GLOW + BRO IBARRA CAMP

GLOW + BRO Ibarra Camp is one of my biggest accomplishments so far in my Peace Corps service.

 My kids inspired me every day to be a better person. In an effort to encourage Ecuadorian and Colombian refugees’ youth to be active citizens and respect one another. My counterpart organization HIAS, my site mate, Alejandra, and I lead a GLOW+BRO Camp last August. We also had the helped of five Peace Corps Volunteers.  The goal of the camp was to encourage girls and boys to be active citizen by promoting gender equality, improving self-esteem, increasing knowledge of women’s health issues and leadership skills.  Another goal of the camp was to promote the integration between Ecuadorians and Colombian refugees. At the same time to become community leaders who will teach others about gender equality. The participants of the camp were a total of 30 Colombian refugees and Ecuadorean students, between the ages of 12 and 17.          

   

During the camp we had two different sessions every day that included self-esteem, communication skills, healthy relationships, reproductive health, contraceptives methods, gender equality, gender stereotypes, leadership, long term goals, and role models.  During the afternoon, we had different sports activities like basketball, football, dodge ball, and yoga. Boys and girls participated equally in all the sports. One of the days the campers took part in a scavenger hunt designed by the Red Cross and UNHCR, which taught the camper show to volunteer with each organization respectively

For the closing ceremony the kids organized a flash mob to the following songs: “Fighter” by Cristina Aguilar, “Run the World” by Beyoncé and “Antipatriarca” by Ana Tijoux. My youth group wrote and perform a play entitled “Romina y Julian” based in “Romeo and Juliet,” but with a twist. The youth group decided to challenge gender stereotypes and reverse the character’s genders and roles. Romina is a young woman going to the university while Julian is a guy working as a babysitter. Julian’s parents are strict, so Romina goes to visit him at his balcony because she has more freedom.

The camp was a success on several levels:

Through camp activities the Ecuadorian students and Colombian refugee youth established mutual understanding and improved relationships.  The male and female campers gained an understanding of gender roles in society and now had strategies for how to transcend them.  The participants gained an understanding of the importance of goal setting and each left the camp with a developed plan for their future.  These are life skills needed by all youth, refugee or native citizen

El campamento “GLOW+ BRO,” “Chicas Liderando Nuestro Mundo + Jóvenes Respetando a Otros” al cual asistieron 14 jóvenes refugiados colombianos y 16 ecuatorianos estudiantes del Colegio Ibarra de edades de entre los 12 y los 16 años. Voluntarios de los tres diferentes programas del Cuerpo de Paz (Jóvenes y Familias, Salud Comunitaria, y la Enseñanza de Inglés como Lengua Extranjera) participaron y apoyaron en el campamento.

El objetivo del campamento fue el aprendizaje de temáticas relacionadas con género, violencia, salud sexual y reproductiva, liderazgo, estereotipos y planificación de metas. De la misma manera crear un espacio de esparcimiento e inclusión de jóvenes colombianos con jóvenes ecuatorianos. La misión del campamento consistió en educar, capacitar e inspirar a jóvenes ecuatorianos y refugiados colombianos a ser líderes en sus comunidades mediante la sensibilización, impartir habilidades para la vida, y promover el respeto propio. 

A partir de diferentes talleres trantado temas de autoestima, habilidades de comunicación, relaciones saludables, salud reproductiva y sexual, métodos anticonceptivos,  estereotipos de género, liderazgo, modelos a seguir y metas a futuro.

Con este campamento se logró que los jóvenes refugiados colombianos y estudiantes ecuatorianos se integraran y formen lazos de apoyo los cuales trascendieron fuera del encuentro y a la misma vez objetivizaron el concepto de estereotipos de género y como transcenderlos al igual y el roll que cada uno tiene dentro de la sociedad.

Me siento súper afortunada de haber podido contar con la ayuda y el apoyo de los voluntarios del Cuerpo de Paz; Justin, Alana, Hannah, Maryam, Alejandra, Zack y de la psicóloga de HIAS Valeria; ya que cada uno aporto mucho para que el campamento fuera exitoso. También gracias a mi familia y a HIAS que aporto un granito de arena con su ayuda monetaria.