Peace Corps
health volunteers here in Mozambique are encouraged to taken on “secondary
projects” apart from our duties in the health sector. These projects are based
on the needs of the community and many of us adopt youth programs on various programs
already practiced. I selected two projects, one involving teenagers in High
School who are learning English and the other with girls from 12-15 years old.
One that I
have enjoyed is the REDES group (Girls Developing - Education and Health). Twice
a month I meet with 30 teenage girls at the school. The curriculum ranges on important topics,
from nutrition to puberty to domestic violence and HIV. Here in a poor rural
village these are crucial, the target age is also pertinent since girls as young
as 14 are married off and are young mothers by 18.
My
counterpart and I have dove tailed income generation into the group and have touched
on not only the business aspect of selling crafts, but creativity and strong
self esteem.
Our first
craft project was notebooks covered by the capolana fabric, now we are working
on washable sanitary pads. Thinking of the lack of economic opportunities in
this small village and the poverty of their families –and that they are female-
the start of them thinking of generating income will hopefully lead these girls
to independently secure livelihoods.
My second
project just finished two weeks ago and was a big success. I coordinated the
province of Maputo’s English Theater Network with high school English classes. Nine teams competed by performing skits in
English. The theme this year was “Empowering Women – Empowering the Future”.
Over 100 young
adults overwhelmed the audience with creative ideas on how to change the
hindering tradition of sexism in this culture. Young marriages, dowries,
domestic violence, male dominance, lack of educational opportunities for girls,
were topics in the skits with endings that are cutting edge for this
generation.
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Men making a deal on wedding daughter |
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The importance of the family behind the woman |
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Woman sitting at the table |
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Mother support |
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A situation that needs to change |
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Advocating |
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Domestic Violence |
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Alcohol - very common past time among men |
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prostitution portrayed as an option for run aways |
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Winners! |
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