Our GLOW / BRO Camp!

Previously, I mentioned that I had been on the planning committee of a camp and last month we officially held the regional GLOW / BRO Camp (Girls Leading Our World / Boys Respecting Others). And while a lot of work went into preparing for the event, being involved (and especially the experience of being a councilor) was honestly one of the best experiences I’ve had so far in Ghana.

The primary purpose of the camp is to teach young girls and boys the importance of gender equality and why/how to empower women in our communities. During the week long camp, we were also able to teach lessons about reproductive health, HIV/AIDS/TB, setting and achieving goals, leadership and the importance of high self-esteem. And there was no shortage of fun activities along the way like tie dying, photography, dancing and of course, lots of soccer.

But more memorable than any of the things we did or lessons we learned in the process was the amazing energy of the camp. Each Peace Corps Volunteer in the region was invited to bring between two and four kids from their community but by the end of the first day you’d never know that most of the campers had just met. Not only did everyone immediately click, but they were extremely positive and inclusive. Every kid would match the energy of the other campers and then raise the level an extra notch. It became infectious and by the end of the week some very strong bonds and friendships were created between campers and councilors alike.

Below is a video I made of just some of the highlights from the camp. Enjoy!