My busiest 10 days in Burkina

 From July 29^th until August 4^th, 2012, Camp G²LOW (Girls and Guys Leading Our World) took place in the regional capital of Fada N'Gourma. Seventeen Peace Corps Volunteers and 21 Burkinabe took part in a Training of Trainers for 3 days before the camp began and worked together to plan and facilitate camp sessions. About 100 students at the tops of their 8^th grade classes attended the camp. Boys and girls were split into 6 different teams each, though worked with one another in certain sessions and hung out at meal times.

Camp G²LOW focused on 3 themes: leadership development, healthy living, and gender equality. Students learned about being assertive, active listening, decision making, and more. For the session on peer pressure, groups also worked together to plan skits showing how they would respond in various situations. Health professionals helped out with lessons on health issues. Malaria, hygiene, family planning and STIs were discussed in a safe environment, and students were able to ask any questions they had. A few sessions also involved more interactive activities, like blowing up condom balloons, and Coaching for Hope, which combines HIV/AIDS education with soccer, similar to Grassroots Soccer. To promote gender equality, boys and girls switched roles in a relay race, to understand more what jobs the other gender is generally in charge of. Peace Corps office employees arrived in Fada to help out with a few of the last sessions of the camp, including one about violence and a professional panel.

Of course, there were also fun activities during the camp. We introduced the American concept of a campfire to Burkinabe. The kids and adults alike had fun watching skits, listening to stories, and singing songs while sitting around the fire. As a parallel to the London Olympics, we held our own Fada Olympics, because there's nothing like a little competition to get kids excited. The events at our Olympics were a bit different from the official ones: Sack race, tug-of-war, spelling bee, eating contest, long jump, and more. Points from the winning team were added into the weekly count, which also included points awarded for session participation. As motivation to be active participants in camp activities, the team with the most cumulative points at the end of the week would win a prize. One of the last events of the camp was a talent show and despite pouring, pounding rain, the show was able to go on. We PCVs showcased American culture by performing the electric slide to Michael Jackson's “Thriller.”

Overall, Camp G²LOW went smoothly. There were some minor issues that occurred, as can be expected when over 130 people convene for an extended period of time, but we were able to solve or fix things together. The students enjoyed their week of activities and made new friends from other towns and schools. And most importantly, they all learned valuable new information. As Yaskinatou, the representative for the girls said in her closing ceremony speech, “I request that all those who participated at Camp G²LOW, when back at home, share what they learned, and I hope they won’t keep this knowledge only to themselves.” Our hope is that the participants of the camp will apply their new skills to become leaders in their communities, thus affecting positive change in Burkina Faso.

And a special thank you to those who donated months ago to help fund Camp G²LOW! Without your aid and support, this project would never have happened. If you would like more information on the camp, or the camp newsletter (which will be sent out to donors who allowed their information to be released), feel free to email me at cindyguo10@gmail.com. A PCV also put together a short video of the camp; you can find it here: A short video of the camp is also posted on youtube: http://youtu.be/vX5VMN_OW-k