Volunteer Names: Heather C. and Bianca F.
Late on a very rainy Saturday morning, eighteen rather timid and wet girls arrived at the village training facilities. With the aid of two facilitators, we kicked off our three-day overnight camp. Neither girls, facilitators, or even we knew quite what to expect, but we jumped right in with our opening session and icebreakers. We were happy to see that while the girls were a bit hesitant, they made an effort to participate from the beginning.
We started each day with hot tea and a fresh loaf of bread for each girl. The mornings were filled by one or two sessions and/or a field trip. Then we broke for a yummy lunch, and finished the afternoon with a session and the day’s debriefing. After dinner we filled the evenings with fun activities such as arts & crafts, movies and popcorn, and dancing.
Our sessions were taken out of the Life Skills Manuel, focusing on five main topics: Making and Achieving Goals, Decision Making, Communication, Self-Esteem and Role Models. We ended the camp with a panel discussion where we invited successful women from the community to share their advice and experiences with the girls. The girls had the opportunity to ask questions and discuss with the women on the panel their real-life challenges and how they achieved success.
We took the girls on two field trips which gave them a hands-on perspective on the topics of environment and their health as young women. The first trip was a walk to the local forest, where we discussed what the girls felt was good about their community and what could be improved. They then took time to write a journal entry on their thoughts and how the environment relates to their own lives and future. We also stressed the importance of not seeing a problem and just saying “c’est comme ca (it's just like that),” but actually trying to think of solutions.
The second trip visited a local health center where the Sage Femme (birth attendant) gave the girls a tour. During the tour she addressed issues such as Family Planning, HIV/AIDS & STI protection, and contraception. The midwives at the maternity also explained child vaccinations and the importance of baby weighing. During the tour the girls saw the different functions of the maternity. The group was very receptive to the visit, since it covered many relevant topics and interests amongst them. We were surprised and pleased at how many questions the girls posed and how willing they were to participate.
We wrapped up the camp with an awards ceremony where we awarded each girl with a certificate of participation. Two girls volunteered to give speeches on what they learned and the topics that made the biggest impression on them. The coordinator also attended and give a small speech to congratulate and encourage the girls.
Before departing the next morning, each girl filled out an evaluation of the camp over all, the sessions, the facilitators, and the PCVs. The results were very encouraging; it appears that the girls learned a lot while also having a great time. On the bus ride home we saw a vast change in dynamic from when we came; the girls were vibrant and giggling, singing the whole way home. We, on the other hand, were utterly exhausted, but thrilled with how well the camp turned out.
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