International Day of the Girl

The adolescent girls here in the small village of Magude, Mozambique have great potential. They too have big hopes and bright dreams. But often here in poverty those dreams are diffused by circumstances beyond their control: early and forced child marriage, unwanted pregnancy, gender-based violence and cultural beliefs that girls are not as worthy of an education than boys. 

Today is the day to advocate letting these girls reach their potential. It is not just a matter of infrastructure in these poor communities but a positive change in cultural beliefs that close doors and deny opportunities to these young women.  They need their parents to be champions for their cause – especially their fathers. Promoted for right now these girls will be energize and lead to a stronger future for Mozambique! Estamos juntos com elas! We are with them!

Secondary Projects: Empowering the Women

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.  

Men making a deal on wedding daughter

The importance of the family behind the woman

Woman sitting at the table

Mother support

A situation that needs to change

Advocating

Domestic Violence

Alcohol - very common past time among men

prostitution portrayed as an option for run aways

Winners!

Dear Viewers,
I am asking for some feedback on viewing blogs.  Can you please comment on what interested topics you are seeking?  Thanks, I look forward to reading your reply.

Warm Regards,  Maryangela

Youth Promoting Social Change in Gender Equality

Last Saturday one of my secondary projects, as Province Coordinator English Theater Network, was completed with delight of one hundred high school students performing a skit in English.  Funded by Peace Corps, volunteers in each of the ten Providences in Mozambique, organize a contest to promote learning the English language while understanding social issues that affect progress in this country.

I had the awesome opportunity to visit other districts and meet these motivated groups. Each student has their own aspirations to learn English, from studying abroad or working here in Mozambique, and these students who organize exudes motivation to learn.

The powerful theme of the show was “Empowering Girls –Empowering the Future”, and each group displayed social awareness of the disparity between genders here in Mozambique. Examples of scripts were common situations here: daughter’s  husbands selected be the father for dowries, girls marry at in their early teens; funds for school are invested in the boys and girls drop out after primary school; girl’s future is limited to housewife and mother; and domestic violence. These common scenarios were presented along with a solution – showing us that this generation could be the ice-breakers for reform in gender equality.

Here is a glimpse of the contest, imagine the skilled performance of these teenagers!

Summer returns

It’s the first weekend in September and I welcomed a friend from the city to come visit rural life at my site in southern Mozambique. Unfortunately, the first hot days of the summer season came as well.  We spent the morning touring the hospital, schools, and the main street and then we took a ride out to the “mata” – the bush.

The pictures below narrate the settings just 10 miles / 22 kilometers from the main village. The smiles overcome the dry, hot, dusty roads, hoping that the 2 year drought will be broken and the gardens will produce essential food.

Never too warm to play soccer

The bush just 10 miles from the village

Genuine smiles

Going to move the cows

Look on the road buddy!

Homestead

Working and playing together

Water supply

So cute

Quaint

Sunny dusty necessary walk

Perfect posture

Selling baked goods

Daily laundry

Hitch hikers

Getting water

I caught this boy in an embarrassing moment - look close!