i

Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

Beyond the

Classroom:

Empowering

Girls

Peace Corps

February 2000

Information Collection and Exchange

Publication No. XXXX
Beyond the Classroom:

ii The Peace Corps

The Idea Book Series

This Idea Book is first of a series of booklets to be produced to share

specific activities you may be interested in replicating. Other potential

titles in the series are listed below. All of these ideas come from the

work of Volunteers. Most of the submissions contain only the

description printed—there is no additional information. Others were

parts of larger reports. Where there are additional reference materials

for an idea, notations tell you how to obtain them. There is also a

reference section at the end of the booklet. Please contact the

appropriate person/group to follow up on the ideas.

You are encouraged to submit your successful activities to this series.

You will find a form on the final page of this booklet with instructions.

Potential Titles in the Idea Book Series:

Beyond the Classroom: Empowering Girls

In the Classroom: Empowering Girls

HIV/AIDS

Using Information Technology in Projects

How to Organize: Special Meetings, Day Events, Camps
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Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

Contents

Acknowledgments .................................................................................. iv

Introduction ............................................................................................... 1

Things to Consider as You Read ............................................................. 2

Helpful Tips for Organizing an Event ................................................... 4

Mentoring for Empowerment and Leadership .................................. 10

Clubs ......................................................................................................... 28

Camps and Conferences ........................................................................ 31

Sports ........................................................................................................ 49

Contests .................................................................................................... 54

Life Skills Education ............................................................................... 57

Resources ................................................................................................. 60
Beyond the Classroom:

iv The Peace Corps

Acknowledgments

The Peace Corps acknowledges with appreciation the contributions

of articles and photographs by Volunteers and staff throughout the

world. Volunteers submitted the majority of the contents of Beyond

the Classroom: Empowering Girls to the Women in Development

unit at Peace Corps Headquarters. Some items were selected from

Project Status Reports submitted by staff members. Additional

photographs came from participatory processes workshops in South

America, Africa, and the Middle East.

Appreciation is expressed to Lyn Messner, Frank Wagner, and Kitenge

N’Gambwa, Peace Corps specialists; Judee Blohm, Idea Book series

editor; writer Margot Berkey; and Pat Bartlett, series designer and

desktop publisher.
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Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

The close relationship Peace Corps Volunteers develop with their

communities and schools places them in a unique position to influence

the behaviors and attitudes of the young women with whom they

work. Workshops, camps, clubs, special events, and just friendly

conversations, all have the potential to promote decision-making skills,

encourage goal setting, and build confidence.

Dreaming, discovering, and growing is a life-long process. Volunteers

can provide opportunities and serve as catalysts for this growth.

Whether interacting with young women through schools, in

communities, or in day-to-day exchanges, Volunteers have the

potential to help girls change their lives for the better.

This booklet provides a collection of ideas and activities from Volunteers around the world to be used as a resource in the valuable

work of empowering young women.

Introduction

Making a compost pile Guatemala
Beyond the Classroom:

2 The Peace Corps

This Idea Book might be considered a menu of ideas. When you look

at a menu and think about ordering from it, you have to make some

choices.

As you read this Idea Book, you will need to think of the

appropriateness of the ideas you read. The choices you make will be

based on different considerations. Here are some questions to guide

your thinking:

What are my community’s priorities? Does the idea correspond

with what it wants to do, or is it just something I want to do?

Have I included all members of the community in the process of

identifying its needs (i.e., inclusive of age, sex, religion, ethnicity,

race)?

How does this idea fit with other activities that I am doing in

my project? How does this idea compliment other activities the

community is doing?

How does it fit with what the Peace Corps is doing in this

country? Is it in line with project activities?

How will it contribute to capacity building of the people with

whom I am working? Have I taken into account community

members’ available time to participate in this activity? Have I

included decision-makers as well as participants in the planning

process?

Things to Consider as

You Read

2

1

3

4
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Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

Have all options for

alternative or less costly

materials been investigated? Have all local

resources been tapped

before looking outside

for support? Could a local

or national fund-raising

activity provide the funds

needed for the project? If

outside sources are sought,

am I discouraging building the local economy and

creating dependency instead of self-reliance?

In what ways will this idea

lead to sustainable development? Is the activity

sustainable?

5

6

Imagining The Gambia
Beyond the Classroom:

4 The Peace Corps

Many Volunteers and program managers worldwide organize

activities and events with their counterparts to promote and support

girls’ education. These events can take a variety of forms: conferences,

camps, education panels, workshops, or contests, to name a few. The

following points were developed in a Peace Corps country as general

guidelines to help in organizing a girls’ education activity. For

additional information on participatory tools for working with

communities, consult your program manager and/or refer to the

Gender and Development Training/Girls’ Education manual [ICE no.

M0054]. These materials offer ideas for how to work with groups to

identify interests and needs, meeting places, and meeting times using

Participatory Analysis for Community Action (PACA) [ICE no.

M0053].

Needs Assessment

Who: The first step is to find out if there are already groups established

that are working with girls to promote and support their education.

Ask local school officials, teachers, parent/teacher associations, health

workers, religious organizations, government organizations, and girls

themselves. The people you work with should include men, women,

boys and girls across racial, ethnic, age, and religious lines.

What and why: Once you have established a group of people with

whom to work, find out what are some areas of concern they have

about girls’ lives. What do the girls like about school? What don’t

they like about school? What is going well in their lives? What do

they wish were different? Why do girls attend or not attend school?

What are their dreams? What are their parents’ dreams for them?

1

Helpful Tips for

Organizing an Event
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Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

Asking such questions as the ones above can help you and your group

start to identify possible issues and what types of events might be

most beneficial to address them. In this booklet, you will find many

examples of different types of events.

Plan

In planning meetings, make sure that people who are interested and

committed are involved. Also make sure that community decisionmakers are aware of your plans and involved as appropriate.

Sometimes, Volunteers can be more effective in helping others take

ownership of the event by taking the role of facilitator rather than

leader of the meetings. Make sure that men and women are

represented, and that someone is there who can assist in informing

the community of the event you are planning. Decide in advance who

will run the meeting, and plan your agenda in advance. (A sample

meeting agenda can be found on page 10.)

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Girls Mapping Community Ecuador
Beyond the Classroom:

6 The Peace Corps

3 Brainstorm

With the group, or with key members of the group, brainstorm a

detailed plan of what needs to be done to prepare for the event. Will

refreshments be needed? Who needs to be notified? How should the

meeting place be reserved? What materials will be needed and how

will they be obtained? Assign a person or group of people to be

responsible for each task.

Follow-up Meeting

Set up a follow-up meeting to make sure the work is getting done—be

specific with a date, time, and location.

Inform Everyone

Once the group has decided on what they would like to do, and where

and when they would like to do it, inform all groups, associations,

and others who might be interested. Volunteers have often found that

it is best to have people who are tied into these groups announce it to

them. For example, have someone respected who attends the Mosque

announce the event at Friday prayer.

Hold the Event

4

5

6
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Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

Evalute the Event

Evaluate the event and the work that led up to it so that the group can

identify what worked and what did not. This will help the group begin

to monitor the impact of the activity. Lessons learned from the event

can be applied to planning future events.

Celebrate

Events such as these can have a profound impact on girls’ lives, on

shaping their hopes and dreams and expectations. Plan for a time after

the event to celebrate with the girls their accomplishments.

Develop an Action Plan

For an activity to be sustainable, it is critical to plan actions that follow

an event. How are participants encouraged to take action or share

what they learned when they return to their community? How will

these community activities be monitored?

9

7

8

Seasonal Calendar Jordan
Beyond the Classroom:

8 The Peace Corps

Sample Girls’ Education Event

Planning Meeting Agenda

1) Explain the purpose of the meeting.

2) Have people introduce themselves.

3) Review some of the information gathered about girls in the

community, and their interests and needs. Maybe have some

girls present to explain this themselves.

4) Ask for the group’s reactions to and ideas on the information

presented. Ask what type of event to hold. PACA tools are

useful here for processing many different ideas and

prioritizing them.

5) Decide on the event.

6) Create a list of issues that need to be discussed to make

the event happen:

• Date: When should the event be held? The group may

want to use the Daily Activities or the Seasonal Calendar

in the PACA manual to help determine the most opportune

time to hold the event. For example, holding the event

during school vacation may enable more girls to attend,

or, may make attendance impossible due to field work or

other duties the girls must perform when not attending

school.

• Location: Where should the event(s) be held? Where are

such events usually held? What location would enhance

participation of girls? Of community members? For

example, if female teachers will participate, they may be

constrained from attending if they are required to spend

a night away from their families. In such instances, conveniently located, local meeting places are preferable.
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Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

• Procedure: What needs to be done to prepare for the

event? Who will do what? Are both women and men

involved? Are both men and women contributing to the

preparation? Are both men and women making decisions?

• Speakers: Who needs to be invited? Who has knowledge

or insight into the proposed topic? Who might be an

appropriate role model for the girls? What resources are

available in the immediate community? Who else might

be willing to participate as a guest speaker?

• Guests: Who should be invited to attend or participate in

the event? What officials or representatives should be

invited? Are there any female officials who could attend?
Beyond the Classroom:

10 The Peace Corps

What is a mentor? Webster’s dictionary defines a mentor as: “A wise

and trusted teacher or counselor.” Mentoring, as a form of teaching,

learning and assisting, originally began when Odysseus, King of Ithaca,

asked his trusted friend Mentor, to look after his son Telemachus while

he fought in the Trojan War.

Mentors can be friends, relatives, co-workers, teachers, or generally

an older or more experienced person who acts as a role model, a guide,

an advisor, or a challenger. Youth can mentor adults as well.

Some examples of mentoring include:

• An adult who encourages and assists girls in nontraditional areas

and provides a safe place for them to grow and learn.

• An older girl who helps a younger girl cope with peer pressure or

relationships.

• An alumna who provides guidance to girls on career choices.

• A student who demonstrates a skill or hobby to a friend or sibling

not in school.

• An adult who assists girls in developing practical life skills,

including leadership, communication, and decision-making.

Mentoring for

Empowerment and

Leadership
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Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

• A professional woman who shares her experiences with a girl,

introducing her to different perspectives and opportunities.

Each of these examples can serve the crucial function of empowering

girls for action. On the following pages you will read about several

mentoring activities in which host country women, Volunteers, and

peers carry out successful endeavors that help girls become leaders

by increasing their self-esteem, sense of self-worth, and awareness of

their potential and the options available to them. Successful mentoring

allows girls to explore, make mistakes, and learn about their strengths.

In many places around the world, Volunteers are creating meaningful

mentoring relationships based on events such as “Take Our Daughters

to Work” Day.

Take Our Daughters to Work Romania
Beyond the Classroom:

12 The Peace Corps

Take Our Daughters to Work

The Ms. Foundation for Women offers information on the origin

and intent of “Take Our Daughters to Work” Day. The following

is an excerpt from their website.

In the early ‘90s, research on girls detailed the radical

and distressing shift that often occurs in the lives and

self-esteem of girls in early adolescence. As adolescence begins, girls show a significant drop in selfesteem, report a lowered sense of self-worth, and

describe intense feelings of insecurity about their own

judgments and emotions.

We created “Take Our Daughters to Work” Day so we

could help girls stay strong and remain confident.... This

is a day to focus on girls’ abilities rather than appearances. We believed a day at work, particularly a day

watching women in the workplace, would help heighten

girls’ aspirations.... It’s a day for girls to envision the

possibilities for their future! We encourage you to

approach the Day more broadly—to focus positive

attention on girls’ abilities, to urge girls to speak their

minds, and to encourage girls to trust their own

judgment.

We created this day of action because research

overwhelmingly shows that one caring adult’s attention

can change the course of a girl’s life. Participate in this

day to help keep all of our daughters strong and healthy.

See page 60 for contact information.

”

“
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Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

1

“Take Our Daughters to Work” Day is celebrated by Volunteers in

countries such as Benin, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte

D’Ivoire, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Romania, Senegal, Togo,

Zambia and Zimbabwe. The day is celebrated in a variety of ways to

achieve the following objectives:

To increase girls’ levels of awareness about new career

opportunities that exist in their country.

To increase girls’ knowledge of skills that bolster self-esteem and

self-awareness through classroom exercises.

To improve a networking system between girls and working

women.

To increase the knowledge of community members about the

different needs of adolescent girls.

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3

4

Take Our Daughters to Work Day
Beyond the Classroom:

14 The Peace Corps

“Take Your Daughters To Work” Day Tips

There are many variations of this type of day and some require more

organizing and financing than others, depending on the plan. The

suggestions below are drawn from several sources, including the Ms.

Foundation for Women in New York. Choose whatever ideas fit your

plan. The Peace Corps Women in Development Coordinator in

Washington may be able to provide more guidance.

Planning Questions

• Where will girls come from (towns, rural areas) and where will

they visit? Volunteers have found that holding these events in

regional towns rather than national capitals is more beneficial and

sustainable.

• How will girls be selected? How long will it take to complete the

process?

• How many girls can be accommodated?

• How will the hosting female workers be selected?

• How will the girls be transported? How many adult chaperones

are needed?

• How long will they stay: only during the day, overnight?

• What will the program be on the day (or two days) of the event?

• What supplies and materials are required/desired (such as written

materials for participants and hosts, invitations to any special

events, name tags, certificates, t-shirts or other memorabilia, lessons

for classrooms, and so on)?
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Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

• What other expenses are anticipated (for example, telephone calls,

letters, postage, meeting expenses, transportation, meals, overnights)?

• Where is funding available? How long in advance must fundraising begin?

• How many people are needed for the planning and organizing

committee? Can older girls help plan the event for younger ones,

thus learning other skills?

Who Needs to Be Involved?

The girls, their parents, and their female hosts need to be involved.

However, others could benefit from being involved, such as the girls’

teachers and classmates (including boys), their community, and the

community that they are visiting. Below is a list of potential ways

various people or groups might be included, and the types of

preparation they may need.

Girls

• Age levels acceptable for program

• Selection process:

– essays?

– school work?

• Preparatory discussions:

– their role in the event

– professional and domestic roles of women

– preconceived concepts: write what they think it will be like

beforehand

– explore their dreams, skills, talents
Beyond the Classroom:

16 The Peace Corps

• Preparation for the day:

– practice interviewing

– practice introducing and talking about themselves, their family,

school, and community

– appropriate dress, handmade card or gift for hostess, logistics

– receive any materials: letters, notebook, and so on

– expectations for sharing upon their return

Parents

• Individual or group meeting to inform or assure them about:

– educational value

– adult supervision, safety

– time table and logistics

– what the girls should wear and take with them

– preparation they can assist with (see list of discussion topics under

Girls, above)

Tip

Make your work to establish mentoring

arrangements sustainable by creating

a file or data base of information on

the mentors who become involved in

the project. It’s important to collect

basic information such as name, work

address, telephone and fax numbers,

job titles and brief descriptions, what

interested them about mentoring, and how they plan to spend

time with the girl they mentor. When mentoring experiences

are completed, you can keep copies of the evaluations of

mentors in the file. This set of materials will be enormously

valuable to those who continue the mentoring project in future

years.
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Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

• Include some as chaperones, as appropriate

• Encourage follow-up when girls return home:

– discuss what their daughters did and learned

– write a thank you letter to their mentor and keep in touch with her

• Encourage male and female household members to support the

educational and career aspirations of both boys and girls

Mentors

• Explain purpose of day, expectations of them (amount of time, types

of activities, whether it includes overnight)

• Explain that they should be prepared to talk about own aspirations,

education, chal-lenges, and strategies to overcome them

• Offer suggestions for what they can do with girls at their work place:

– observe/interview them and others, doing small tasks

– observe a meeting, panel or discussion with other women at

work

– take a tour of the facility

– present the girls with a memento of their experience such as a

letter on company letterhead, certificate, sample paycheck for

day’s work

Tip

Make sure to help the girls prepare for their time

with a mentor. Orient the girls to the mentoring experience including logistics and expectations. Brainstorm

some questions they can ask the mentor to learn more about

her job, her life, women’s roles in the society, what she thinks

the future holds, and so on. It is important for the girls to

know that they have the right to ask questions. Clarify how

the girls will share the results of their individual experiences

with others when the mentoring experiences are completed.

??
Beyond the Classroom:

18 The Peace Corps

School

• Obtain permission for girls to be absent

• Encourage school leaders and teachers to integrate the experience

into the curriculum for all students, both boys and girls, including

such topics as:

– dreams, skills, interests—relating them to types of jobs and

educational levels

– how to present themselves: who they are, describe their family

and community

– how to interview someone about their work

– some careers are designated male or female: why? (panel presentations)

• Assign all students to interview someone about their work; have

them present their reports along with the girls who were selected

for the special project

Community

• Create a local program if selected girls must travel to other cities

Volunteers have found that holding these events in regional towns

rather than national capitals is more beneficial and sustainable

Take Our Daughters to Work São Tomé et Principe
19

Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

• Involve the community in whatever ways possible:

– work in coalition with groups within the community (for funding,

for hosting girls, for providing needed materials or speakers for

the classroom)

– hold a town meeting

– involve friends and relatives of the students

– have girls identify role models

– target and include girls from diverse backgrounds

– work with the media

– compile a fact sheet on women in the local work force

– involve the business community

Follow-up

• Send thank you notes to all participants

• Send thank you notes to others who helped with the event

• Have the girls write up reports or evaluations

• Send evaluations to all mentors involved

• Submit final reports to all donors

• Seek recommendations for who is willing to start organizing for

the following year
Beyond the Classroom:

20 The Peace Corps

A Special Mentor

Why would a mother of seven, with nine grandchildren, invite a

total stranger into her home? She still has one child living at

home with her and her husband, not to mention two grandchildren. Why did she do this?

The reason is twofold. One, Mrs. Christine Chatepa is an incredible woman. Two, she was participating in the first girls’ career

day to be sponsored by Peace Corps Zambia’s Women in

Development (WID) Committee.

The WID Committee decided that their first activity would be a

Girls’ Career Day. Fifty-five girls from three provinces participated. Friends, both in the U.S. and in Zambia, donated money

for this endeavor. Zambian women offered to host the girls.

Hosting involved sharing home and work experiences with

school girls. The goal of the activity was to encourage girls to

stay in school.

Mrs. Christine Chatepa hosted Gertrude Chilwanda, a grade

seven student. Both live in the Northern Province. Gertrude went

to the Provincial capital, Kasama, where Mrs. Chatepa lives and

works. Mrs. Chatepa works for the Community Development

Office.

Mrs. Chatepa was a great role model for Gertrude. All seven of

Mrs. Chatepa’s daughters have received, or are receiving, an

education. The careers and schooling of the Chatepa daughters

include a housewife, two bookkeepers, one teacher, one nurse,

and one hotel manager, with the youngest daughter currently in

grade seven.

When asked why she hosted Gertrude, Mrs. Chatepa said,

“Education is important for both girls and boys.” During the visit,

Gertrude was treated like a member of the Chatepa family. She

even visited the older daughters who live in Kasama.
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Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

Gertrude told Mrs. Chatepa that school was hard. She had to

drop out one year because of family problems. Gertrude was

also held back a level because she couldn’t pass her exams.

Mrs. Chatepa told Gertrude that these problems are quite

common. She shared with Gertrude that her grandson, who is

in grade nine, was also held back a year. Gertrude was told that

the main thing is to keep trying.

Mrs. Chatepa and Gertrude had a wonderful time together. Mrs.

Chatepa has invited Gertrude to visit during her school holidays.

Gertrude has promised that she will study hard and stay in

school. Gertrude wants to finish grade twelve. Special mentors

like Mrs. Chatepa can truly have a positive influence on the lives

of young women.
Beyond the Classroom:

22 The Peace Corps

Lesson Plan

LUNA INTERNSHIP

Objectives: To expose young women to professional environments

and successful mentors; to teach the young women at

least one new, concrete skill.

Schedule: Every business day for four weeks during the school

vacation.

Participants: Each intern is matched with her own mentor who will

supervise the young woman’s work and create a

learning schedule. The mentors should be women so

that the intern can learn what it’s like for a woman to

be in the workforce and how she balances her work

responsibilities and her home responsibilities. If no one

woman in the organization has the time to

continuously supervise the intern, then a team of

mentors should be established before the intern arrives.

Location: Hold the internship at a professional work site, such

as an office, a retail store, a fish station, a farm, a tailor’s

workshop, and so on, preferably in a town near the

participant’s home.

Logistics: If the young woman does not live within commuting

distance of the workplace, housing needs to be

provided for her. Per diem should also be allocated

for food and transportation costs. A notebook, writing

implements, and a workspace should be designated.

Activities: Have one main project planned for the intern to

accomplish during the stay. This project should be tied

to the skill she is learning. For example: create a poetry

 WID INKSHEET SERIES PC/GABON 1998
23

Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

anthology (learn to use a word processor), help with

the summer fish harvest/stocking (learn how to work

a fish pond), or sew her own school uniform (learn

how to design and stitch clothing). Other activities

should be included to fill down time and to prevent

monotony. Possible suggestions: daily journal writing,

arts and crafts session at the end of every week,

interviews with other employees in the organization

to provide insight into what other jobs are available,

field trips to other internship sites.

Other: Consider having a closing ceremony to congratulate

the girls for their accomplishments and to provide the

girls with an opportunity to thank all the people who

worked with them. Certificates, small thank-you gifts,

and refreshments add a nice sense of closure to the

project.

Costs to Consider:

• Intern’s travel

• Intern’s per diem

• Art supplies

• Closing party

Good Ideas that Worked!

• Establishing “ground rules” on dress, punctuality and behavior

appropriate to the workplace

• Focused project, clear objectives, daily schedules

• Variety of activities

Activities to Try!

• Field trips to collaborating agencies and/or other interns‘ work sites

• Continued mentoring contact after the internship

 WID INKSHEET SERIES PC/GABON 1998
Beyond the Classroom:

24 The Peace Corps

Sample Weekly Schedule:

This is a schedule taken from an office internship. The intern’s main

project was to type poetry on a computer in order to create an

anthology of young women’s works. The skill learned in conjunction

with this project was word processing. Most mornings were dedicated

to learning how to manipulate the word processing program and

entering poems into the computer. The afternoons were used for other

activities, some of which pertained directly to accomplishing the

anthology while others aimed at providing enriching experiences for

the intern. Fridays were always a half day.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

8–9 am Journal Journal Journal Journal Journal

writing writing writing writing writing

9–10:15 am Work with Work with Work with Work with Work with

mentor mentor mentor mentor mentor

10:15–10:30 am Break Break Break Break Break

10:30–Noon Practice Practice Practice Practice Practice

typing typing typing typing typing

12–2 pm Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Make

string

bracelets

2-3 pm Choose Interview Choose Discuss Half day/

magazine in-house poems layout start

theme accountant ideas weekend

3-4 pm Discuss Work with Work with

layout secretary secretary

ideas

4-5 pm Learn how Discuss

to budget layout

ideas

 WID INKSHEET SERIES PC/GABON 1998
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Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

International Womens’ Day

International Women’s Day is celebrated worldwide on March

8. It was started in 1908 in New York City. Female immigrant

workers from the needle trades joined forces with women from

the tenements and marched to Union Square demanding higher

wages, better living and working conditions, and the right to

vote. That march so inspired socialist women in Europe that

they had the Socialist Conference of 1910 proclaim March 8

International Women’s Day. Since then, countries around the

world celebrate International Women’s Day.

Peace Corps Volunteers in more than fourteen nations around

the globe join the celebrations in their countries and contribute

in a variety of ways. Explore events that are being planned in

your country, and plan additional events that support those.

Below are some of the ways Volunteers have celebrated

International Women’s Day:

• Public debates on the rights of women in marriage and child

bearing

• Mentoring activities for girls, such as “Take Our Daughters to

Work” Day

• Drama on women and AIDS

• Women’s Work Day Fair

• Performing plays and singing songs about the importance of

girls’ education at primary schools

• Poster contests depicting women at work

• Organizing women’s and girls’ groups to build homes with

Habitat for Humanity for single-female-headed households

• Seminars on women’s and family rights, and women and

health (continued)
Beyond the Classroom:

26 The Peace Corps

• Festivals in a national park celebrating women and the

environment

• Soccer matches with girls and women

Girls Leading Girls

A Volunteer in Tanzania found herself to be the only math teacher in a

school of 800 girls. In order to cope with the teacher shortage, she

started a “Girls Teaching Girls” program. Each Monday, a group of

12th grade girls would meet with the Volunteer to review the lesson.

Lesson plans, including presentation, homework and evaluation, were

written. These girls then arranged their schedules so they could teach

all of the 9th grade classes that week. The younger girls were very

receptive to their new teachers and thrilled to have a math teacher.

The older girls appreciated the needed review of these math topics

and relished their new role, experiencing the joy of teaching. For all

the girls, important relationships were formed which carried beyond

the classroom.

International Women‘s Day Dominican Republic
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Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

Volunteers Mentor Girls and Boys as

Leaders in Health and Environment Issues

A Volunteer in Honduras developed an educational component to

involve girls, boys, and women more in water and sanitation projects.

In a small, rural village located on the north coast of Honduras, twenty

students (eleven girls and nine boys) from a local high school were

trained as leaders by the Volunteer with support from the local health

promoter and three school teachers. The girls and boys were trained

in leadership development, sustainable water and sanitation projects,

health education and environmental activities, and community

organization. After the training, the young leaders, teachers, and the

Volunteer went to primary schools and gave talks on hygiene,

nutrition, safe use of drinking water and latrines, trash collection, and

environmental games. In addition to other activities, they built eight

trash cans to be located in public places and conducted hygiene

campaigns. Currently, the girls and boys are promoting safe drinking

water and latrines through talks in the schools and visits to the poorest

areas of the community.
Beyond the Classroom:

28 The Peace Corps

Clubs provide a way for girls to engage in shared interests, serve

community needs, and spend time together in a trusting environment

discussing a range of issues affecting their lives and their futures. Clubs

can be based around a variety of themes: science, math, English, dance,

drama, art, hiking, computer, business skills, environmental education,

health, nutrition and cooking, among others. Volunteers conduct clubs

in more than 28 countries worldwide. Various experiences with clubs

are described in the following articles.

Starting a Club?

Just because something doesn’t work out the way we plan doesn’t

mean that it won’t work out.

Case in point: The Fougamou Women’s Club in Gabon. This club is

composed of four loyal and a couple of occasional secondary school

students who gather at a Volunteer’s house every Tuesday afternoon.

Recently, the girls became occupied with a catch-up English course at

school. The group decided to reschedule the meetings to Monday

evenings—no big deal.

Had this group, however, turned out to be what the Volunteer had

envisioned, changing the meeting time would have been impossible

and four girls would have had to leave the group. Had the wide variety

of women who—the Volunteer originally hoped would show up joined

the group, they would have been obliged to hold to the Tuesday

afternoon schedule.

The Volunteer had such wonderful plans for a group composed of

many diverse women gathering together, sharing and learning from

each other. After the first two meetings, when only a few timid students

showed up, the Volunteer became a bit discouraged. What about her

big plans?

Clubs
29

Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

Now she couldn’t be happier with the way the group turned out. They

can be flexible and change a date. They can meet at the Volunteer’s

house instead of at a large space. They can bake cookies, make colored

candles, construct Christmas cards, and basically just hang out and be

“women” together.

One of the most rewarding experiences the Volunteer has had with

the group was the evening they all sat and talked about family

planning—options to early motherhood and ways to avoid unwanted

pregnancy. In the Volunteer’s estimation, the discussion had the

potential to change the future of four bright, energetic, special girls.

In some ways the girls have changed the Volunteer’s future as well.

They’ve helped her to realize that one woman’s failure is often another

woman’s success, and to give up on ideas before giving them a chance

could be a mistake you’ll never even realize you’ve made.

Girls Form

Agricultural Club

A Volunteer was assigned to a

village in rural Honduras as an

agriculture extentionist. She was

told that she would mainly be

working in basic grains with

male subsistence farmers, or

campesinos. Well, one year into

her service, most of her energies

have been devoted to women

and children, the other part of the

population.

In a country where women have

to ask permission to go to a town

meeting or to the village general

You can create

membership cards for

the girls in a club with a

simple computer design

and printout. You and

the girls will feel a sense

of pride to be members

and to display the card,

and you will also have a

formal way to welcome

new members to the

club.
Beyond the Classroom:

30 The Peace Corps

store, she has found home gardens to be a very appropriate and

necessary means of women’s empowerment.

Most rewarding has been working with a group of seven young

women at a nearby technical high school. In the past, the muchachas

(young women) devoted all of their time to learning how to sew, but

with the help of the school director they reincorporated agriculture

into their curriculum for better family nutrition.

The project focuses on nutrition and requires the young women to

work on their own individual home gardens in their respective villages.

The muchachas have a rotating schedule of one week in the center in El

Carbon, followed by two weeks in their home putting what they have

learned into practice. The young women were initially apprehensive

about their ability to work in agriculture, but as evident by the look of

pride on their faces after completing a job well done, their eyes have

been opened to their infinite capabilities.

The empowerment does not end with the women’s ability to successfully grow and produce vegetables, but carries on with their newfound role of teaching some of the new techniques that they have

learned to others, including male campesinos.

Agricultural Club Honduras
31

Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

Around the world, Volunteers in more than 30 countries are organizing

camps and conferences designed to build self-esteem, leadership and

ultimately empowerment of girls. Programs such as these often require

partnerships for funding, along with careful planning and preparation.

See the Resource section for additional materials you can request to

help you develop similar programs.

Goals for Camp Events include:

• Preparing girls to better meet educational and life challenges

• Encouraging and assisting girls to stay in school

• Developing talents and practical life skills including English

language, goal setting, communication, leadership and decisionmaking skills

• Expanding the horizons of participants by exposing them to

different experiences, opportunities, and role models

• Providing a safe environment for girls to experiment, make mistakes

and have fun

Topics and activities can include:

• Additional academic training in English, science, or mathematics

• Participation in sports, games, crafts, arts

• Development of study skills

Camps and Conferences
Beyond the Classroom:

32 The Peace Corps

• Exploration of educational, life, and career opportunities

• Participation in exercises designed to build self-esteem

• Exploration of gender roles

• Development of practical life skills including leadership, decisionmaking, and communication skills

• Developing and conducting presentations for peers, families, and

communities

• Learning about personal health and local environment and

• Development of physical abilities and self-confidence through

programs patterned after Outward Bound

These activities are implemented in a variety of formats, ranging from

a few hours on a weekend to two weeks. Some camps take place over

a number of weeks and participants just spend several hours a day or

week at the camp and the rest of the time they engage in their normal

school break activities. Alternatively, these activities can be integrated

into an after-school club. Camps, conferences and retreats can be held

at schools, other locations within the community or at locations outside

of the community. Peace Corps countries with camps and retreats

include Bulgaria, Cameroon, Estonia, Latvia, Madagascar, Moldova,

Paraguay, Poland, Romania, Thailand, Turkmenistan and Ukraine.
33

Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

Girls Leading Our World Camps

The Women in Development Committee in Poland organized a sevenday Girls Leading Our World Camp (Camp GLOW). The enthusiasm

of five Volunteers and three Polish counselors, plus the energy of the

35 young female campers, ages 13–19, resulted in a huge success.

Each day before breakfast, there were optional exercise sessions

ranging from yoga to aerobics to kickboxing. During the day, GLOW

campers attended interactive sessions on topics such as self-esteem,

values, goal-setting and team building. There were artistic selfexpression sessions, which were universally popular. Early in the week,

the campers made extraordinarily creative self-portraits and later in

the week, they depicted their relationship with nature using everything

from dirt to paint. On different evenings, they sang, had an ice cream

social, a bonfire and an eclectic talent show.

In addition to developing leadership skills and a greater understanding

of themselves, the GLOW participants focused on democracy. The

campers formed parties, wrote party platform speeches, elected a

president and ran a mock Congressional session. The outcome of the

Congress was the creation of five Camp GLOW clubs through which

Camp GLOW Poland
Beyond the Classroom:

34 The Peace Corps

the young women can continue

the spirit of Camp GLOW in their

respective high schools. A participant captured the spirit of

GLOW when she commented

one day to a counselor, “Before

coming to GLOW we were like

small plants. At Camp GLOW,

people watered us and now we

have blossomed.”

Camp GLOW acknowledged

each camper with a recognition

award, from books to magazine

subscriptions, and a t-shirt

designed by one of the campers.

Camp GLOW was

started by Volunteers

in Romania and has

since been replicated

in Armenia,

Bangladesh, Estonia,

Kyrgyz Republic,

Latvia, Lithuania,

Lesotho, Macedonia,

Moldova, the

Philippines, Poland,

and Slovakia.

Building for Girls’ Self-Esteem

Peace Corps/Bolivia held a four-day conference for 25 girls from

communities surrounding Tarija, Bolivia, named “Building the Futures

of Bolivian Women.” The objectives were to motivate the girls to

continue studying and learning, to be leaders in their communities,

and to empower them to care for their personal health.

On the first day, the girls participated in a variety of activities which

helped them understand the importance of self-esteem. This included

a skit by two Peace Corps Volunteers showing how one’s self-esteem

can easily be torn down. At one point the girls made a list of five things

that they could not do, such as “I cannot dance.” Then, they tore up

the lists and threw them to the ground. This helped the girls see that

they can do almost anything they want if they put their minds to it.

The girls then wrote their names on a big sheet of paper and wrote a

positive adjective describing themselves with each letter of their name.
35

Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

The next class focused on good communication skills. A Volunteer

started speaking using “horrible public speaking skills.” The girls had

to help her change so that she would be a better speaker. After this,

the girls broke into groups, were a given a topic to prepare, and then

presented it using good communication skills. The second part of this

class was centered on good listening skills. Two girls did two skits.

The first illustrated poor listening skills. The second exemplified good

listening skills.

The second day of the conference began with a class on gender roles

by a Peace Corps Volunteer and a Bolivian counterpart. The girls made

a list of things they thought only males could do or only females could

do. They then listed characteristics of females and characteristics of

males. The facilitators explained the difference between the terms

gender roles and sex. By the end of the class the girls understood that

society places gender roles on everyone, but we do not necessarily

have to comply with these gender roles. They understood that they

can do some things that generally are thought to be done only by males.

The class on how to set and realize goals began by having the girls

make a human knot and trying to figure out how to unravel

themselves; a goal that they did realize. Next the girls were led in a

visualization activity. Each girl had to close her eyes and picture where

she wanted to be in 1, 5, 15, and 20 years. They drew pictures of these

goals and began thinking about the steps necessary to get there.

The last class of the day was given by a Bolivian woman on women’s

rights. This woman brought flipcharts with various laws supporting

women’s rights in Bolivia. She went through and explained each of

them to the girls.

After the class the madrinas (godmothers) came to meet the girls they

would be taking to their work the following morning.

The morning of the third day seemed to be the most exciting part of

the conference for the girls. Each girl went to work for the morning

with a Bolivian woman in the city of Tarija. Each girl was paired with
Beyond the Classroom:

36 The Peace Corps

a woman whose work interested the girl. After spending the morning

at work, the girls and the madrinas all came back to the conference

site, had lunch together, and received certificates.

In the afternoon, a Bolivian professor came and spoke to the girls about

different career opportunities. He described the universities and

technical schools in Tarija. Then the girls visited various universities

and technical schools according to their interests. After returning from
37

Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

these visits, the girls presented what they learned about the university

or technical school. Upon leaving the conference that day, each girl

was given information regarding the universities and technical schools

so that they could follow up on their goals of continuing their

education.

The last day of the conference began with a class on domestic violence

given by a Bolivian woman who works with a domestic violence

organization. She asked the girls questions about domestic violence,

where it occurs, to whom it occurs, and why it occurs. Then she went

through and helped the girls process the answers. She ended by telling

them that the law protects all people against violence.

After a short break, a class on women’s health was given by a Bolivian

woman who works with a non-governmental organization, ProSalud.

Using slides and videos, she spoke to the girls about how to care for

their personal health.

Another Bolivian woman followed with a class on alcoholism. During

this interactive class, the girls identified solutions to lower the amount

of alcoholism in their communities. They also identified many consequences of alcoholism.

At the end of all the seminars, the Volunteers put together a slide show

of pictures taken during the conference. Afterwards, each girl was

presented a certificate.

Upon returning to their communities, the girls gave a presentation to

their classmates on what they learned at the conference. In this way

they were able to teach those who weren’t able to come about what

they learned.
Beyond the Classroom:

38 The Peace Corps

Planning a Girls’

Education Conference

The following lessons learned were submitted by Volunteers in Ghana,

Guinea, Tanzania, and Togo.

Six to Nine Months in Advance

Integrate host country nationals and counterparts into the planning

to ensure the sustainability of the event. The more you share information and include people, the better your results will be and the less

likely you are to offend people.

Establish clear goals for the conference that consider the immediate

and longer-range impact of the event on the girls.

Consider the following questions regarding the participation of boys

at the event:

• Will it make the girls feel shy or threatened and therefore discourage

them from speaking up?

• What would we do if the boys begin to take over the event?

• Should the girls and boys be introduced to gender awareness issues

separately at first?

• Would it help to separate them when discussing topics such as

health and sexuality?

• Can you maintain a safe, non-judgmental environment in which

both girls and boys can speak freely?

Plan the tentative schedule for conference. Make sure to include some

fun activities such as visits to the airport, the theater, sightseeing,

dancing, or sports.

1
39

Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

Offer regional conferences on various themes: leadership, education,

health, sports, and other matters. Regional conferences can be a nice

way to increase participation at a local level if the conference being

planned is to be a national event.

Set the date for the conference. The conference should not be scheduled

at the same time as exams, holidays or during seasons when girls are

needed at home.

Establish a budget

that considers all

kinds of expenses.

You may need to do

some creative planning to keep costs

down. Choosing a

centrally-located site

will help. The earlier

you plan, the more

time you have to

negotiate discounts

or secure contributions of money and

other needed materials or food for the

event.

Make sure that all conference leaders/teachers understand the

financial arrangements for the event so there are no misunderstandings.

Begin seeking funds. If you want to increase the number of girls who

can participate, you can allow them to do their own fund-raising to

cover the conference fee. This will require special planning and

preparation to work with the girls on how to conduct effective fundraising. You can also seek funding to create a scholarship for the

conference.

Sitting in a circle Cameroon
Beyond the Classroom:

40 The Peace Corps

Four to Five Months in Advance

Create an application form for the participation of girls, and send it

out. The girls’ application should include: school address and home

address, the name and telephone number of the headmaster, and an

essay asking about career aspirations. Include directions on the form

asking the girl and a Volunteer nominating her to print their names

and region. Contact headmasters so they can inform parents.

Be alert for dynamic women speakers or mentors for the girls as you

go about all aspects of the planning and outreach. When you find

someone, ask her for referrals.

Work with a task force of mentors and supporters to help find other

mentors, speakers, venues, and other resources needed for the

conference. Include a teacher on the panel of professionals.

Create an application form for mentors and send it out. The mentors’

application should include: space for their biography, telephone and

fax number, address, and permission to distribute their addresses to

the girls.

Two to Three Months in Advance

Determine if you will require escorts to bring girls to the conference.

Decide whom you will enlist for this responsibility. Choose the escorts

and secure their commitment.

Select the girls who will participate.

Send letters of acceptance to the girl, the Volunteer, and the headmaster.

Send letters of no acceptance as well.

Include the following information in the letter to the Volunteers who

proposed the participation of the girls who were selected: the escort’s

2

3
41

Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

phone number, a request to contact the escort and make travel arrangements for the girl.

Choose the mentors who will participate. Match mentors with girls.

Notify mentors.

Send an orientation letter to the girl and the Volunteer including information about travel reimbursement, proper behavior, appropriate

clothing, and other important logistics or expectation-setting information. You may want to create an agreement form that the girl signs

and returns stating that she will abide by conference rules, be on time,

participate in all aspects, etc. Establish and communicate a clear policy

on visitors to the conference and on girls leaving the conference site.

Design your meal plans for the event and make necessary arrangements. Serve a dish typical of the girls’ home cooking on the first night

of the conference. Avoid a spaghetti dinner as the girls may not eat it!

One Month in Advance

Hold an orientation meeting for the mentors to stress the need for

sensitivity to the backgrounds and customs of the girls and inform

mentors of their role for the conference.

Confirm with the speakers to make sure nothing unexpected is

interfering with their participation, and to give yourself time to replace

them with another speaker.

Reconfirm all event plans (food, lodging, transportation, entertainment).

Formulate a back-up plan for problems you can anticipate such as

labor strikes, that may occur at the last minute.

Arrange either for the travel and lodging costs of Volunteers, or the

per diem for Volunteers who work before, during and after the

conference.

4
Beyond the Classroom:

42 The Peace Corps

At the Event

Take lots of pictures that you can use in reports to current donors and

presentations to prospective donors in the future.

After the Event

Follow up the event with thank you letters to planning team members,

mentors, speakers, service providers for the conference, and all others

who held important roles in the success of the event.

Plan how you will offer continued support to the girls for the many

ways in which they can share what they’ve learned with others and

keep the results of the workshop alive. Possibilities include clubs,

smaller workshops with other girls in their communities, career days,

peer tutoring, mother-daughter discussion groups or joint activities.

“Girls Help Each Other” Workshop

“Wasichana Wanasaidiana,” or “Girls Help Each Other,” was the name

of a workshop organized by Tanzania Volunteers with the aim of

increasing girls’ self-confidence and motivation in school. In the

morning, 29 girls from a co-educational junior-high-level day school,

and approximately 200 students from a girls’ secondary school

gathered to hear about the experiences and advice of six prominent

women from the community. Among the guest speakers were a local

director of the international non-governmental organization World

Vision, the principal of a nursing college, and the local District Commissioner.

The students listened intently as the women described their education,

as well as their previous and present jobs. The guests were excellent

reminders that women in Tanzania can be successful in any careers

they choose. In response to students’ questions, they also gave sound

5

6
43

Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

advice: set specific goals for yourself, both in school and out; strive

for excellence in your studies; do not hide your talents and skills.

While the purpose was for the girls to gain pieces of wisdom from

their elders, they were not the only ones to benefit. The guests, some

of whom had never met before, enjoyed getting to know each other

and exchanging views on girls’ issues. They also expressed enthusiasm

for collaborating on future activities to encourage and motivate female

students.

In the afternoon, the girls from the co-ed junior high met with ten of

the senior high school girls. Under the guidance of the Volunteer and

two Tanzanian teachers, the girls were able to define issues or problems

that they wanted to discuss. They then broke into groups by issue,

with each discussion being led by one or two senior high school

students. After half an hour of animated conversation, everyone

reassembled and a spokesperson from each group shared the main

points and conclusions of her group’s discussion. Discussion topics

included the particular problems faced by girls at a day school, ways

to resist sexual pressure from boys, and the problem of parents who

choose to educate their sons over their daughters. Hearing the

Compiling daily activity schedules Guyana
Beyond the Classroom:

44 The Peace Corps

perspectives of the senior high school students, who have already faced

many of these problems, was valuable and encouraging for the

younger girls.

The day ended with the senior high school girls performing several

songs about women’s issues, and then teaching the songs to their

younger peers.

Building Houses

A Volunteer in Malawi, assigned to teach math at an all-girls secondary

school worked with girls to empower them with new values. In

collaboration with Habitat for Humanity she organized a work team

of her students. She had three goals: to build a house for someone

who needed it; to boost the confidence and self-esteem of her students

through working in a non-traditional role and seeing results; and to

show the students that by volunteering their time they could make a

difference in someone else’s life. Fifteen girls and a female counterpart

participated. During the seven days of this project the girls laid out

and built all the interior and exterior walls of the house. They are

excited about doing it again. Since this initial project, many other

Volunteer teachers have organized similar programs with girls in their

regions, mostly building for female-headed households.

To learn more about Habitat for Humanity or to see how girls

in your area can collaborate on a similar project, refer to the

Resources section, page 66.
45

Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

 WID INKSHEET SERIES PC/GABON 1998

Lesson Plan

YOUNG WOMEN’S SEMINAR

Objectives: To empower young women with information and

opportunities to make well-informed choices in their

lives, especially concerning reproductive health and

study skills.

To integrate Volunteers from various programs into

a WID-specific project.

Schedule: Two and a half days. Thursday evening to Sunday

morning suggested.

Location: Preferably in a provincial capital or an easily accessible town. Space needed to house all the participants

and all of the facilitators (Volunteers and counterparts) a dining area, a main room area, and smaller

breakout areas.

Participants: Invite young women from surrounding towns who

show scholastic motivation. (Outstanding grades are

not essential, however, just a certain level of effort).

A total of no more than 15 participants is suggested.

Possible topics: Reproductive health, study skills, women’s rights,

environmental awareness, malaria prevention, crafts,

farming, fish culture, small business, women’s

history.

Organizers: The more organization that can be done on the local

level, the better. However, the Peace Corps Volunteers and counterparts in the area are responsible for

writing a budget, organizing the participants and the
Beyond the Classroom:

46 The Peace Corps

housing and implementing workshops. The group

designates who is responsible for locating funding

and supplies and running logistics during the

workshop.

Good Ideas that Worked!

• Using plastic cups

• Hand towels in bathrooms

• Name tags

• Address sheet

• Toiletries in bathrooms

• Medical kit

• Involving local businesses

• Involving local professional women

• Making cards

• Giving out certificates

• Counterparts leading sessions

• Former participants leading sessions

• Leadership activities

• Hands-on construction and farming sessions

• Talent show

Good Ideas Never Tried!

• Have Volunteers or girls cook/buy food for retreat

• Permission slips to parents

• Daily clean-up crew

• Grab-bag of gifts

 WID INKSHEET SERIES PC/GABON 1998
47

Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

Activities to Try!

• Jewelry making

• Selling art products to community

• Language lessons

• Journal writing

• Making a scrapbook of event by participants

• Drawing experiences

Organizer’s Checklist

Contact your WID staff person at post.

Set date with WID committee and other Volunteers.

Submit approximate budget and resource needs.

Develop program according to objectives; write lessons and plan

activities.

Consider logistics: housing, food, transportation, toilets, and so

on.

Organize activities and implementation with other Volunteers.

Implement Young Women’s Seminar.

Submit evaluation and document event.

 WID INKSHEET SERIES PC/GABON 1998
Beyond the Classroom:

48 The Peace Corps

Girls Can Do Anything!

This activity plan comes from Volunteers in Tanzania where it was

introduced in 1997 at their inaugural Girls’ Empowerment Workshop.

Objectives

1. To get the girls to think about all the possible careers open to

them.

2. To create a banner as a memento of the workshop.

Time

 1 1/2 hours

Materials

paper, pens, cloth for the banner (bed sheet or large piece of

canvas), marking pens, paint, newspapers, materials for clean-up

Activity

This is a brainstorming activity and an art activity combined into

one. First, the girls are divided into groups and challenged to come

up with at least 100 different careers or jobs that a woman can

have. When a group completes the list, each of its members is

invited to dip her hand in paint and put her hand print on a banner

that says “Girls Can Do Anything!” Below her hand print she

writes any one of the 100 careers from the list and signs her name

below it.

Ask the participants:

• What do you want to do when you finish school?

• How did you decide?

• Who are your role models?
49

Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

Issues of self-esteem and assertiveness are addressed with play when

Volunteers create opportunities for girls to engage in teamwork

through sports. In the articles that follow you’ll read about Volunteers

who’ve asked a simple question, found a creative solution, dug in

their cleats to insist on equal opportunities, and carried teamwork off

the playing field and into the community.

Broom Hockey

It is six o’clock, and the morning sun is beginning to rise over Paraguay.

A thin layer of dew from the night rests on the winter July grass of the

soccer field, creating a surreal ice rink. The silence is disturbed by the

sounds of laughing young women. Meet the young women’s field

hockey, or might I say “broom hockey,” team of the local high school.

As you work with a

team, consider taking

time to chat about a

range of girls’ issues

such as health and good

nutrition, dealing with

relationships, or the

importance of staying in

school. Your influence

as coach can extend to

much more than the

girls’ athletic achievement and confidence

building.

Every Wednesday morning, one

can hear the Volunteer yelling

“goal” or “foul” and the cheer

and laughter of forty fourteenyear-old girls playing broom

hockey for two intense hours.

What is broom hockey? Basically,

all that is needed is a soccer field,

a small durable ball (a medium

soccer ball works well), and about

twenty-two girls, each with an

old broom. The girls play for two

fifteen-minute halves, and use a

combination of field hockey and

soccer rules. The combination of

rules works very well.

Sports
Beyond the Classroom:

50 The Peace Corps

These young women take their hockey very seriously. Bruised shins

and occasional bleeding cuts are routine aspects of the experience.

When the dust clears at the end of the session, they lick their wounds

and look forward to the next week’s competition.

In most Latin American countries, girls tend to develop incredible

“broom handling” skills at a very young age. Not only are the broom

hockey players using their acquired broom handling skills, but they

are also using some basic soccer principles when controlling the ball.

This combination of skill helps develop the girls’ hand, eye, and body

coordination skills, which are important and fundamental in the

physical and motor development of youth.

In reality, though, the end product is that the girls find that they do

have the ability to compete with the predominate male work force

here in Paraguay, and they gain the self-confidence from the personal

achievement of making a simple “goal.” The young women learn that

they are a part of the common thread of life. The “winning team” is a

concept of excellence that teaches individuals to reach for the gold.

US boxer Mohammed Ali said in 1972 that a person who is not

courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.

Broom Hockey Paraguay
51

Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

Soccer for Mother’s Day

Gabon and those who follow the French calendar celebrate Mother’s

Day on June 2. In a little town the mayor’s wife organized an amazing

day of activities—parade, dances, soccer match, dinner, and more

dances. Even with the rain and wind and very cold weather, all the

events were wonderful successes. The parade was a little short, but

the soccer match was a huge success.

This was a unique match: the only men on the field were the referees.

The women functionaries played against the high school girl students.

This was a particularly important and proud moment since this was

the first outing of the girls’ soccer uniforms. The uniforms represented

a lot because there had been so many attempts and pressure from

various male soccer teams and officials to allow the uniforms to be

used by male teams. However, the girls stuck to their ground and

refused to allow anyone else to use them.

Although some might see the uniforms to

be a petty issue, the girls took their situation seriously and asserted their desire

instead of bending to the pressure of

brothers, fathers, uncles, and boyfriends.

Girls Soccer Team The Gambia
Beyond the Classroom:

52 The Peace Corps

It was truly a pleasure to see the girls take pride in their team—in

their own uniforms. Although some might see the uniforms to be a

petty issue, the girls took their situation seriously and asserted their

desire instead of bending to the pressure of brothers, fathers, uncles,

and boyfriends. It was a proud moment to see the girls wear their

own brand new uniforms, but more importantly to see them insist on

their rights.

Soccer “Branches Out”

While soccer is the national sport in Honduras, very few females,

especially in rural areas, have the opportunity to participate in any

organized soccer activities. Still, one Peace Corps Volunteer teaches

soccer to 20 teenage girls each afternoon. They have recently organized

a small league and play weekend games against girls’ teams in

neighboring towns. In addition to the 20 girls on the team, approximately 100 girls in the area are now playing soccer as a result of the

Volunteer’s efforts. The Volunteer has also linked the team with her

primary project work in agriculture by having the girls plant 30 trees

around the soccer field.

Cross-Cultural Tip

Check assumptions! In Mauritania the fourth grade girls sat

on benches in the shade during physical education class

while the boys played soccer. Checking with the local teacher

revealed a taboo against girls kicking a ball. Playing with a

ball and running were not problems—just the ball to foot

contact. Hand to ball contact was not taboo. So, the girls are

now learning to play basketball in physical education class.
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Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

Some Other Great Activities!

• Climbing hills and mountains—combined

with journal writing, singing, environmental

awareness, reflection.

• Ultimate Frisbee

• Biking trips

• Volleyball

• Netball

• Basketball

• Baseball

• Softball

• Swimming

• Tae Kwon do

Softball Team Krygystan
Beyond the Classroom:

54 The Peace Corps

More than 15 countries organize contests. The goals include increasing

awareness of gender and girls’ education issues, developing strategies

to address them, as well as promoting critical, analytical, and creative

thinking. Contests can take many forms: art, drama, quizzes, games,

and essay writing. Contest topics have included a day in the life of a

girl student, the importance of educating girls, and women who are

role models to girls today. Most often these contests are open to boys

and girls. Winners may receive a certificate, a prize, recognition in the

local media, or be invited to attend a special event or activity. The

Baltic Republics, Benin, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Ethiopia, Guinea,

Malawi, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Poland, Romania, Senegal,

Slovakia and Tanzania are among the countries where Volunteers and

their counterparts hold contests.

Things to Consider

Some things to consider if you plan to conduct a contest:

• Who is your target audience of contestants?

• Will you work through schools or other community groups?

• What will be the scope of the contest—Local? Regional? National?

• What will the topic(s) of the contest be? What do you hope the

contestants will learn by taking part in the contest?

• How will you advertise it?

• How will you judge it? Who will the judges be?

Contests
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• What prizes will you offer?

• What publicity would you like?

• Make sure you plan this event in collaboration with your community and that you allow adequate time to make it a great success.

Essay Contest

An essay contest on girls and women was organized by members of

the International Women’s Network, Peace Corps Volunteers, and

English teachers from 19 towns and villages from the whole Czech

Republic. Two hundred and nine students (35 male and 174 female

students) from 45 towns and villages participated in the contest by

writing an essay in English that addressed topics related to girls and

women. This essay contest was sponsored by several public and private

organizations: Royal Netherlands Embassy; Rank Xerox; Philips;

GLOBE bookstore; Cokoladovny Praha; Levi Strauss; The Prague Post;

Oxford University Press; RD System; and Gymnasium Vlasim.

Students were asked to choose one of the topics below and write an

essay in English.

Topics:

There have been many heroines in both the country’s history

and mythology. Which of these heroines has meant the most to

you? In your essay describe her life—what did she do to become

a heroine? What difficulties did she have to overcome? And why

is she important to you today?

Think about one woman you admire and respect in today’s world

who would be a good role model for young people today. She

does not have to be famous, but tell about her life, what you

respect and admire about her, why she is different than other

role models, and how she has influenced your life.
Beyond the Classroom:

56 The Peace Corps

The role of women in every society is different. Compare life for

the typical woman in your country to the life of women in two

other countries.

Poetry Contest

Benin held a poetry contest about women. The winners were presented

with certificates, a copy of their poem, a small notebook and a pen. A

second event was a quiz specifically related to the lives and

accomplishments of women. The questions were taken from Beninese

and international politics, cinema, art, science and history. All-in-all,

the celebration was a success. It heightened the awareness of all

members of the school community and provided an important outlet

for each to learn about the importance of women in society.

Providing new horizons
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Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

Empowerment is fostered when girls and women expand their

appreciation of issues affecting their lives. Life skills education

addressing health, safety, self-esteem, assertiveness, educational and

career options has been accomplished in a range of ways as you will

read in the following articles.

Strengthening Bonds of

Mothers and Daughters

Peace Corps Thailand’s Women in Development committee is comprised of Peace Corps Volunteers who are interested in supporting

women and girls throughout Thailand. A WID-driven developmental

project included mother-daughter training events held in eight

separate locations throughout the North and Northeast entitled

“Strengthening the Bonds of Thai Mothers and Daughters.” The

training programs were funded by the Harbor House Foundation, a

local NGO.

Eight Peace Corps Volunteers hosted these events in

the communities where they

live. The WID committee

created a structure for the

training programs, compiled

a resource book of activities,

and secured funding. It was

the community at each location, however, that was

responsible for the coordination, adaptation of strucLife Skills Education

Self-awareness training Thailand
Beyond the Classroom:

58 The Peace Corps

ture and activities based upon their needs, facilitation, and overall

success of the training. By implementing training programs aimed at

fostering the empowerment of mothers and daughters, they could

address issues pertinent to their community. In addition, better understanding of oneself and one’s family and community gave participants

higher self-confidence in community leadership and development.

Each training provided participatory learning activities aimed at

empowering girls, ages 10–12, and their mothers (or guardians). Each

training was composed of six topics: self-awareness, awareness of

differing viewpoints, communication skills, stress management,

responsible decision-making, and basic understanding of puberty and

reproduction.

A booklet of drawings, essays, ideas and photos from the events was

published and distributed to all participants as a means to disseminate

and reiterate the ideas generated from eight separate training events.

Life Skills Development

Providing life skills training in Malawi has been an ongoing effort to

stem the rising tide of HIV/AIDS, sexually-transmitted disease (STDs),

and teenage pregnancy. Coordinated by a Volunteer, this program

utilizes games, role plays and interactive exercises to teach life skills

such as communication, decision-making, critical thinking skills,

assertiveness, resistance to peer pressure, relationship skills, managing

emotions, new values for boys, and empowerment of girls. Through

this program, Volunteers have launched successful programs all over

the country, including: a district-wide program; pilot projects; a variety

of girls’ clubs; and regional initiatives through the Northern, Southern,

and Central Women in Development chapters. The success of these

projects has prompted an interest in adding Life Skills to the curriculum

in Malawi through UNICEF and the World Bank.
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In addition, the Peace Corps in Kenya, South Africa, and Lesotho are

exploring the addition of Life Skills to their programming. Peace

Corps/Malawi has just expanded its Life Skills Program by adding

30 new trainers to its cadre of those qualified to teach this approach.

A training of trainers session brought together Volunteer health

workers and their counterparts and Volunteer teachers and their

counterparts from all over the country.

Perhaps the most exciting news is a Volunteer initiated, produced,

and developed publication of a Life Skills Manual. Compiled by a

Volunteer with local community support, as well as adaptations from

sources throughout Southern Africa and beyond, this book provides

trainers with over 40 lesson plans and activities, a background to the

Life Skills approach, sample training schedules, visual aids, and more.

Copies will be distributed to those interested in implementing Life

Skills in their communities or schools. In addition, UNICEF is

interested in publishing and distributing copies to interested programs

in Malawi.

The Life Skills Manual is under revision and

will be available from ICE.

Recognizing girls
Beyond the Classroom:

60 The Peace Corps

New Moon: The Magazine for Girls and Their Dreams, New Moon

Publishing, Inc.

New Moon is an international magazine for girls who want to express

their ideas and dreams. Girls ages 8 to 14 and girl contributors from

all over the world edit or contribute to the magazine. New Moon

celebrates girls, explores the passage from girl to woman, and builds

healthy resistance to gender inequities. Subscriptions available by

accessing the New Moon website: www.newmoon.org.

The Exchange: Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter

The Exchange is published quarterly by Women in Development, The

Center for Field Assistance and Applied Research, Peace Corps/

Washington, DC and distributed to all Volunteers and Trainees. Each

issue contains the success stories, project results, photos, and

commentary from Peace Corps Volunteers involved in Women in

Development and Gender and Development projects around the

world. To contribute to this publication, please contact: Editor, The

Exchange/ Women in Development/ Peace Corps—The Center/ 1111

20th Street, NW/ Washington, DC 20526 USA memry@peacecorps.gov.

MS. Foundation for Women. Source of information on a “Take Our

Daughters to Work” Day. 120 Wall Street, 33rd Floor, New York 10005.

Fax (212) 742-1653. E-mail <todtwcom@ms.foundation.org>.

www.ms.foundation.org.

Resources
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Materials Available Through Peace

Corps’ Information Collection and

Exchange (ICE)

The following resources, though not specifically materials for girls’

education, promote participatory practices and inclusion of both

females and males. In addition, many of these resources can be used

to enhance linkages between schools and communities using a

community content-based instruction approach.

Choices: A Teen Woman’s Journal for Self-Awareness and

Personal Planning. Mindy Bingham, Kathleen Peters (Editor),

Barbara Green (Editor), Advocacy Press, 1983. (ICE WD135)

Choices provides stories, activities and suggestions on what it

is like to be a girl and what expectations, values and life

options are determined by society and culture and, therefore,

can be changed. This book provides a variety of exercises and

activities for girls to do alone or in groups to better understand

themselves, their aspirations and their potential. This book

has been the basis of many Peace Corps activities such as camp

GLOW.

Women Working Together for Personal, Economic, and

Community Development: A Handbook of Activities for

Women’s Learning and Action Groups. Suzanne Kindervatter.

UNIFEM/Peace Corps. 1993. (ICE WD003)

A handbook of activities for the development worker for

women’s learning and action groups. Offers guidelines on how

to structure a program that will help women identify needs

and problems, organize effectively, acquire marketable skills,

and solve problems. Also available in Spanish (ICE WD021)

and in French (ICE WD079*).

* Indicates title will be distributed only until current supply ends.
Beyond the Classroom:

62 The Peace Corps

Nonformal Education Manual. Helen Fox. Peace Corps ICE.

1989. (ICE M0042)

Demonstrates how the techniques of nonformal education can

be used by virtually all Peace Corps Volunteers. Emphasizes

full-scale community participation at all stages of development. Also available in French (ICE M0048) and in Braille

(request specifically from ICE).

How to Make Meetings Work: The New Interaction

Method. Michael Doyle and David Straus. The Berkeley

Publishing Group. 1976. (ICE CD021)

A how-to book that presents a way to minimize wasted time

and set priorities for meetings. This interaction method

describes how to develop an agenda and facilitate meetings

to reach a more effective outcome. Most examples can be

adapted for use in rural settings.

Just Stir Gently: The Way to Mix Hygiene Education with

Water Supply and Sanitation. Marieke T. Boot. IRC

International Water and Sanitation Centre, The Netherlands.

1991. (ICE WS113)

Promotes hygiene education by relaying information on

conditions and practices that help to prevent water-bourne

and sanitation-related diseases. Directed towards integrating

hygiene education with aspects of water supply and sanitation

projects.

Rapid and Participatory Rural Appraisal Notes, No. 21 –

Special Issue on Participatory Tools and Methods in Urban

Areas. Sustainable Agriculture Programme. IIED. 1994. (ICE

WS119)

Describes practitioners’ experiences using participatory

methodology in the urban context. Provides urban-based

projects with a framework for participatory project work.

Brings Volunteers up to date on development methodology

in the urban environment.
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Another Point of View: A Manual on Gender Analysis

Training for Grassroots Workers (Training Manual). A. Rani

Parker. UNIFEM. 1993. (ICE WD108)

Workshop and training manual focusing on gender issues in

development. Specifically relevant to the experience of

community-based development workers. Helpful in the

design and implementation of gender-sensitive development

programs at the grassroots level.

Gender and Development Training/ Girls‘ Education

Manual. Peace Corps. 1998. (ICE M0054)

Product of the Gender and Development Training Initiative,

which seeks to institutionalize the consideration of gender

issues throughout Peace Corps. Contains eight booklets on

gender and development training, which provide background

and development of project; training designs for various

participants; session plans and handouts; and insights from

the field. Contains four booklets on Girls‘ Education, including

programming, training, and activities.

Navamaga: Training Activities for Group Building, Health

and Income Generation. Dian Svendsen and Sujatha

Wijetillek. UNIFEM/Peace Corps. 1983. (ICE WD006)

Handbook created by Sri Lankan rural development workers

for grassroots development workers. It can be used as a tool

to help villagers identify health and nutrition problems,

increase their leadership skills and decision-making

capabilities, and plan and implement small-scale projects to

improve family nutrition and health and to increase family

income. Available in Spanish (ICE WD071).

PACA: Participatory Analysis for Community Action. Peace

Corps. 1996. (ICE M0053)

Provides participatory methodology and techniques for

working with communities. Includes tools that promote the

inclusion of representative voices in a community in Peace
Beyond the Classroom:

64 The Peace Corps

Corps project planning and implementation. PACA is a step

in institutionalizing the inclusion of women in all Peace Corps

project development, monitoring, and implementation.

Tools of Gender Analysis: A Guide to Field Methods for

Bringing Gender into Sustainable Resource Management.

Barbara Thomas-Slayter, Andrea Lee Esser and M. Dale

Shields. Clark University. 1993. (ICE WD112)

In a clear and concise manner, presents methods for gathering

data and examining men’s and women’s roles in natural

resource management. Information illustrated with brief

examples of projects in different developing countries. Useful

material for Pre-Service Training of Volunteers.

Children’s Participation: From Tokenism to Citizenship.

Roger A. Hart. UNICEF International Child Development

Centre. 1992. (ICE YD006)

Describes as a ladder the different levels at which children

have participated in decision-making, from simply making

an appearance to actually initiating projects and sharing

responsibilities with adults. Describes the British experience

of children’s participation through the schools in community

research and development, and children in developing

countries taking charge of their lives.

Choose a Future: Issues and Options for Adolescent Girls.

CEDPA Publications. 1996. (ICE WD127)

Program guide for facilitators and trainers working with girls

ages 12–20. Brings together ideas and activities to help adolescent girls learn about and deal with issues they face, including

self-esteem problems, reproductive issues, decision-making

skills, community involvement, and many more.
65

Empowering Girls Ecology Camps

Leadership Development: A Handbook from YouthBuild

USA and the Youth Action Program. Dorothy Stoneman and

John Bell, YouthBuild USA. 1993. (ICE YD008)

A handbook based on ten years of experience building the

Youth Action Program (YAP) of the East Harlem Block Schools.

Contains background information on the accomplishments

of the YAP program and is organized around the seven

essential elements of leadership development: 1) counteracting

the effects of oppression; 2) nurturing personal development;

3) teaching leadership skills; 4) providing the experience of

success; 5) educating about the world; 6) resolving personal

hang-ups and correcting academic deficiencies; and 7)

organizing to have impact on the world.

Life Planning Education. The Center for Population Options.

1995. (ICE YD004)

Comprehensive manual to prepare teenagers for the world of

work and parenthood. Available in Spanish (ICE YD007).

Peace Corps’ Rededication to Youth: Addressing the Needs

of Youth-at-Risk. Peace Corps. 1992. (ICE M0043)

Introduces Peace Corps’ emphasis on youth development with

an overview of the problems faced by youth in the developing

world. Provides examples of how Volunteers can help youth

who may be facing such problems as homelessness, AIDS,

unemployment, unwanted pregnancies, and lack of positive

opportunities.

For Posts that wish to order non-Peace Corps publications,

fax or cable to:

Overseas Support Specialist for Region

and send fiscal coding for purchase.
Beyond the Classroom:

66 The Peace Corps

Habitat for Humanity International

Mailing Address:

Habitat for Humanity International

121 Habitat Street

Americus, GA 31709 USA

Phone Number:

(912)924-6935

E-mail:

International Affiliates: e-mail nancy_r._barnes@habitat.org

International Partner Program: e-mail <ipp@habitat.org>

Web site:

www.habitat.org

International Affiliates in PC countries:

Bangladesh

Belize

Bolivia

Costa Rica

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

El Salvador

Ghana

Guatemala

Guyana

Haiti

Honduras

Jamaica

Kenya

Malawi

Nepal

Nicaragua

Papua New Guinea

Paraguay

Philippines

Poland

Romania

Solomon Islands

South Africa

Tanzania

Thailand

Zambia

Zimbabwe
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Got a Good Idea?

Send us your “idea” suggestions for The Idea Book.

Name:

Address:

Telephone/Fax:

E-mail:

Here’s my idea(s) that might be useful in future idea books.

If necessary, attach additonal sheets to complete description.

Include any samples or photos that help illustrate your project ideas.

Send to:

Peace Corps • Information Collection and Exchange

1111 20th Street, NW • Washington, DC 20526

Telephone: (202) 692-2640 • Fax: (202) 692-2641
Beyond the Classroom:

68 The Peace Corps