Peace Corps

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Posts tagged youth

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Today is the first-ever International Day of the Girl Child. 

The day was established by the the United Nations General Assembly to recognize girls’ rights and the unique challenges they face around the world. It’s an occasion for reaching out and educating others about the status of girls and the positive results that can be obtained by investing in them and is a good platform for engaging girls directly and offering them an opportunity to interact with positive role models. 

How did you help empower young women during your Peace Corps service? 

(Source: dayofthegirl.org)

Filed under USAID International Day of the Girl Child gender youth Peace Corps girls young women empowerment education equal rights

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The center is designed to benefit the growing number of children who roam the streets while their parents work, who live in extreme poverty, or who are abandoned. Our objective is to continue improving the lives of socially disadvantaged or at-risk youth by strengthening certain elements of our current center.

- Peace Corps Volunteer Sandra Rose Wildermuth, who is working with her community in Paraguay to renovate the local youth center, which serves as a soup kitchen and space for educational resources and counseling

(Source: peacecorps.gov)

Filed under Paraguay Peace Corps Volunteer youth poverty at-risk youth community development Peace Corps Partnership Program

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Peace Corps Volunteer Julie Nelson shared this photo and story about making a difference in the life of one young woman in Azerbaijan:“One of my students, Shole, has personally struggled a lot in the time I’ve known her. Her parents are divorced, her mother is absent, her father lives with his new wife, and she is being raised by her grandparents. Shole is very self-conscious about this situatio n, and although she is a gifted student, it is very difficult getting her to commit to conversation clubs or other activities because of lack of motivation. However, this spring, she seemed more upbeat than usual, and she participated in ‘Write On’ contest for the first time. Shole won first place in the 8th grade category! Even though she seemed happy at the time, I could tell that she didn’t realize the significance of this accomplishment.A few months later, Shole participated in GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) Camp. I hadn’t seen her since the camp until she attended the Write On Awards Ceremony with me. It was a wonderful experience because she was absolutely glowing the entire time. She told me numerous times that she was happy and that she was thankful. Before leaving the ceremony, Shole said thank you again and that she loved me.My counterpart has since talked to her grandmother who said that Shole is very different now than she was a few months ago. Now she is driven and even wants to study and apply for the FLEX (Future Leaders Exchange) program!”Learn more about FLEX here http://exchanges.state.gov/youth/programs/flex.html

Peace Corps Volunteer Julie Nelson shared this photo and story about making a difference in the life of one young woman in Azerbaijan:

“One of my students, Shole, has personally struggled a lot in the time I’ve known her. Her parents are divorced, her mother is absent, her father lives with his new wife, and she is being raised by her grandparents. Shole is very self-conscious about this situatio

n, and although she is a gifted student, it is very difficult getting her to commit to conversation clubs or other activities because of lack of motivation. 

However, this spring, she seemed more upbeat than usual, and she participated in ‘Write On’ contest for the first time. Shole won first place in the 8th grade category! Even though she seemed happy at the time, I could tell that she didn’t realize the significance of this accomplishment.

A few months later, Shole participated in GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) Camp. I hadn’t seen her since the camp until she attended the Write On Awards Ceremony with me. It was a wonderful experience because she was absolutely glowing the entire time. She told me numerous times that she was happy and that she was thankful. Before leaving the ceremony, Shole said thank you again and that she loved me.

My counterpart has since talked to her grandmother who said that Shole is very different now than she was a few months ago. Now she is driven and even wants to study and apply for the FLEX (Future Leaders Exchange) program!”

Learn more about FLEX here http://exchanges.state.gov/youth/programs/flex.html

Filed under Peace Corps Volunteer Azerbaijan FLEX State Department gender youth education Camp GLOW leadership writing