In Peace Corps Panama we are lucky to have a committee known as Gender and Development. They have representatives in every province, a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, coordinator on the west side of the country, and coordinator on the east side of the country. Suffice to say that they are very well organized. They also host a number of Charlas about health, HIV, child development, and youth leadership. They also have a guide book called, "pueblo sano, vida sana," 'Healthy community, healthy life." The book discusses a wide range of topics from domestic violence to prejudice to decision making. GAD also hosts week long seminars for women artisans and young leadership camps. This year, GAD will be hosting two youth leadership camps divided into the East and West sides of the country, one on the EAST and one on the WEST.
This year, 50 lucky kids from Peace Corps communities that were chosen to participate will spend a week learning how to be a leader. Its such a phenomenal opportunity for kids from our communities to leave their home for the very first time and they grow so much from this experience.
I have to break for a story: When I was studying racism and discrimination I participated in one training exercise about privilege that left a really big impact on me. I was on a line with a very diverse group of my friends and we were asked to step forward and step back based on our responses to a long list of questions. Initially, everyone starts on the same line. We were asked about our families educational background, if our parents had graduated from high school, we could take two steps forward. If they had graduated from college, we could take two steps forward. That second question, a number of my friends stayed on the line, while I moved forward. The questions continued and the level of privilege based on where the group had begun and where we finished became more and more obvious. Those in front at the end of some 20 odd questions were those that had been outside of the country, their grandparents had graduated from college, and they had more than 5 family members that had graduated from college. One question that had been related to having a leg up on the privilege scale was having participated in summer camps.
I would love nothing more than for 2 of my students to have a leg up. Yanitza and Dalia are two of my absolute favorite students who will be starting seventh grade in February.
Unfortunately due to funding and an unprecedented amount of applications for GAD camp East, 50 students this year including Dalia and Yanitza will not be attending GAD camp East this year. But as the title to this blog implies, I am stubborn as all hell. And I will be writing another PCPP grant to get the funding for a second GAD camp EAST. Thankfully, the directiva and the GAD coordinators, Laura and Whitney are behind me, guardaring mi espalda.
Lack of funding is a shitty excuse and I don't want to accept it.
This blog is more like a last minute Christmas present. If you haven't found an NGO to donate to yet, just wait! The camp would cost 6 thousand dollars and all 50 kids that wanted to participate will now have the opportunity.
Lets do this! I have to write the grant and get it approved by the office, but please keep your eyes open.
