"Know what? Bitches get stuff done.." - Tina Fey
Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) is an all girls camp run once, and sometimes twice a year through volunteer initiative in each different province throughout Zambia. It is grant funded and volunteer coordinated. Similar to ELITE - though with girls, it brings together worthy adolescents from different villages to participate in a week long camp alongside Peace Corps volunteers and Government organizations. If you have read any of my previous Blogs about either ELITE or last years GLOW then you should have an idea of what the camp entails.
Despite the Close of service ban that peace corps enacts on volunteers who are about to finish their service by requiring them to remain in their village to focus on closure, I felt 2 months was much longer then needed and rebelliously choose to participate in the camp. After all, I had already done 2 ELITE camps and felt that doing the second GLOW was only fair, and, since everybody participating in the camp hadn't done GLOW before, my experience could be a valuable asset in ensuring things go smoothly.
It was a last minute decision - mostly because I underestimated the amount to work it would take to close out my service, prepare for a new job and new living situation. Regardless, I made the camp a priority and delayed a few deadlines in order to attend. At the last minute I identified 2 girls and a counterpart only a day before the camp (each volunteer is suppose to bring a Counterpart and 2 girls from their village). I felt uneasy at fist because I hardly knew anything about the CP (Counterpart) I brought. The whole thing seemed rushed and I feared the worst regarding our relationship. A common problem at these camps is that CP's can sometimes have the notion that the whole event is about them when in fact its focused solely on the girls. Luckily it hardly amounted to an issue. Just as ideal camps develop, the girls and counterparts were shy and intimidated at first, but slowly opened up to the camp as the week progressed and understood why they were there and what we wanted them to get out of it.
I was especially proud of the two ladies who bravely volunteered to coordinated and direct the camp. One, it was their first attempt at even participating in a camp, and two, I understood how much time, energy and stress goes into a project such as this with my role as the camp ELITE director. I felt sympathetic to their burden. The camp was all in all a success and the amount of impact that we had on the girls reminded me of why I participate in secondary projects such as GLOW and ELITE. Yes they are lots of work, and require lots time and energy, and yes I could have been in my village relaxing, but the end result was worth the hassle.
The camp entailed presentations on gender norms, leadership, confidence and motivation, HIV/AIDS, malaria, journal writing, assertiveness, body awareness, early pregnancy, and the reproductive system. Though I was a participant and had little to do with the planning, I did play an instrumental role. I helped organize all the sporting activities including the Olympic games, capture the flag and final review jeopardy. I presented twice and helped straighten out some discrepancies with the budgeting and concerns we had with the facility. But make no mistake, camps like these are entirely team efforts and we all played instrumental roles in making the camp the success that it was.
To compare the camp to last years - because of the tremendous dedication the volunteers had in devoting themselves to the camp - it amounted to a more conducive camp atmosphere. The programming wasn't executed any better, but the group of volunteers that attended meshed so well throughout the camp that it surmounted to a greater learning environment and bonding experience for all - even between volunteers and girls. After each day we'd come together as a team and go over our day - what we did well and what we could have done better. We were dedicated to improvement and strove towards it as the week went on. By the final few days it was clear that our efforts had paid off and the proof was in how open and happy the girls were. They praised our efforts with songs and dance they coordinated on their own.
To sum up - my decision to attend camp GLOW less then a week before my transition into my extension was a decision I would gladly make over and over again. Camps like these have been the flagstone of my secondary projects and their impact is without a doubt substantial. I claim ELITE as a more enjoyable experience, but feel that GLOW is more important as it fosters female empowerment to girls who have little to none. I could think of no better final project to end my service on as I did with camp GLOW 2014. Thanks ladies.
