Peace Corps volunteers to hold 10-day overnight camp for girls

A ten-day overnight camp for up to 30 girls between the age of 14 and 18 years, is set to take place here this summer.{{more}}

Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World), organized by local Peace Corps volunteers, will take place from August 2 to the 11, in the North Leeward area.

Volunteers Courtney Crowder and Jessica Sances dropped by SEARCHLIGHT earlier this week, to raise awareness of the event.

“This is the first time in St Vincent,” Sances explained. “It’s been put on by volunteers in several other countries, like Africa and Asia. The first one in the Caribbean was in Grenada last year, but this will be the first one in St Vincent, so it’s like a girls’ empowerment.”

The women said that during the camp, the girls would be involved in various activities and discussions, including healthy relationships, gender roles, career development, volunteerism, life skills, leadership, conflict resolution and HIV/AIDS.

“The biggest focus is HIV, because we wanted to be able to provide comprehensive education,” Crowder said. “Because while there is a lot of HIV and AIDS education, it may not be accessible to people, depending on where they are…. And a lot of things that we discuss go along with HIV/AIDS, because we talk about healthy relationships and gender roles and women’s empowerment.”

The women pointed out that the topic areas and activities will be facilitated by a number of local women from diverse backgrounds and professions.

Crowder and Sances, who both work at primary schools on the country’s leeward side, are also seeking additional funding and assistance in order to make the camp a success.

They have already received a grant from the international Peace Corps, as well as some assistance from Digicel and other contributors.

Persons interested in participating in the camp, providing funding, or contributing to the programme may contact the volunteers on the Facebook page (Camp GLOW Saint Vincent), website (www.campglowsvg.weebly.com) or email (campglowsvg@gmail.com). (JJ)