From December 1-December 6, I had the chance to participate in Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) 2010. For the past nine years, the Central Province of Zambia has participated in the nation wide Camp GLOW program. It is basically a week long camp organized by Peace Corps Volunteers, facilitated by Zambian volunteers, and supplemented with local guest speakers. This year included eighteen eighth grade girls, nine community mentors, six Peace Corps Volunteers, three Zambian volunteers, and two Ndubaluba staff members.
The focus of camp was “embracing change” and “leading our own future.” It was held at the beautiful Ndubaluba Outdoor Center, just 20 kilometers from Mkushi. The facilities could not have been better. We stayed in small chalets, slept in bunk-beds, ate together in the newly renovated dining hall, and shared 2 community rest-rooms with hot water provided from the barrel of rain water being heated by a wood fire.
Each morning, the group participated in sessions on women’s health, HIV/AIDS, leadership, gender roles, forming a girls club, etc. There were excellent games and activities planned for each session, and everything was either conducted in Bemba or translated from English into Bemba.
Outside of the educational sessions, we had an adventure activity every afternoon and an evening activity after dinner. Of course, the adventure activities were my highlight. We had a chance to canoe (many of the girls had never seen a boat), rock climb, and play volleyball (a brand new sport for many). I became quite good friends with the two Ndubaluba instructors, both from England. It felt great to both assist and participate in all the outdoor activities. By the end of the week, I was running debrief sessions, belaying girls up the climbing wall, and teaching the sweep stroke. It was sad to leave, but the two instructors invited me back to help out for a few programs next year. I look forward to that.
We also had a talent show where the girls sang, read poems, danced, and the community mentors even performed a traditional Bemba dance, full with costume. It was a high point of camp for everyone. The six Peace Corps Volunteers, including myself, did a silly lip sync to “Hakunamutata” from the Lion King.
More than anything, the camp provided a safe space for the girls to be free. There were no dishes to wash, no water to fetch, no seeds to plant, only friends and mentors around to laugh with. It was an amazing experience to watch the girls transform from shy and timid to giddy and bright-eyed within days. And maybe not all the educational messages will stick with the girls, but they walked out with more confidence, more smiles, and more self-worth then I could have imagined. Camp GLOW is a lot of work to plan and a lot of money to raise, but those girls deserved it.
Luckily for me, I get to be one of the planners for next year! I couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to organize a week-long, life-changing experience (and I don’t use the phrase “life-changing” lightly). I truly believe this camp is directly impacting the girls and will give them confidence to push just a little bit harder each day.
Not every day is easy here, in fact many days it seems so little of what we teach gets through. But Camp GLOW really picked up my spirits and gave me the chance to truly bond with these teenage girls
Let’s hope next year goes just as well.
