Ready, Set, GLOW

Wow! LONG TIME. First off let me say HAPPY NEW YEAR! I’m glad you all enjoyed your Holiday Cards and the pictures. I just got back from my 2week holiday in Livingstone/Botswana. I was in the village for two weeks, started teaching for the term and now I’m away again. This time I’m in Kasama for PEPFAR! I’m really excited about this workshop. We all are bringing counterparts from our villages we can work with. I'm bringing BA JULIE! Ba Julie is my best friend in the village. She’s the one who teaches me how to cook, how to dance, she feeds me every time I see her and she’s even given me a Bemba name(Mwaba which means Princess). After the workshop, hopefully we can work on HIV/AIDS related projects in the village. I’ve been waiting for this; I’m really excited and hope it goes well. I’ll update you for sure. Speaking of updates…..GLOW!!!
Camp GLOW was AMAZING! The girls really had a great time! The week was filled with arts and crafts (headed by yours truly), camp songs, sessions on rape/ sugar daddies/ confidence/assertiveness/gender roles/goals and s’mores. As far as arts and crafts go we made: journals, picture frames, menstrual pads from local materials, thank you cards and painted with edible finger paint. So much fun. I'm inner camp counselor showed up and had too much fun! Camp GLOW (Girl’s Leading Our World) is a Peace Corps Zambia project as well as a Global Peace Corps initiative. The goal is to help give girls a space where they can be open about issues that concern them as well as learning new skills and tools to help them achieve their goals in the societies they live in. In Zambia, one of the missions in the Ministry of Education is to focus on the education and development of the girl child. The Ministry, as well as the Nation, has noticed the lack of education for/ given to girls as well as the distinct gender roles assigned to girls that limit them from getting a proper education. Camp GLOW speaks on this by having sessions centered on these sensitive issues. I’ve already noticed a change in the girls I took from my village. I took a grade 6 (now grade 7) and a grade 8(now grade 9). The grade 7 is more outspoken with her leadership and the grade 9 is more confident in herself. This is the 2nd term I’ve taught the now grade 9. At first she never spoke in class and never raised her hand, I had to tell her to put her hand down and let someone new try last week!
The girls weren’t the only ones who learned new things this week. The teachers also learned a lot about how to start clubs, facilitate, be open and create a safe environment for the girls. The warmed up to the idea as the week went on. They all have the potential to be good facilitators.
Camp GLOW has been one of my favorite activities so far, can’t wait for next year. It was a lot of planning, lots of meetings, and a lot of stress at time but we pulled it of. The 7 Mpika volunteers did an amazing job and I can say “I love my team”! Also a huge THANK YOU!!!!! To everyone who helped donate money, give ideas, sent goodies and was supportive. You played a huge part in the success of this camp and I hope you’ll be on board next year! NATOTELA SANA MUKWAI!!! Thanks everyone.