10 PCVs, 27 female
students from rural Ethiopia, 2 female teachers, 5 days together!
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The full group!
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During the 5 days
together in Debre Birhan, we learned about and discussed various topics such
as; women in media, short and long term goals, menstrual health, career
choices, healthy relationships, meditation and mindfulness, leadership, and more!
When the girls arrived
on day 1, they were timid as we introduced ourselves to each other, each
dressed in matching Camp GLOW Debre Birhan t-shirts (Thank you for the wonderful design, Grandma!), and came up with team
names. From day 2 through 5, the transformation
was absolutely incredible. The girls
gained confidence, and built trust and relationships with each other and with the
PCVs.
On the last evening we all stood in a circle in a dark room, each person with a candle, and shared our thoughts and feelings about the week. It was very powerful and beautiful as we shared together and became very emotional about the bonds we formed and all going our separate ways. The girls and PCVs alike were crying as each person explained why Camp GLOW
meant so much to them and was a life-changing experience.
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| The purple team! |
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| I led morning yoga during the camp; it was a new activity for most people, and they enjoyed it! |
One of my favorite
activities was called “Strong Girl Piñata.” For this activity each student
wrote a paragraph about her strengths, and then one by one each read her paragraph and then got to take a swing at a homemade piñata. They loved getting
to do the piñata; it was something they had never seen before! At the end, they
lined up, and on the count of three, ran forward to collect the candy, of course!
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| Ries read her beautifully-written poem, before taking a hit at the piñata! |
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| Shita had a very strong swing at the pinata! |
The girls also played a "Family Life" board game. They each got assigned a certain number children, an education level, an income and job, and then moved round the board, picking up cards along the way that had positive or negative scenarios for them. For example, "You forgot to tuck in the sides of the mosquito net and your son got malaria, pay 2 "bunalas" (the game money)". The students were able to learn a lot about different things that can happen in life and ponder the different consequences as they then assessed their own futures. It was the first time the girls had ever played a board game and they loved it!
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| Playing a board game for the first time! |
Another highlight of
the 5 days was visiting Debre Birhan Univeristy. We were able to all ride in a
University bus and have a tour of the university, and go inside the library and
meet the President of the University! The students’ faces lit up as they danced
in the bus and sang camp cheers, and then as we walked around the university,
where they aspire to be within several years.
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Strong and colorful girls striking a pose at the University!
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This 5-day camp was
certainly a highlight of my Peace Corps Service so far. Empowering these girls, and seeing them
transform, was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. These girls are truly the future of Ethiopia and I can't wait to see what they accomplish. I was inspired by each of the 27 girls who
came to the camp, and I became closer to the 5 female students who came from
Mezezo. I am looking forward to
returning to Mezezo to do different programs with these 5 students; we hope to
start a girls club in the fall; stay tuned!
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| The Mezezo Crew: Ries, Meron, Menbere, Marta and Asnaku! |
