Projects Galore...

Hi everyone!!

I hope this message finds you well. I just wanted to write to update all my lovely readers on some projects that I have coming up and some ideas for projects that will hopefully be implemented in the future.

First and foremost, I have found an organization to work with for the Girls’ Mentoring Center that I talked briefly about in a previous post. The organization that I will be working with is CREJe. They are a really great organization that is currently doing many different development projects and programs in Atakpamé such as: working with apprentices (often, apprentices go overlooked because they are not part of the formal education system), leading a support group for People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA groups help people to go on living a normal life in spite of being HIV positive; rather than focusing on the negative aspects of the disease, they discuss ways to maintain a healthy and fulfilling lifestyle), organizing a weekly support group for children infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, and managing a Big Brother/Big Sister Program. The director is very excited at the possibility of adding a program directed particularly at girls. :-) I’m also very relieved to have his support.

Secondly, I am organizing a “Take Our Daughters to Work Week” here in Atakpamé. Basically, this is a week-long camp-ish activity for middle to high school age girls to discuss work opportunities available to them. It has been pointed out to me that girls do not have many professional role models. Without these successful women to look up to, girls often become unmotivated to continue with school. In Togo, girls have many responsibilities that often limit their time and resources (i.e., money for school fees; time to devote to studying) often making it difficult to stay in school. The objective of this activity is to present model women in the community to the girls in an attempt to get them thinking about their own futures and the opportunities that await them, should they continue with school.

Thirdly, I have recently been elected to serve on the Gender and Development Committee (G.A.D.) here in Togo. This is a committee made up of volunteers (mostly GEE) that puts out a quarterly newsletter, Lève-toi Jeune Fille—this is an inspirational newsletter focusing on the importance of girls education and empowerment; manages a scholarship program that pays for select girls to go to school (school fees, supplies, uniforms, etc.); and trains all of the four Peace Corps programs in Togo (Girls Education and Empowerment, Natural Resource Management, Small Enterprise Development, and Community Health and AIDS Prevention) on the importance of including gender awareness into their work. I have been selected as the trainer for G.A.D.; thus, it will be my responsibility to attend Pre-Service Training for each of the four programs to train in-coming volunteers.

Fourthly, I have also been selected as a counselor for Camp U.N.I.T.E. Camp UNITE was first started in 2001 as a week-long camp for talented and motivated Togolese school girls and, since then, the program has expanded to include a week for Togolese school boys, as well as a week for boy and girls who are involved in vocational training (mechanics, hairdressers, tailors, etc). If you're curious about what camp is about and what it does for Togolese kids, you can also check out all the info on the website: http://www.unitefoundation.org/Camp_UNITE.html I have been selected to be a counselor for girl apprentices. :-)

I think that that’s basically all right now. I’ve also been working away on my research proposal for my thesis. For those of you who don’t know, I am in the Master’s International Program, which is a program that combines Graduate school with my Peace Corps service. I have already finished all of my graduate coursework at Illinois State University and am working on completing my thesis here in Togo. Before I start the actual thesis, however, I have to do a proposal that discusses the “who, what, when, where, why” of the research and submit that to a committee that will then approve (hopefully!!) or disapprove the project. As of right now, I’m basically done with the proposal paper, but I must do an oral defense of the research to the same committee. This oral defense is set for early July. Keep your fingers crossed that my research will get approved!!!

I think that’s all I have for you this time…but stay tuned…

Love and Misses.
-k

PACKAGES:
Many people have been asking me what I need or what sent to me so rather than listing the few things on here and having everyone send the same things (this happened with drink mixes, I now have like 25 boxes of drink mixes; but they help so much and I’m very thankful, so “Merci!” to all those who sent them!!), I gave my mom a long list of things I need, want, would like, etc. So, if you are thinking of sending something but aren’t sure what, please contact her for some ideas. Of course, anything and everything is very much appreciated. So, thank you, in advance!! However, one thing that I can never get enough of is photographs. I think of you all every single day and love being able to put pictures from home around my house. Also, my friends and family here in Togo love seeing pictures from the States.
Also—I’ve found that the best way to send packages are to get a Flat Rate Box from the Post Office that has a set price, so you can cram as much stuff in there as you want without having to pay more for size, weight, etc…