Camp Glow

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.