Youth empowerment and gender equality.
When I think of this topic for Americans, my mind goes back in history to child labor laws and the women’s Equal Rights movement .Those issues are centuries old and were slowly resolved in the USA by civic unrest, public protest, and a strong legal system to enforce basic human rights.
In many impoverished countries those issues remain – it’s not in history yet.
Peace Corps has a rich history of working with youth, especially girls. Many volunteers all over the world are utilizing the new initiative “Let Girls Learn” sponsored by Michelle Obama. This program does more than just promote girls to continue their education - which is a challenge because of customary early marriages, pregnancies, and poverty. LGL builds self-esteem to help them identify their innate abilities and skills – and aspire to reach a goal for their future.
Living at the community level, and teaching 5th grade English as a secondary project, I have met these young girls and decided to form a girl’s empowering group. Because this is a new subject in my community, I have introduced it as an ESL program then when interest came up I discuss the empowerment agenda with the mothers. The girls like the ESL part and the mothers are supporting the social / educational agenda.
I held the first class with two sweet girls, ages 11 and 12. We started by learning five English words:
Our discussion started from introductions and ended with an activity to draw a picture of them at work when they grow up. Both want to be doctors and work right here in their home town. I noticed how similar their pictures came out - except for two things: one wants a car, and the other one is taking her siblings to work - not her children.
Slowly this perhaps can expand their mindsets and learn how to set goals and the
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