The reason I bring this up is because it is the beginning of the school year here in Senegal. The time of the year when parents decide if they will be sending their kids to school. In a country with an extremely high birth rate, and low employment, parents often can't afford to send all of there kids to school. This many times means that girls are not sent to school or are forced to drop out very early.
Something Peace Corps Senegal does to help combat the drop out rate is provide scholarships to promising young women. The program is called the Michelle Sylvester Scholarship and it is in memory of a Peace Corps Volunteer who was dedicated to girls' education. The scholarship provides funds for school entrance fees for nominated girls and additional school supplies for winners. Girls are chosen through a process of essays, interviews, teacher recommendations and grade reviewal. Other important factors are strong motivation and demonstrated ability by the girl and lack of financial and familial support.
This year I got the chance to administer the scholarship at my local middle school. It was a lot of jumping though loop hoops, tracking kids down throughout several villages, dealing with unmotivated teaching staff and other annoyances BUT in the end I couldn't be happier to have participated in the scholarship program. The nine nominated girls were inspirational in their courage and motivation even without financial means or familial support. Reading their essays and giving interviews I learned about each of their personal obstacles and aspirations. It reminded me how privileged I am to come from a society that values women's education and made me so grateful towards the American women who fought to make that the standard. It also taught me more about what it means to be a woman. To strive through the seemingly impossible with a smile on your face and determination in your heart. These young girls were simply amazing.
Here is a picture of the three scholarship winners at my middle school after we went school supply shopping. What a fun thing to do with such grateful rays of light! There names from left to right are Makhamba, Fatou and Iline Tama. Tomorrows leaders of Senegal. Inchallah,
Another way GAD work has impacted me is through my Girls Club. I started the group primarily to focus on life-skills, the importance of education and obstacles that Senegalese girls face. The girls and I have very close and now our meetings are mostly just hanging out and having fun. We dance, play games, swim and act oh so silly. Fortunately, depending on how you look at it, these issues tend to come up in conversation anyway. It has been rewarding to be a part of a group that started as acquaintances awkwardly talking about uncomfortable issues to a family where the issues are thrown on the table and worked through together.
This year two of the girls in our group are having problems continuing school because of birth certificate problems. I have checked out a private middle school in our regional capital and am hopeful that they will attend school there with some financial help from some pretty cool parentals back in the U.S.of A. Anyways keep all the girls, especially these two, in your thoughts and prayers.
Here is a picture of us making bracelets with the cool beading kits that my grandparents sent. Thanks Rava and Papa, the girls loved it and now we all have matching jewelry.
The Michelle Sylvester Scholarship is still underfunded for the current school year. If you would like to make a donation (and you would) please do so at: https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=685-181
Who run the world? GIRLS.
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