Girls Leading Our World

Last week seven Peace Corps Volunteers from the Androy and Anôsy regions of Madagascar came together to hold a 'Girls Leading Our World' (GLOW) camp in Fort-Dauphin. Twenty-three girls participated in the camp, which was facilitated by the PCVs with the support of six Malagasy chaperones. The five-day camp provided these promising young girls with the opportunity to learn about leadership and gender equality, as well as develop the skills they will need to become leaders and role models in their communities.

Day One

The first day of camp opened with a walking tour of Fort-Dauphin led by some of our friends from the English Center of Fort-Dauphin. Many of the girls from the remote Androy region had never visited the city before, so for them the tour was an eye-opening experience. The tour ended at the Fasamainty cultural center, where the girls learned about QMM's famous ilmenite mine just north of the city.

Campers during the walking tour of Fort-Dauphin

In the afternoon PCVs and chaperones led sessions about gender equality and self-esteem. The campers learned about the difference between biological sex and culturally-defined gender roles, and that they should feel confident in themselves and their skills. These sessions set the stage for the central message of the camp: that women can and should be successful, active members of their communities.

Day Two

Our second day of GLOW camp began with a tour of the QMM mine and the Mandena Nature Reserve, which was set up by QMM/Rio Tinto. After lunch the girls met with a career panel featuring successful Malagasy women working in the fields of government, development, health, and business. These women told their stories and gave the girls advice about how to pursue their dreams.

GLOW campers meet the career panel

Day Three

Day three focused on health. In the morning a group of trainers from Population Services International (PSI) gave a presentation on HIV/AIDS, STIs, and birth control. In the afternoon the girls met with our chaperones and the female PCVs for a frank discussion about sex and relationships, something which is often a taboo subject in Malagasy society. Our last session of the day featured a presentation from the local organization Trano Aro Zo on the rights of women and children.

After a long day of rather serious discussions, the girls were ready for a break. That evening we organized an American-style slumber party, complete with soda, popcorn, and a movie.

PSI trainers teach the girls about HIV/AIDS

Day Four

The penultimate day of GLOW camp focused on giving the girls useful life skills. A representative from PACT gave a presentation on leadership, and another woman from the micro-finance organization FIVOY taught the campers about financial management.

Financial Management: a camper presents her team's proposed budget for the months of April and May

Day Five

The final day of GLOW camp began with a trip to the English Center of Fort-Dauphin, where the girls met with students and teachers and learned about the English language resources available in the city. This was followed by a trip to the famous Libanona beach. After a quick trip to the market to buy gifts for their families (giving away gifts after a trip is a Malagasy tradition), the girls met with a representative from Peace Corps, who explained the organization's history, goals, and methods.

After this came our closing ceremony, where the girls received their completion certificates and gave brief speeches about what they learned at camp. The PCVs were also presented with a gift of traditional Tandroy wicker hats. Several girls from the village of Ambanisarika then performed the traditional Tandroy dance. After this things quickly escalated, and soon everyone was dancing. The dance party continued well into the evening, as the girls celebrated the successful completion of camp with their new friends.

GLOW girls dancing on the last night