and them teaching us a few games from village. Red Rover got a little extreme when a girl tried to hurdle the arms of her opponents and as they raised the bar she got hooked up and slammed into the ground. No pain no gain though and she made a quick recovery. We showed a film, the new Willy Wonka, on Wednesday and whether they followed or not, the movie was cool. Though the things that were most interesting were seeing things like great dane dogs and snow falling from the sky. Friday, the girls each went out with a “mama model”, a working professional in the community in a certain network. The get the girls for a whole day and it’s basically like take your daughter to work day, just with someone else’s daughter. We took group photos that day too, we even found a woman photographer! Saturday was the closing ceremony in which we gave each girl and tutrice a certificate of completion and also introduced the spirit stick award, one for a tutrice and one for a girl. We had a little trouble explaining it and the girl we called up was SO embarrassed but the tutrice hugged Sandy and I and sang and danced a little. That afternoon was crafts so we did friendship bracelets, tye-dye, plastic bag crocheting, and making change purses out of ice cream packets. We tried to put an emphasis on recycling and reusing materials. Sunday, everyone got in their taxi and went home. Over all, this was a fantastic camp! I got really positive feedback from the girls, volunteers, and tutrices. Hopefully next year will be even better. Unfortunately, there was one sore spot in the whole week. At some point Saturday night, while we were having a candle light wish ceremony and of course, a dance party, someone came into the locked volunteer room and stole 40.000 from a pcv and took my brand new, totally amazing camera. It was quite the bummer and a slight kick in the teeth. All proper parties were alerted but I don’t think I’ll ever see that camera again. Really disappointing end to a stellar week but at least the university projector didn’t get snagged, or anything from the girls or tutrices. I’m headed back to village today to see how the library is moving along. Now that the bike tour and Camp GLOW have successfully ended, I can really enjoy my last few months at post.
I think I explained in my post last year but for a refresher, Camp GLOW (girls leading our world) is an annual, week-long camp Peace Corps and certain partner organizations puts on. The volunteers choose up to 4 girls from village, preferably those who have demonstrated leadership, dedication to school work, and high spirits. Throughout the week, we have sessions on health, environment, women’s rights, goals and motivations, and take a few field trips as well.
This year rocked! This year I was the director, or “directrice” in French. We’d been writing project proposals since December and finally USAID had a chunk of money set aside for HIV/AIDS education. The three Camp GLOWs that take place in Benin were totally funded by this, coming to a total of over $20,000. The Borgou region (that’s ours) is the longest running and we worked some kinks out from last year. Things were set in motion before I went on vacation but as future planning isn’t a big thing here, most things had to wait until the day I came back. Walked into the workstation at 11pm to a letter saying the University shuttle bus they’d scheduled for us was no longer available. See what I mean about planning? Another volunteer, Sandy, in the training class after mine helped out a ton so she could take the reins next year. We signed the food contracts, verified the lodging reservations, sent out speaker invitations, and solidified the schedule. Sunday the 22, volunteers started rolling in from villages with their girls and someone we call a “tutrice”, or the chaperone woman responsible for the girls. Dinner was great and afterwards we had a dance party. Some of the tutrices were literally tearing girls who were too cool, out of their chairs to get down. It was hilarious and everyone was wiped out by 9:30. Our three field trips went extremely well. A trip to Songhai agricultural farming center, the local University, and the government radio station, ORTB all showed the girls options for later on down the road after school. The radio even sent someone over afterwards to record the girls singing their GLOW song and it will be transmitted this week. One of the highlights for me and I think the girls also, was a 2 hour session with two medical students from the University. These 2 ladies were finishing their 7th year in a PhD program and continuing on for another 4 years in their specialties, one in pediatrics, one in psychology. They gave the girls a presentation on sexual health and wow, it blew some minds. Once they drew the ovary/uterus diagram that we’ve all been seeing since the 4th grade, it was game time. The girls never stopped asking questions and the students had a great answer every time. The session even ran a half hour into lunch because we wanted them to get as much information as possible. I’m pretty sure this was the first time the girls have had this information presented to them and been given the opportunity to discuss rather than just memorize. Among the sessions we also had sports in which the girls had stations of yoga, aerobic dance, dizzy bat races, untying human knots, and them teaching us a few games from village. Red Rover got a little extreme when a girl tried to hurdle the arms of her opponents and as they raised the bar she got hooked up and slammed into the ground. No pain no gain though and she made a quick recovery. We showed a film, the new Willy Wonka, on Wednesday and whether they followed or not, the movie was cool. Though the things that were most interesting were seeing things like great dane dogs and snow falling from the sky. Friday, the girls each went out with a “mama model”, a working professional in the community in a certain network. The get the girls for a whole day and it’s basically like take your daughter to work day, just with someone else’s daughter. We took group photos that day too, we even found a woman photographer! Saturday was the closing ceremony in which we gave each girl and tutrice a certificate of completion and also introduced the spirit stick award, one for a tutrice and one for a girl. We had a little trouble explaining it and the girl we called up was SO embarrassed but the tutrice hugged Sandy and I and sang and danced a little. That afternoon was crafts so we did friendship bracelets, tye-dye, plastic bag crocheting, and making change purses out of ice cream packets. We tried to put an emphasis on recycling and reusing materials. Sunday, everyone got in their taxi and went home. Over all, this was a fantastic camp! I got really positive feedback from the girls, volunteers, and tutrices. Hopefully next year will be even better. Unfortunately, there was one sore spot in the whole week. At some point Saturday night, while we were having a candle light wish ceremony and of course, a dance party, someone came into the locked volunteer room and stole 40.000 from a pcv and took my brand new, totally amazing camera. It was quite the bummer and a slight kick in the teeth. All proper parties were alerted but I don’t think I’ll ever see that camera again. Really disappointing end to a stellar week but at least the university projector didn’t get snagged, or anything from the girls or tutrices. I’m headed back to village today to see how the library is moving along. Now that the bike tour and Camp GLOW have successfully ended, I can really enjoy my last few months at post.
posted by Rachael at 5:48 AM
2 Comments:
Wow,
And to think I just had a corn dog at the Party in the park.
Chris D.
Sorry, my last post was for your last blog.
Chris
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