My
one-year anniversary was in June, wow can’t believe it’s been that long.
Time here seems to move very quickly. As I reached the one-year mark I
was able to reflect with great appreciation for the successes and the
challenges. It has been worth it, I look forward to and couldn’t be more
excited for this next year!
Most
recently was Camp G2low, a leadership camp TOT (Training Of Trainers) was three
days of sessions for facilitators, PCVs and counterparts, facilitated by
volunteers to get everyone on the same page. With sensitive topics like sexual
health, violence and gender equity it was imperative to discuss how we would
present each session. I presented the first session on goal setting with my
counterpart who is on his way to university next year. We discussed the
importance goal-making, how to make smart goals and then each student wrote
their own goals for their future, Students saw themselves as doctors, teachers,
lawyers and military officers. I was overwhelmed with their excitement. When I
wasn’t presenting I was observing other sessions and helping when it was
needed. They learned about the reproductive system and then consecutively birth
control and family planning. I lead a session on gender, debating the roles and
responsibilities of girls and boys. Girls wash clothes, do the dishes, sweep
the courtyard, pump water and cook while the boys have much more free time to
play or when schools in session study. They acknowledged the discrepancy
between their responsibilities and decided they wanted to make a change. During
the camp the boys and girls shared the cleaning duties equally. The last
session I facilitated was on violence and was the most difficult. It’s a
concept that is very difficult to understand in this culture. In primary school
they are hit if they don’t answer a question correctly and it affects then
throughout their lives. The first time I observed a Burkinabe classroom I
cringed and had to walk out. Violence is not something that they hear about
like per say HIV/AIDs. We went through the spectrum of violence and I was
trying to guide them to deciding they wanted to end violence in the classroom
but instead a girl in the front row raised her hand. She said to me, “But
Madame if the teacher didn’t hit us we wouldn’t learn.” I wanted to cry. I
stumbled over my words and after talking to colleague decided what I would say.
I asked the students if they were like donkeys or dogs or other animals that
can’t think for themselves. I asked them if they stopped learning when they get
to secondary school. I think it was a breakthrough and am looking forward to the
future where violence in schools is unacceptable.
