For Regional GLOW Camps in Morocco, The Intensity Of Planning Is Worth The Results

by Brandy Blue


Something that GAD Morocco often advocates and celebrates is the implementation of GLOW camps at various sites around Morocco. GLOW stands for Girls Leading Our World and the camps help fulfill Peace Corps Morocco's goal of spreading female empowerment and raising self-confidence. GLOW camps ideally create a safe and supportive environment for cultural exchange, leadership development, and fun. These camps have been a part of Peace Corp's work since 1995, and have been held in over 60 countries worldwide.

To a new volunteer, spearheading a camp of this kind can feel daunting. The planning process involves a lot of communication with various officials, grant writing, arranging spaces, beds and food for the girls, devising a curriculum, and collecting a group of hard-working volunteers and counterparts to facilitate the event. I spoke recently with volunteer Emma James about her experience holding a regional GLOW camp earlier this year. Emma, an Avon, Maine native, came to Morocco after completing her studies in Anthropology and Education at Bowdoin College. She is currently wrapping up her 2 years of service in Tighassaline, Morocco.

Her passion for expanding education for girls is palpable. When asked why she took on this project, Emma says, "There is a dearth of opportunity presented to girls in this region of Morocco – and identifying this was all the inspiration we really needed to prepare for GLOW. Many of the girls from our communities are trapped in a mindset that their life plan is predetermined: girls are to stay in their small villages, marry young, start a family, and become a housewife." Currently in Morocco, 80% of young females from rural areas who attend school drop out between grades 1 and 6. 

She continued: "The goal of our camp was to encourage girls to abandon this flawed mentality, push gender barriers, and reflect on what they really want in life. Most importantly, we wanted to empower girls and lead them to realize that the above is possible, regardless of the gender stereotypes and expectations that they have been exposed to." Emma plans to advance her work post-Peace Corps by moving on to a graduate program at the University of Pennsylvania focusing on international girls' education.

Planning for GLOW camps, especially one as large and intensive as Emma's, takes a lot of patience. A camp for the region was originally slated to take place last year, but due to bureaucratic issues it was postponed at the last minute. Emma says the apparent theme during all the administrative issues this time around was, "hurry up and wait." She said the support she received from her regional manager, Houda Mansouri, was critical throughout the laborious planning stages. But ultimately, with sponsorship of the Ministry of Youth and Sports and Association CJM co-signing on to the grant, the camp was held in El Hajeb from January 31st to February 5th of this year. 

Emma and her co-planner Garrett Powers were able to pull together the multi-provincial camp with the help of 14 other current Peace Corps volunteers and 14 Moroccan counterparts. Emma said the scope of the camp was rewarding but also the source of many of the planning challenges. "We had girls from four or five different provinces. This meant that we had to receive special permission from the Ministry in Rabat," she says. "If your camp is going to be one or both of the above points, start early and get things in writing instead of just a verbal agreement."

Ultimately 68 girls were able to participate in the camp. They were able to become active learners in sessions involving a range of themes: Gender and Development, Health (physical and mental, healthy relationships), STEM, Arts, Goal Setting and a Career Panel, Feminine Hygiene and SIDA, Self-Esteem and Self-Respect. During the planning process Emma delegated much of the activity work to the other involved PCVs. While she handled all the administrative paperwork, she says, these PCVs were essential to keeping the actual camp planning alive. "I cannot stress this enough," she says, "don’t be afraid to delegate tasks and responsibilities. Other PCVs are there to help and want to be planning and working. It would have been impossible for Garrett and me to plan everything while also dealing with all the bureaucratic nuisances."

Other PCVs were also essential in getting girls physically to the camp. As a camp that involved traveling from other provinces, close contact with parents was very important. A number of girls were not able to attend at the last minute because of withdrawn permission from their parents. To avoid this, Emma advises close personal contact with the families of the girls before the camp begins. Girls that had initially been given permission were ultimately kept home because their families became uncomfortable with the subject matter of the camp or the lack of a family chaperone. Emma emphasized to "avoid this problem by talking to parents beforehand when the idea is originally presented to girls, if they still have problems then you can give another girl the opportunity to go to camp."

Once all the planning, attendance issues, and curriculum was developed and set into motion, the actual camp was a great success. Emma is most proud of the sessions presented on goal setting. A panel was arranged featuring "five very successful women: Hoda Mansouri, RM from Peace Corps, the Delegue of Youth and Sports to El Hajeb, a hospital administrator, the head of AXA insurance branch at Hajeb, and a physics teacher." The girls were able to hear some different perspectives on future careers and ask questions. "What made it so special is that in the morning girls had attended a goal planning session. Girls transitioned from thinking about their own futures to listening to five incredibly successful women talk about how they once were in their position. It was inspirational and motivating for the girls."

The feedback of a particular participant embodies the general feeling surrounding the close of the activities. She said, 

I would be a liar if I said that GLOW camp wasn’t the greatest experience of my life thus far. I’ve learned how to be independent. I re-learned what it means to be “responsible.” I learned how to behave and work with different people. I’ve made new friends. In addition, I’ve learned how to listen to other people’s problems. I was so happy to play all the games at camp. It was my first time speaking in front of a large crowd and talking about my opinions and myself. I loved it! I’m going to miss you all a lot.

Another participant simply stated “I wish I could stay at camp forever.” This feedback is what makes the arduous planning process all worthwhile. In a country where safe spaces for girls to learn and grow can seem to be few and far between, experiences like this can create a sea change in the development of young women. So, as Emma recommends: “start early, get stuff in writing, work with your RM, delegate tasks to PCVs, give out permission slips early, and talk to parents, especially fathers.” Then get out there and celebrate the girls in your life with a GLOW camp!

Interview with a GAD Counterpart

Last week, GAD sat down with a fabulous GAD counterpart (and the PCV she works with) to find out what it's like for Moroccan working with Peace Corps Volunteers.  The following interview reveals some tips and insights into being a great counterpart and finding a great counterpart to work with.

The interview was conducted with Raja  in Darija in her home near Errichidia.  Please note that while many PCVs feel it is important to find a counterpart whose English is impeccable, Raja speaks very little English and communicates primarily in Darija.  Her work relationship with her PCV counerpart is conducted in Darija.

Photo credit: Alison Elder

Alison and Raja at the Women's Empowerment Network Training in Ifrane

GAD: Tell me a little about yourself.

R: My name is Raja. I volunteer with an association Chorok, which helps women and children who are divorced or in poverty, often those whose husbands have died.

GAD: What did you study at University?  Where?

R: I studied Arabic language / linguistics at the University in Errichidia.  I received a 3-year diploma and finished 2011.

GAD: When did you begin working with Peace Corps?

R: Before Zohora (PCV Alison Elder) shwiya I worked with Anna Schiffer.  We did a small weekend camp in Taous: we played games with children between 7 and 12 years.  We did another project at the Dar Chebab, for women.  I helped her partner with the Association Chorok to do a small health workshop. I began with Zohora when she arrived.  

GAD: How many Peace Corps workshops/trainings have you attended?

R: I’ve been to many: IYF in October 2015, Gender Advocate Training in December 2014, Project Development Management in April 2015

IYF celebration picnic (Raja pictured center)

GAD: What is the best event you have put on?

R: IYF and PDM.

Our first group of IYF, with 25 people.  We had mothers and people doing the BAC.  Everyone came on time and were motivated to work with us.  They were the best group because they listened and focused.  We did a flyer at the Dar Chebab and used word of mouth to advertise.  We need good relations with others because people need something new.  They need trust.  They need constantly to enjoy what they’re doing.  Two volunteers tried IYF in the past but were unable to succeed.  We speak from our heart and do a lot of planning in order to make a great program for the youth of Boudnib.  The youth of Boudnib need IYF.

(talking about PDM) Before, a Moroccan association gave bicycles to young girls [in town] to prevent them from dropping out of school.  But that wasn’t the solution, because the girls didn’t want to go to school.  We received a list of 6 girls who had dropped out of school and asked them how we could help them, but they merely didn’t want to study.  So we hope to begin the project again with Dar Taliba (a boarding house for young women).

The best program we did with Zohora: Women don’t know how to take care of themselves: their health, their heart, stomach, sucar (diabetes).  People came from the hills, which was very hard.  We had 140 women and a tent.  We worked with a diabetes assocition Moharabat de Sucare in [town].  Everyone went to Taous early in the morning for two days.  We did diabetes testing, with the help of PC and Moharabat de Sucare.  We brought nurses from the hospital to speak to them about how to be healthy.  We did aerobics both days, ate lunch with them.  We did it a second time with a different topic: family planning, how to cook healthy food, how to take care of their periods (reusable pads were donated from an NGO in the US), importance of and how to breastfeed.  We had 140 people, some new and some returned.  The ones who returned had gained confidence, spoke up, asked questions, engaged with the nurses.  The Red Cross came from Errichidia and spoke about and did blood pressure testing.  

Raja, left, at the women's health workshop in Taous

If we have the chance, we will do it again.  The women really enjoyed.  It makes me happy because Errichidia and the South East have a problem.  We need healthy women, because everyone has this problem (lack of health education).  We need women leaders.  Our role in society is important.  We need equality for everyone.  Men must help children to learn.  Women help to train their children about health and how to live so we must help them learn.  Because one small message from the mother becomes big in the [children's] mind[s] as they grow.  Health education is the most important lesson in life.  How to take care of yourself is first.  Women in the [country side] aren’t like women in the center.  They don’t know everything about health, when they must go to the hospital, etc.  This is our goal.

GAD: Why do you think it is important to work with women in Morocco?

Because women don’t have associations.  They talk a lot about associations.  They have lots of ideas but don’t do anything, in truth.  We need to work with women and need volunteers to work with women.

I know other volunteers like me, but sometimes they don’t want to work much.  You must be working and thinking about work all the time.  I have ideas before I go to sleep.  Every volunteer must first think about their goals.  That is a volunteer.  There are many problems in life, not just health.

First, you must know the students who you will work with.  You must understand them and what they want: health or studies or what.  This is the role of the volunteers. We must also know their schedules, when they are at the farm and when at souq, so we can work with them.

GAD: Any advice for other Moroccan counterparts who want to work with women and Peace Corps?

R: You must have a focus on humanity, first.  You must love all people.  You must listen well.  If you have an idea, you must respect time, you must know everything, you must be prepared.

GAD: When Zohora leaves, will you continue your work?

R: Inchallah.

Raja, working with other volunteers, helping her community build a playground

Alison / Zohora's feedback on working with a GAD counterpart

GAD: How did you find Raja3 as a counterpart?

I would say Raja3 is a pretty obvious counterpart.  When I first got here, we spent a ton of time together.  She knows everybody and is bubbly and outgoing and confident and everything wonderful.  And so I guess the first time we worked together - she would come to aerobics - was for the IYF because she hadn’t really worked as a counterpart before.  So I was a little unsure because she was a little all over the place.  I wasn’t sure how she’d handle professional things but she was stellar.  Really great counterpart.  

My advice for people working for counterparts - the reason why she and I succeeded is, although she is naturally wonderful and obvious, but also after IFY I didn’t say, “Now you go do this.”  I would push her, ask when to start, we would work on it together, and for the first 40 lessons we did, I went with her and supported her and helped with planning.  I encouraged her. I think it’s important to not think, “It’s all on them”.  The program has to be started by you.  It won’t just happen.  I asked Raja3 what are issues facing women here?  She did a huge part of the planning and she’s someone I trust to tell me what the community needs and she’s very enthusiastic and happy to help out.  She’s extraordinary.