CAMP GLOW :)

CAMP GLOW SHAPES GUYANA’S NEXT GENERATION OF FEMALE LEADERS
by U.S. Peace Corps Guyana on Friday, 30 December 2011 at 11:05
With a lot of sand, sun, laughter, and learning, 25 of Guyana’s young women complete the first annual Camp GLOW leadership camp more confident, competent, and compassionate than when they first arrived.

On December 10, twenty-five young women between the ages of 13-17 years from across Guyana arrived at the Pandama Nature Retreat to participate in the week long leadership camp, Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World), which was primarily organized by currently serving U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs). Participants were selected for Camp based on their responses to application essays and recommendation letters from community members.

The girls spent the days in interactive sessions covering topics such as leadership styles, what it means to be a leader, intercultural competency, decision making, assertive communication, and identifying personality types. In addition, they learned about personal health topics such as diet and nutrition, healthy relationships, sexual health, environmental health, and emotional health. Arts and craft time, team-building activities, swimming, sports, daily exercise, and nightly campfires supplemented their classroom learning, self-introspection, and allowed them a venue for building new friendships. Miss Jevon Wilson, Guyana’s Jamzone Pageant winner came and delivered a powerful and inspirational speech to the girls about some of the trials she has been through in her life and provided encouragement and advice for the girls to attain their goals. Around camp, girls bathed and washed their clothes in the creek water, ate healthy, low salt, low fat, vegetarian meals, and at night, they slept in a large, open, outdoor tent and on cots all generously donated, transported, and set-up by the Guyana Defense Force.

One of the most beneficial and unique aspects of Camp was the presence of two campers who were deaf. Throughout the week they were accompanied by a sign language interpreter who helped translate the sessions. Peace Corps Volunteer Jillian Johnson, who interpreted for the girls, expressed how impressed she was with the other 23 hearing campers, “It gave me hope for the deaf communities in Guyana to watch how open and excited they were to communicate with [names of deaf participants] and to learn sign language. They took the time to actually get to know these girls, to see how kind and funny and amazing they are even though they speak a different language.” She also spoke about how it was one of the first times that the deaf campers had the opportunity to express themselves in a group of their hearing peers. Peace Corps Volunteer Kristin Guthrie explained, “By the end of Camp, it was like we had our own language: half sign language, half gestures, half speaking! And, we all understood it!”

Also leading the sessions and helping to run the camp were 5 female Guyanese counselors. Suanne Lindie of the Berbice Rivering area, taught the session on “assertive communication” and she was the mentor for five of the girls. Camp was a chance for herself to grow while having the opportunity to do something she’s always wanted to try: working with young women. “I’ve been thinking about becoming a teacher on the Berbice River, so this was a chance for me to get an idea of what teaching is like and makes me want to be around young kids. And, I was a little, you know, nervous about talking in front of the girls, but by the end I was comfortable and brave.” Of the other four counselors, two were from the Correntyne area and two from the organization, Hope for All, in Region 2. Peace Corps Volunteer Annie Mills said of the counselors, “They were one of the Camp’s strongest aspects. The camp would not have been nearly as successful and fun without them. All week long, they were role-models of strong, confident Guyanese women.”

One of the most powerful reflections on the week came from one of the Campers from the St. Cuthbert’s Amerindian village. She said, “At Camp I’ve learned that I don’t have to be perfect. I’m imperfect and being imperfect is … perfect.” That ended the evening in applause from her fellow campers and counselors. When they left the next morning, the girls showered each other in hugs, exchanged phone numbers, and boarded the bus, eager to see their families and share their new knowledge and skills with their communities.

The next Camp GLOW Guyana will take place in August 2012.