Camp G2LOW

Camp G²LOW Resources | Camp Wrap 2011 | Camp G²LOW Final Report 2011

History:

Inspired by the enormous success of Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) in other countries, Peace Corps Burkina Faso decided to host its first Camp GLOW in August of 2011.  Camp GLOW is a week-long leadership training geared toward school-aged female students across the world.  While not only becoming the 23^rd Peace Corps country to host a Camp GLOW, we made our camp more unique becoming Camp G²LOW (Girls and Guys Leading Our World).  There is no denying that in Burkina Faso’s patriarchal system the need to empower women is of the utmost importance; however, it is our belief that the only true path to women’s empowerment is to also educate young men.  Our goal through the camps is to teach male youth the value of working with women as equals. 

Camp Themes:

The Camp G²LOW objective will focus on three themes:

1. Promoting Healthy lifestyles: Camp participants will be encouraged and taught how to practice daily hygiene, prevent malaria, apply and promote HIV/AIDS/STI prevention methods and how to practice family planning.
2. Empowering Students: Camp participants will gain personal goal setting skills and the tools to make a SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-sensitive) decision.
3. Promoting Gender Equality: Camp participants will gain a better understanding of gender, sex and the spectrum of violence. They will gain the skills needed to form healthy relationships and work as equals, and they will be taught the importance of their roles, rights and responsibilities regarding gender equality. 

In order to encourage healthy lifestyles, Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) and host country nationals (HCNs) lead educational sessions focused on proper hygiene and safe sex practices, as to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and lower the rate of unwanted pregnancy during the camp.  Activities focused on critical thinking and decision-making are used to develop the camp participants’ leadership skills.  PCVs and HCNs promote gender equality in sessions that focus on ending domestic violence, as well as working with people of both genders as equal partners. 

Sustainability:

HCNs play a vital role in Camp G²LOW.  Each of the PCV counselors invites one HCN from their community to help facilitate the camp.  The HCN counselors facilitate sessions in their specialty areas or field of work and lead discussions specifically related to culturally sensitive subjects, such as sexual harassment and women’s rights.  Prior to the start of each camp, the organizing committees host a Training of Trainers (TOT) for all of the facilitators. The TOT is a valuable exchange of ideas between PCVs and HCNs. 

Since HCNs were involved before, during, and after the camp, they are trained in the organization, implementation, and facilitation of Camp G²LOW.  Ideally, HCNs will be prepared to replicate the camp in the future, and with the continuing support of PCVs, Camp G²LOW can become an annual event in Burkina Faso.

Camp G²LOW Boromo Community Contributions 2011

Camp G²LOW 2011:

In May 2011, the administrators of 15 middle schools surrounding Kaya and 15 surrounding Boromo were asked to nominate eight high-performing middle school students for consideration as participants; these young men and women demonstrating characteristics of leadership, enthusiasm for learning, and teamwork. In August 2011, the regional capitals of Kaya and Boromo each hosted a two-week long Camp G²LOW-- one week of girls’ camp and one week of boys’ camp.  Eight PCVs in sites surrounding Kaya and eight in sites surrounding Boromo organized the camps with 60 girls and 60 boys from surrounding villages participating in each location. 

Camp G²LOW Boromo Boys and Girls Results 2011

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