Friday, August 04, 2006
GIRLS'S CONFERENCE!!
Hello everyone!
Last week two of my students, two students from Monapo and I went to the Girl’s Conference near Chimoio (in the Centre of Moz). Overall it went really well. We left on Sunday and flew down (none of the girls had ever been on a plane, so they all got sick!). We stayed in Casa Msika, which is a beautiful “resort”, on a river (that looks like a lake) and mountains in the background (for us Nampula folks it was a big change in scenery, considering, we don’t have mountains or big rivers!). There were about 55 girls from 8 provinces in Mozambique, 2 female Mozambican med students (they were great!),10 Peace Corps volunteers (all women, except for one guy), and about 10 female Mozambican teachers. Throughout the week we had a bunch of speakers come in: people from the Ministry of Education, NGO workers, a young woman living with HIV, people from different women’s group and the founder of the Human Rights League (a really cool woman). They talked about different things, ranging from HIV/AIDS to how to use a tampon (that was a funny session). Besides the speakers, we had activities dealing with sex/gender, future goals, relationships, women’s rights… When there wasn’t a speaker, volunteers led the sessions. Since each province had a specific day, Nampula and Tete did a session on “future goals.” We had the girls draw what they wanted their future to be like (so for example, some wanted to be doctors, so they drew a hospital, others wanted to have a big house or play football, etc). I think it went pretty well.
I think one of the highlights was the Human Rights speaker. She was really well-spoken, and spoke to the girls like adults (which really impressed them). She told them how she had to quit school because there was no money, so she first worked really hard until she could afford to finish school (she was in the 30s when she finished secondary school). Eventually she got a scholarship to go to University; from there she got an opportunity to go to Europe where she learned about the Human Rights League, so when she came back to Mozambique she worked to start an office here. This was in the early 90s, and since then she’s been fighting for Human Rights in Mozambique. She’s a really cool lady!
Anyhow, I’m not gonna bore you all with details, but overall the conference went really well, and I’m sure all the girls will remember it. But before I say good-bye, I have some exciting news: I’m gonna be a big part in organizing next year’s conference! There are three main people organizing the conference, two deal with logistics (location, speakers, food, transport, etc) and one deals with money (the conference and projects have a 25,000 dollar budget – which in Mozambique is a HUGE amount of money). Anyhow, I’m gonna be the money person! I’m pretty happy, and somewhat nervous, but Alex (this year’s money guru) promised to tell me all her secrets.
Aight, gotta go. I hope everyone is doing well (I hope the camino is treating Ivy and Rob well). Miss you all!
Eli
Last week two of my students, two students from Monapo and I went to the Girl’s Conference near Chimoio (in the Centre of Moz). Overall it went really well. We left on Sunday and flew down (none of the girls had ever been on a plane, so they all got sick!). We stayed in Casa Msika, which is a beautiful “resort”, on a river (that looks like a lake) and mountains in the background (for us Nampula folks it was a big change in scenery, considering, we don’t have mountains or big rivers!). There were about 55 girls from 8 provinces in Mozambique, 2 female Mozambican med students (they were great!),10 Peace Corps volunteers (all women, except for one guy), and about 10 female Mozambican teachers. Throughout the week we had a bunch of speakers come in: people from the Ministry of Education, NGO workers, a young woman living with HIV, people from different women’s group and the founder of the Human Rights League (a really cool woman). They talked about different things, ranging from HIV/AIDS to how to use a tampon (that was a funny session). Besides the speakers, we had activities dealing with sex/gender, future goals, relationships, women’s rights… When there wasn’t a speaker, volunteers led the sessions. Since each province had a specific day, Nampula and Tete did a session on “future goals.” We had the girls draw what they wanted their future to be like (so for example, some wanted to be doctors, so they drew a hospital, others wanted to have a big house or play football, etc). I think it went pretty well.
I think one of the highlights was the Human Rights speaker. She was really well-spoken, and spoke to the girls like adults (which really impressed them). She told them how she had to quit school because there was no money, so she first worked really hard until she could afford to finish school (she was in the 30s when she finished secondary school). Eventually she got a scholarship to go to University; from there she got an opportunity to go to Europe where she learned about the Human Rights League, so when she came back to Mozambique she worked to start an office here. This was in the early 90s, and since then she’s been fighting for Human Rights in Mozambique. She’s a really cool lady!
Anyhow, I’m not gonna bore you all with details, but overall the conference went really well, and I’m sure all the girls will remember it. But before I say good-bye, I have some exciting news: I’m gonna be a big part in organizing next year’s conference! There are three main people organizing the conference, two deal with logistics (location, speakers, food, transport, etc) and one deals with money (the conference and projects have a 25,000 dollar budget – which in Mozambique is a HUGE amount of money). Anyhow, I’m gonna be the money person! I’m pretty happy, and somewhat nervous, but Alex (this year’s money guru) promised to tell me all her secrets.
Aight, gotta go. I hope everyone is doing well (I hope the camino is treating Ivy and Rob well). Miss you all!
Eli
# posted by Paul and Eli @ 12:59 AM 
