Sarah E.
Kirehe District, Eastern Province
Many ofmy colleagues already posted about their regions’ GLOW (Girls Leading OurWorld) Camps, Peace Corps Volunteer organized camps where girls learn aboutconfidence, goal-setting, HIV/AIDS Biology and Prevention, etc. So what happensafter GLOW Camp is finished and the girls return to their respective villages?
I knew that thefour girls I brought to GLOW would be different somehow, but I wasn’t sure whatwould be different. Seeing their changes would become the proof that the littleencouragements and biology lessons could change lives. During the third term ofschool (from September to November), I noticed that all four received betterscores in English class and they participated more often, offering theiropinions and answers during class discussion.
This last week, Ivisited one of the boys I’m sending to the Eastern Province Camp BE (BoysExcelling) - to visit his parents and explain what the camp is. Denyse, one ofthe GLOW girls, lives near him, so on our walk back to my village, we stoppedby her house to visit. She and Francine, another student of mine, explainedwhat they’ve been doing in their small village since GLOW camp ended. Theystarted a GLOW Club, which meets every week and includes boys and girls.Denyse, the President of this club, leads discussion on all the lessons wetaught them at GLOW Camp. She teaches them about confidence, HIV/AIDS, genderequality, and goal setting. The boys and girls have discussions together,proving that being together, working together, and respecting each other iseffective.
The best part ofall of this: I had no idea it was going on. They never asked me for advice,they never asked me to attend meetings, they never asked me to teach lessons –they did it ALL on their own! Their club exists because of them – my tiny, tinyparticipation simply comes from choosing them to attend GLOW Camp. My GLOW girls are independent and powerful andI am so, so proud to be their teacher.
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