HELLO!!!
How was your holiday season? Mine was goooood. Actually, better than good!
As most of you know, a neighboring volunteer, Laura Groggel, and I have just finished a large project (actually, the largest project of my service thus far): Take Our Daughters to Work Week for the Plateau Region. The event was a HUGE SUCCESS!! And I cannot thank those of you who donated enough! This event has truly changed the lives of 16 well-deserving high school girls. Many volunteers around the region have reported to me that the girls who attended have been extremely motivated to share the knowledge and skills gained during the camp to other girls in their respective villages! This spreading of information and knowledge is such a remarkable outcome of any Peace Corps event and I am ecstatic to learn that we have inspired such devotion in these girls.
As mentioned above, the camp allowed 16 high school juniors and seniors the opportunity to come to Atakpame for 4 days during the school break in December. This year, we focused on preparing the girls for life after high school. Too often, girls accomplish the feat of completing high school and then are unsure how to take the next step (i.e., how to write a resume, career search, interview, etc.). The purpose of the camp was to show the girls how to stay on track of realizing their goals. The money raised for this event paid for transportation for each of the girls to and from their villages, their lodging and food in Atakpame, per diem for two Togolese trainers who ran most of the sessions and helped with some logistical matters, compensation for Togolese female role models who contributed throughout the week, plus, each girl received a t-shirt, and A SCHOLARSHIP FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR!!!!
During the week, we discussed a variety of essential topics with the girls such as:
The Importance of Girls Education
Women are a key ingredient to the development of a nation but oftentimes, they go overlooked and are left out of the development process altogether. Because of this, the development of the entire country suffers. The Girls Education and Empowerment program strives to illuminate the important role that women play in such a far-reaching process. Thus, Togo can and will benefit from the increasing number of educated women who implicate themselves in the development of their country.
Self-Confidence
Gender Equity
Income-Generating Activities and Feasibility Studies
Many girls are willing and capable of excelling in both academia and in a professional career; however, they are unable to support themselves throughout this process. Here in Togo, all schools (public and private) require school fees and uniforms. Without the money to pay for this, students are simply denied from entering the school system. Because of this, students sometimes need to find small income-generating activities that can cover the costs (parents are often unwilling or unable to contribute to girls’ education). During the week, we invited PCV Mitch Bloom to teach the girls how to make liquid soap. Another PCV, Jane McDonald, discussed how to conduct a feasibility study for any activity to determine their profit beforehand.
Family Planning
Unplanned pregnancies are common and often result in the girl leaving her studies to take care of the child. Because this is often due to ignorance (i.e., not properly understanding the reproductive system, lack of knowledge about contraceptive methods available, etc.), we discussed the importance of family planning and the different methods available to them.
Sexual Harassment and Rape
Unfortunately, sexual harassment and rape are all-to-common to young Togolese girls. Girls often face sexual harassment at school from students, professors, and sometimes school directors; later in life, women face harassment in the workplace from colleagues and superiors. We discussed their rights and what to do in these situations.
How to Write a Resume/CV
The girls also had the opportunity to practice their computer skills at a cyber café where they were taught how to make a resume in Microsoft Word led by another PCV, Steven “Sam” Miyakawa and assisted by Jane McDonald. For most girls, it was their first time ever using a computer and none had ever even heard of or seen a resume.
How to Choose a Career
Before coming to the camp, each girl wrote a letter expressing her interests and detailing the type of work she was interested in after finishing high school. For two hours during the week, each girl had the opportunity to visit a professional woman in a similar position (i.e., midwife, secretary, professor, director of an ONG). We also had a session on things to consider when choosing a career that is right for them (i.e., skills needed, salary, location, etc…)
Interviewing Skills
Time Management/Future Planning
Returning to Village (how to share the information with others)
Also during the week, the Associate Peace Corps Director for the Girls Education and Empowerment program, KPOMBLEKOU-NABINE Rose, came to talk to the girls about The Realities of Being a Woman in the Workplace and we were lucky to have a panel of professional women come to share their experiences in each of their professions—the panel included two female electricians, a hospital director in charge of finances, a bank teller, a nun, and an employee of the NGO Plan Togo. The girls surely gained a lot from seeing this dynamic, powerful group of women.
The biggest event of the week, for me, was the presentation of the scholarships. None of the girls knew that they would be receiving scholarships for the next year. When it was announced the girls were SO surprised and excited that they rushed the stage that Laura and I were on and swarmed us, screaming, laughing, and thanking us. The next day, one of the girls stood up to speak on behalf of the entire group to express their gratitude and make a promise that they would push themselves to put forth every effort possible to succeed, if for no other reason than to match the efforts that Laura and I put forth for them. Her speech and the promise of every girl to do everything in her power to succeed was enough to bring tears to my eyes. This event has shaped and defined my service and myself as a volunteer. Because of this, I am forever indebted to those who contributed to this project thus transforming it from an idea to a reality. Thank you.
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