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!