On day four the girls woke up jazzed and ready to go. It was finally the day they were waiting for when we would embark onto the ropes course for hours upon end. However, there were a few serious matters of business to get through beforehand… After breakfast, Plan Somoto led the girls in games and different relay races from the day before. The girls laughed and enjoyed a bit of sunshine as a start to the chilly day. With this being the last day of sessions, the girls were all anxious to get them over with, no matter how … Continue reading Day 4: Planning for the Future

Our second morning at camp began with breakfast and then an hour of activities to warm us up. From relay races to a “crossing the river” game, everything was fun, active, and involved a lot of teamwork. Now that we had become more acquainted with each other at camp, the sessions got a little more serious. Over the course of the day on Thursday there were actually four presentations: 1. Violence – led by PLAN Chinandega. This session covered different types of violence (physical, sexual, emotional/psychological, and economical), as well as human rights and means of preventing violence. One thing … Continue reading Day 3: Confronting Myths and Discrimination

We asked a handful of girls about they experience on the first full day of camp… What was your favorite activity today?  Sorangel – Playing kickball! Heydis – Me too 🙂 Sandra – Going through the labyrinth Melixa – I really liked the labyrinth too Getsabel – Making bracelets and earrings Karina – Doing crafts What’s something that you learned today?  Sorangel – The 3 levels of self-esteem Heydis – Me too! Sandra – I learned that sex is what differentiates me and women, but gender is based on culture Melixa – How to make bracelets and earrings, and about having a strong self-esteem … Continue reading Day 2: Interviews

Some of the girls started off our first morning at camp with a little yoga, led by PCVs Morgan and Jessica, while the others slept in a little or took their time getting ready and showering in the cold, cold water. Quite the wake-up call! At 7am we all moved to the cafeteria for breakfast, after which the girls took a pre-test to measure the knowledge they already had about the topics we’ll cover during the rest of camp. We also made small groups to mix the girls up with people from different places, and for organization during activities. The … Continue reading Day 2: Opening Discussions

Over the course of the afternoon, young girls, Peace Corps Volunteers, and PLAN Nicaragua counterparts arrived to the camp site at Vida Joven, tucked high in the mountains of Jinotega. The early arrivers passed the time playing sports and getting to know Vida Joven until everyone was finally there at 4:30. We initiated camp with a Welcome Ceremony where we applauded the girls for traveling so far and away from their families in order to participate in GLOW, introduced the counselors, and discussed some rules and expectations for the camp. Each girl also received a backpack with a notebook and … Continue reading Day 1: Welcome to Camp!