Hannah N.
Ruhango District, Byimana Sector
As the new year begins, I have taken some time to reflect on my first six months of service. Did I accomplish any of my original goals? Have I successfully aided the community in some manner? Although it has only been a short period, I can say yes.
Before I came to Rwanda, I knew that I wanted
to participate in the GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) Camps. I grew up attending
summer camp, and I loved the endless activities and camaraderie that resulted
from spending (almost) 24 hour days with a group of girls my age. Summer camp
was an unforgettable experience, integral to my youth. GLOW Camp, I know, has
served the exact same purpose for Rwandan teenage girls, though with more
fervor and gusto. Like most camps, GLOW had
its arts and crafts, recreation, and talent show, but most importantly, it
taught girls how to be empowered through goal-setting and HIV/AIDS education.
It was an opportunity to use and practice their English, without judgment being
passed. It was an open space, for girls to ask any and all questions about
life and love. Furthermore, GLOW Camp was a getaway from family
pressures and cultural expectations, a time to have fun and enjoy youth.
Girls from across the Southern Region
were able to connect on common ground, and it is my hope, and the goal of GLOW
Camp, that these bonds of friendship not only continue, but that they share the
message they learned with their peers at school and in the community.
GLOW Camp helps make possible gender
equality in Rwanda, and I am proud to be a part of this movement.
-Hannah N.
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