Projects FUNDED!

A HUGE shout out to everyone: my projects have been fully funded! Whoohoo!

Books for Swaziland is moving forward both in America and here in Swaziland and it’s all because of your help and generous contributions. U.S. based NGO, Books for Africa, is collecting, gathering, and preparing to ship out our books. All 30 schools in Swaziland are growing in excitement for their libraries. From building shelves, saving money for the library fund, decorating a learning space and to attending library trainings, our schools could not be more excited! I’ll be sure to update as time goes on.

My second large project, GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) is up and running! We have raised all the money needed to run the camp in April 2012. There are two parts to GLOW. The first is the charter clubs. Each Peace Corps Volunteer participating in the project will have started up a girls club within their communities. They meet with the young women, teach life skills, sexual education, healthy living, HIV prevention, and have discussions and lively debates on any topic of choice. The second part is Camp GLOW. Camp GLOW is a weeklong women’s empowerment camp that focus’ on addressing the issues pertinent to young Swazi women. It will be preparing, educating, and encouraging them to do more with their lives, to take action, to know their rights as women in this male dominated society, to empower them with the knowledge to make healthy choices, to give them the contacts in Swaziland who they can talk to for various reasons, and so that they may share their knowledge with other young women in their communities. The camp will be similar to those in the U.S. There will be plenty of games, arts and crafts, learning sessions, discussions, camp fires, etc, BUT will also include NGOs participation and presentations on all topics.

Last week, we held the Training of the Trainers for GLOW. Each PCV involved brought 2 community counterparts, who were are working with in our communities. We spent 4 days training them in becoming camp councilors at the camp, as well as providing them with information and preparing them for leadership within the GLOW charter clubs at the community level. There are 11 PCVs involved in this project, and we were responsible for leading the entire workshop. Surprisingly, this training turned out INCREDIBLY well. I was shocked and in awe at the energy, attitude, eagerness, and care that each counterpart showed in the sessions. Despite the 12-14 hour days, every single Swazi man and women in that room went above and beyond what was expected from them. One thing that will never cease to amaze me is the passion these women (and men) have in life despite EVERYTHING they have been through and currently have to deal with. They have gone through countless trials and tribulations, things we couldn’t even comprehend, and have overcome all obstacles with a smile and 2 feet planted firm in their faith. It is truly inspiring. I can’t wait until the actual camp and I grow with excitement from not only what we will be passing on to these girls, but also what they will be teaching us in their attitudes, their spirit, and their faith.

Thank you again for making our dreams a reality.