THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 • 1 ICT – September 2001 VOLUME NO. 35 Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Peace Corps • Paul D. Covrdell Peace Corps Headquarters • 1111 20th Street, NW • Washington, DC 20526 USA • www.peacecorps.gov Inside • Letter From the Editors ............... 2 • Questions and Answers ................ 2 • WID Reviews in ICE .................... 3 • ICT: Creating New Opportunities for Women and Girls .................... 4 • Girls in Ghana Get Computerized ........................ 6 • Jordan Opens Its First Community Center ....................... 7 • Creating Networks to Recycle ICT Hardware ................ 8 • Engendering Development: “The Bigger Picture” ................. 12 • How to Search for Information on the Web ............. 14 • A Camp GLOW Mosaic ............. 16 • International Women’s Day and TODTW Day ....................... 19 • Apprenticeships and Businesses .................................... 24 • Women’s Roles in Agriculture ... 26 • Increasing Awareness About Deaf Culture .................... 28 HIGH TECH FUTURES: Girls’ Club members in Ghana learn about computers at the District Assembly office as part of an information technology field trip. Photo provided by: Trevor Harmon/PCV Girls in Ghana Get Computerized By Trevor Harmon/PCV Girls in Ghana continues on page 10 “What is all this...singing?” asked the schoolmaster, squinting through his spec- tacles at eleven young women huddled around a laptop. “I thought you were teach- ing them computers.” The girls ended their song — something about sending your daughter to school — and he watched closely as one of them tapped a key. Instantly the room filled with a digital recording of their voices, piped through the laptop’s tiny speakers. “But I am teaching them computers,” I replied. The schoolmaster seemed per- plexed, then frustrated, and finally said, “Please tell them to reduce the noise. They are disturbing my work.” As he turned to leave, another girl pressed a different key, and the recording was played again, this time at double-speed. The girls burst into laugh- ter at the sound of their altered, high-pitched voices. The schoolmaster closed the door, shaking his head and looking slightly annoyed. When I began teaching computer classes six months ago, I never thought that getting my colleagues to accept my unusual teach- ing methods would be a problem. But there were plenty of obstacles, as I discovered, in teaching computer literacy to girls in Ghana. In this article, I want to share my experi- ences and offer some tips on how to over- come the challenges of teaching computer skills in a developing country. 2 • Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Letters & Q A From the Editors Dear Readers: This issue of The Exchange focuses on Gender and Information and Commu- nications Technologies (ICT). The subject is timely as individuals, businesses, schools and governments have begun to experiment with exciting new media and utilize existing technology in innovative ways. Unfortunately, it has become clear that access to these technologies themselves, and the benefits that follow, can vary greatly between men and women. By fostering their access to and use of ICT, Volunteers and counterparts can help women and girls begin to master some of the tools advancing education, communication and entrepreneurism in the 21st century. In this issue, there are stories about teaching young women how to use computers in Ghana, recycling old computers into schools in The Gambia, and the opening of an ICT center in Jordan. You will also find articles on youth conferences, International Women’s Day, micro-financing, agriculture and a collection of quotes, stories and photos from your GLOW camps. In addition, The Exchange has a new email address of its very own! Articles and electronic photos should now be sent to the new email address: TheExchange@peacecorps.gov. We would also like to say goodbye to someone who has contributed greatly to the quality and value of The Exchange newsletter. Matthew Emry has left the Peace Corps to pursue his graduate studies and we wish him well in his new adventures even as we welcome a new member to Peace Corps’ global WID/GAD effort. Tammy Boger has begun work as the new WID/GAD and ICT Administrative Assistant. Her most recent position was as Assistant for the United Nations Volunteer program, and prior to that she extended her Volunteer service in Côte d’Ivoire as the WID/GAD Coordinator in that country. Congratulations to both Matthew and Tammy! Teri Wingate Women in Development/ Gender and Development Coordinator (Acting) Tammy Boger WID/GAD and ICT Administrative Assistant The Exchange is a publication of the Peace Corps. Letters to the editor are the expressed views of the individual writers and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Peace Corps. We reserve the right to edit for style, clarity, and length. Dear editors, As the small business development representative on the Women in Develop- ment (WID) committee in Morocco, I am interested in how WID operates in other countries. We are always looking for ways to improve upon what we have done. The Exchange provides some useful ideas, but is not all that frequent. One idea is to pro- vide some sort of e-mail or regular mail list for WID members that wish to participate. I am interested in a variety of aspects of Peace Corps/WID, particularly the types of projects that are done. With respect to each country there are differences, but there are also commonalities, and I believe that we have a lot to learn about from other. As a city Volunteer I have easy access to e-mail. I am sure that more and more Volunteers have or will have access to e-mail as well, so this is a very feasible means of commu- nication for myself and others. Thanks very much. Jason Medeiros PCV Morocco c/o Elvira Nistreanu, Program Manager/Health Education Peace Corps 12 Grigore Ureche Str. Chisinau 2001 Republic of Moldova THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 • 3 Information Collection and Exchange (ICE) WID Reviews in ICE From Moldova’s GAD Corner By Michelle Haberer/PCV Peace Corps/Moldova’s Women in Development (WID) program has recently undergone a name change, from WID to the Gender and Development (GAD) program. The term “Gender and Development” ex- presses a philosophical change, which re- minds us to focus less on the “development of women” exclusively, and more on devel- opment that includes a gender perspective. This will prompt us to ask questions about gender roles, concepts, solutions, and so on, before assuming that one notion or one system is correct. What inspired this exciting change? Elvira Nistreanu, our program advisor, just returned from a training of trainers confer- ence with the advice and ideas of adminis- trators, host country nationals (HCNs), and Volunteers from around the world. Between that and the shared experience of Susan Brock, our new Programming and Training Officer, we have a myriad of new ideas with which to expand and develop GAD/ Moldova. Because we have such an inspirational number of Volunteers eager to work with the the men and women of Moldova to develop GAD projects, we decided to change our structure as well. Each sector committee has a representative who meets with the GAD coordinator to discuss why and how their program area can integrate GAD. The GAD committee also has designed a GAD Program Action Plan to define and measure the goals and progress of Peace Corps/ Moldova’s GAD program. Subcommittees are formed from the larger group and discuss the projects’ timelines. Our first activity as a redefined commit- tee will be a self-esteem seminar. Future GAD events will be Camp GLOW, public relations and self-esteem seminars, a peer helpers workshop, and a breast cancer awareness campaign. c/o Elvira Nistreanu Program Manager/Health Education Peace Corps 12 Grigore Ureche Str. Chisinau 2001 Republic of Moldova WD138—Gender Relations Analysis: A Guide for Trainers. A. Rani Parker, et al. (Save the Children) 1995. 142 pp. Gender Relations Analysis: A Guide for Trainers is a manual for systematic gender training. It empha- sizes the link between gender roles and sustainable development, the role of access and power relations, and the need to extend gender con- siderations beyond the “project” con- text. This manual is divided into three sections: the first focuses on key con- cepts, the second on training ses- sions, and the third on training prac- tices. Its contents include daily ses- sion plans and handouts. Many of these sessions have been used at the Peace Corps regional Gender and Development Team workshops. If you would like to use this book and it is not available in your in-country re- source center, you may order directly from ICE through your Peace Corps office. List your name, your sector, your address, the book title, and the ICE publication number, and a copy will be sent to you. Send your requests to: Distribution Management Specialist ICE Resource Center Peace Corps/The Center Paul D. Coverdell Peace Corps Headquarters 1111 20th Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20526 USA vwomack@peacecorps.gov To locate other resources, please refer to The Whole ICE Catalog 2001/2002, which contains a complete listing of technical books and other publications from the Peace Corps ICE Resource Center for Peace Corps Volunteers and staff to use during their Peace Corps service. WID and GAD resources can be found on pages 163-171 of the catalog. If you have a favorite ICE publication, The Exchange would like to share your reviews and comments on how you have used the resource. Please send to the WID office the title and catalog number of the resource; let us know what you thought about the book; how you used it; and how you think it could be used. If you have found helpful resources not currently distributed through The Whole ICE Catalog, please send information on them as well. Through this common sharing, we can continue to help Volunteers find useful resources. 4 • Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Gender Roles and ICT Information and Communication Technologies: Creating New Opportunities for Women & Girls By Gini Wilderson, Information and Communication Technologies Specialist and Patrick Collins, Evaluation Specialist Lineo is not the only one in her family who improves her education at a distance. Her younger sister, Teboho, who is in pri- mary school, listens to the radio every evening for supplementary math exercises. Lineo’s cousin Mampiti, the secretary for her community’s Burial Society, just learned that the Ministry of Education will offer basic computer classes. Mampiti is very ex- cited about participating in the classes be- cause she believes they will help her better manage the Burial Society’s finances. She becomes discouraged when she realizes that the classes are held when she is responsible for looking after her younger brothers and sisters. The story of Lineo and her female rela- tives is based on numerous and increasing real-life examples reported by Peace Corps Volunteers and staff. Peace Corps reports and data from numerous other organizations confirm that the use of information and com- munication technologies (ICTs) is expand- ing rapidly around the world — although not as equitably for women and girls. Gender and Technology Much has been written about the digital divide-the gap between those who have Internet and computer access and those who do not. This divide is most strongly felt in the non-industrialized nations where Peace Corps Volunteers live and work. Unfortu- nately, women in developing countries tend to feel the consequences of the divide even more acutely than their male counterparts and are less likely or able to participate in today’s information age. In an era when fax machines have gone from new technology, to common use, to virtual obsolescence in only about 10 years’ time — and Internet café’s have become commonplace in capital cities and in smaller towns in nearly every country where Peace Corps Volunteers work — “women are still only 22 percent of all Internet users in Asia, 30 percent of those in Latin America and six percent of Middle Eastern users. No regional figures by sex are available for Africa.”1 Women tend to participate in the low-tech end of adaptation (e.g., as data pro- cessors) rather than contributing to higher- end applications such as Internet content development, programming or Web page design. Women and women’s groups do however, frequently use e-mail as an im- portant tool for empowerment, sharing resources and networking. What are ICTs? What do you think of when you hear the term “ICT?” If you are like most people, you immediately imagine a computer, possibly connected to the Internet, and how those two technologies could be harnessed to access and produce all sorts of interesting and rel- evant information. While this may be the more commonly held definition these days, Information and Communication Technolo- gies (ICTs) actually refers to a BROAD spectrum of technologies that allow us to acquire, produce and share ideas and re- sources. It is useful to keep this concept in mind as we begin to strategize ways to use technology as a tool for leapfrogging stages of development. The following are descrip- tions of some other forms of ICTs and how they can be used to support Volunteers’ work, particularly with the women and girls in their communities. Print: Printing, whether it is from mim- eograph machines or photocopiers, is the most common form of communication and information technology. Where there is a shortage of relevant print materials, Volun- teers are often active in helping develop L ineo, a young urban woman in Lesotho, is enrolled in a mass me- dia course with a university in South Africa. The university mails her the video- taped lectures and she views them at home on her family’s VCR. Last year, she re- sponded to her assignments by snail mail, but this year, a new Internet café has opened in the capital and she is able to e-mail her assignments. One assignment asked her to interview a print journalist about the con- cepts of free speech and national develop- ment. With some help from the technicians at the Internet café, Lineo was able to locate a female journalist in the U.K. who provided her with some thought-provoking responses. The journalist directed Lineo to online news portals featuring the work of other female journalists. Lineo eagerly visited those Web sites, then began to wonder why so little of the content was produced by African women. 1 From the executive summary of “Gender, Information Technology and Developing Countries: An Analytic Study” by Nancy Hafkin and Nancy Taggart, Academy for Educational Development (AED), Washington, DC. Information Technologies continues on page 5 THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 • 5 Gender Roles and ICT resources, such as lesson plans and business brochures. Radio: Radio is a fairly inexpensive and pervasive technology, yet it is often over- looked as a tool for development informa- tion and communication. In recent years, small community radio stations, which typi- cally have a limited reception range, have increasingly been involved in broadcasting locally relevant development messages, such as health, nutrition, or civic participation. Several countries use a methodology called interactive radio instruction to provide educational instruction in remote areas where teachers are under-trained or unavail- able. In addition, satellites can now provide radio reception to remote areas that were previously beyond reception range. Video: Television signals are increas- ingly accessible in countries where Volun- teers work. In areas beyond broadcast range, signals are often receivable using satellite dishes. In addition, video has become a fairly inexpensive and common technology. The price of video cameras has dropped dramati- cally in recent years, and movies or videos with development messages can be shown in the most remote areas using a portable generator or car battery. Because of the power of visual images, video — whether it is used for microteaching for interactive teacher training, or showing videos on effective health and nutrition practices — can be a very effective development tool. Computers: There are several varia- tions of computer technology. A basic level would involve a standard computer, moni- tor, and perhaps printer, with basic word pro- cessing, spreadsheet, and database software. Depending on the processing speed of the computer, software might also be available on CD-ROM. Spreadsheet and database software alone can improve efficiency in organizational record keeping. An additional level of computer technology is e-mail. The demand for e-mail access has expanded exponentially because of its ability to pro- vide expanded communication possibilities — particularly across great distances quickly and at a relatively low cost. Another level of computer technology is Internet connec- tivity, which allows access to the World Wide Web. The Web provides users with access to enormous amounts of infor- mation (e.g., scientific literature and development best practices), which might otherwise be inaccessible. The Web also allows interactive commu- nication through the use of chat groups and bulletin boards. Currently, the most advanced form of computer technology is virtual reality, which allows users to inter- act in a computer-generated virtual world. Some promising applications for this tech- nology are being developed, such as train- ing in surgical techniques and allowing users to ride on atomic particles to demonstrate physics principles. However, this technol- ogy is prohibitively expensive for most development applications. What Can Peace Corps Volunteers Do? In the year 2000, over 1,300 Volunteers worked with 750 host country organizations and over 14,000 host country counterparts and partners on information technology- related activities. Because of their computer, language, and cross-cultural skills, and the fact that they work on capacity-building efforts at the grassroots level, Volunteers are uniquely positioned to help individuals, organizations, and communities explore the use of information and communication tech- nologies to improve their lives. Below are a few ideas to start creative thinking on ways in which Volunteers in all sectors can use ICTs to help create new opportunities for the women and girls, as well as the men and boys in their communities. • Approach your community radio station, or even the Ministry of Information, re- garding producing a dramatic serial radio program about the trials and tribulations of an enterprising female farmer, small business owner, teacher, or other profes- sion. • Design an America Online (AOL) Peace Pack activity specifically geared toward increasing women’s access to, and produc- tion of, useful information on the Internet. Be sure to submit your Peace Pack proposal through your APCD. • At your next WID/GAD meeting, distrib- ute a list of Web resources for women and girls (see “How To”, page 14). Make an arrangement with a local Internet café or telecenter (often located at teacher train- ing colleges) for a group discount and hold a Web surfing day for a local women’s group. Make arrangements for childcare so that women can fully participate. • Explore ways to use computers to support future sustainability of forestry. Analyti- cal processes for planning purposes, re- sources assessment and data collection, and on-the-ground forest management are some ideas. • Local TV and radio stations are often starved for locally produced program- ming. In conjunction with your counter- part, community or local WID/GAD group, propose production of a weekly radio or TV talk show focusing on a different woman-owned small business each time. If it is a television program, get local female business owners to donate items to furnish your set, in exchange for on-air credit at the end of the show. • Help set up and run sustainable commu- nity or school telecenters. For ideas on how to start this, see the recent UNESCO publication, “The Community Telecentre Cookbook For Africa: Recipes For Self- Sustainability.” www.unesdoc.unesco. org/images/0012/001230/123004e.pdf. Information Technologies continues on page 6 Information Technologies continued from page 4 6 • Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Gender Roles and ICT • Video or audiotape mock interview ses- sions to help increase women’s opportu- nities for landing a new job. Afterwards, review the tape with each individual to help her critique her own performance under pressure. • Download free typing tutors from the Internet to increase typing speeds and increase job marketability. Just type “free typing tutor” in your favorite search engine. • Design an e-commerce Web site featur- ing goods produced by women and girls. Use a free Web hosting service (there are still a few available!). • Add an IT component to your Camp Glow activities (see “Girls Around the World Thrive at Camp GLOW”, page 16). Col- laborate with a local Internet café to provide access to the Web. • Create a newsletter highlighting the ICT activities in your country. Post your news- letter on the Internet. • Join IT Volunteers — a forum for Volun- teers worldwide who want to exchange ideas, experiences, and information about working with technology. Peace Corps staff is also welcome to join. This group is moderated by Dee Siegel, country desk assistant at Peace Corps/Washington. Both Volunteers and staff are encouraged to join. To be added to the IT Volunteers group, please send an e-mail directly to dsiegel@peacecorps.gov. Include your name, e-mail address, title (Volunteer, APCD, etc.), sector, and country. You will receive a confirmation e-mail with in- structions to access the Web page and additional information. “We must recognize that this information technology is here to stay.... What we have to decide is if we either play the game and turn it to our advantage or lose out com- pletely.” — Fatma Alloo, founder, Tanzania Media Women’s Association Information Technologies continued from page 5 Ghanaians Gain Confidence Through Computers By Sarah Danniger/Volunteer Recently, a handful of Ghanaian girls participated in a weekend workshop designed to introduce them to basic computer skills, to build their confidence in using com- puters, and to promote their interest in information technology. The conference took place at Wenchi Secondary School, and was facilitated by the director of its computer lab and his two computer technicians. The director started the workshop by introducing the girls to the lab and explaining its rules and etiquette. The girls had a wide range of computer experience, from never having seen a computer before to being familiar with some software. The participants learned about the parts of a computer, and its basics operations. They learned how to use menus, and were each assigned a user name and a password for the local network. They were taught how to log in and look at the files in their directories. The girls also practiced the correct way to position their hands on the keyboards, which they abandoned for the hunt and peck method. The girls also played simple computer games, which provided a great way to break up the sessions and practice using the keyboard. Another interesting session allowed the girls to send e-mail messages to someone in America. With the phone lines down, however, they were not sent in time to receive replies before the end of the workshop. The girls also took time to view the Wenchi Secondary School Web site, after which they learned about html (hyper- text-markup-language) code and designed their own Web pages. The lab director took a photo of each girl to be added later to their personal pages. One of the most enjoyable activities was a competitive game of scrabble over the network. The students seemed to really enjoy the weekend and all expressed interest in learning more about computers. c/o Aba Sey APCD/Environment Peace Corps P.O. Box 5796 Accra North Ghana THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 • 7 Gender Roles and ICT Jordan Opens First Community Information and Communication Technologies Center By Ann Furr/PCV site will also provide information about the locations of the mobile medical and dental clinic and the mobile veterinary clinic that operate in the area. In the near future, the center plans to offer computer-training classes to the community, and to issue certificates for successful completion of the course. Training provides the foundation for all IT center activities. Information technology training and the International Certificate are being consid- ered for a teaching program. As the need arises, other specific courses can be added to the center’s services, such as program- ming, network management, development software applications, and computer hard- ware repair. In addition, specialized work- shops can be arranged for community mem- bers who have specific training needs. There is a waiting list of approximately 300 people, who want to take the classes. The center also plans to open a second room as a language laboratory for teaching spoken English and is considering the possibility of construct- ing a playground. This would provide a place for students to play while waiting for their turn on the computers. It would also allow The Prince Hussein bin Abdullah Community Center for Information and Technology is the first informa- tion and technology (IT) center in Jordan. The center was opened in the remote vil- lage of Safawi, Jordan, by His Majesty King Abdullah. Safawi is a village of about 2,000 people located in Eastern Badia in eastern Jordan. This area of the Badia is home to approximately 20,000 people, mostly no- madic or semi-nomadic Bedouin. Since the doors opened and the comput- ers were turned on, the center has been filled to capacity with young and old, all eager to learn. In deference to local custom, the Safawi schools have worked out a rotating schedule so that the boys’ classes and girls’ classes come on different days of the week to use the computers. Even the kindergarten classes march down the streets of Safawi to the center to use the computers. On the last day of the week and in the afternoons after school, the center is open for community use. The center has 15 computers, three with Internet access. The center is the result of a collaborative effort of local, national, and international organizations, and without this wide support, it would not exist. The center is supervised by the Safawi field center of the Jordan Badia Research and Development Programme. A Web site is being built for the center that will provide information about the Safawi area, as well as pictures of local handicrafts for sale. The STARTING EARLY: Kindergarten children learn about computers at an IT center in Jordan. Photo by: Ann Furr/PCV mothers to visit and use the center while their children played safely close by. A teacher in Duluth Minnesota has built an interactive Web site, so that her Ameri- can high school students can utilize the Internet to learn from students in Safawi about the Middle East. Her students are graded on their participation. The students of Safawi are able to practice their English language skills, as well as their computer skills in answering these questions. Com- munity response to the center has been over- whelmingly positive. Elderly Bedouin come to the center from their black goat-hair tents and sit next to college students, both intent on learning computer skills for the twenty- first century. c/o Enas Yousef Program Assistant/Community Development Peace Corps 2nd Floor Abu Hassan Trading Center Building No.81 lbn Khaldoun Street, 4th Circle JA Amman Jordan 8 • Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Gender Roles and ICT Resurrecting the Dinosaur: Creating Networks to Recycle ICT Hardware in the Gambia By Clara Soh/PCV through donations. Before a farmer in the village can tap the power of information and communication technology (ICT), he must first learn how to use the tools involved. We realized that by bringing computers to schools, and integrating them into the cur- riculum, we could foster an entire genera- tion of Gambians who would be computer literate. This, however, is a daunting task. When Volunteers set out to select students for computer classes, one of the statements on the application was: Describe any previ- ous computer experience. Among the most experienced students, one proudly stated that he had “once been in the same room while his uncle used the computer. We wanted to alleviate the lack of IT resources by explaining to possible donors that any sort of computer equipment was highly valued. The Gambian community was convinced that they could tap into a wealth of hardware donations if together we could create a network between nongovern- mental organizations, donor agencies, American schools, private individuals, Vol- unteers, and Gambian students to bring com- puter equipment to The Gambia. The project leaders used e-mail to communicate with donors, bridging previously insurmountable international gaps. Once the new partner- ships were forged, project leaders in the community worked directly with donors to pay for and transport the new equipment to the project site. We helped the students set up Web sites to show donors the results of their philanthropy and taught students how to use e-mail to help solidify the newly formed links. The Resurrecting the Dinosaur project was even featured on a commercial Web site and in National Education news- letters, which helped to enhance its success. It should be noted that the Peace Corps was not involved in the payment for, nor the transportation of, the equipment. However, the project did receive the complete approval of Gambian government officials and Peace Corps/Gambia. The idea that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure is not new, but many people do not realize that their outdated computers are an incredible resource to developing nations. Our project is unique because it strives to create a recycling network. In addition to creating connections between donors and recipients, we also worked to create networks of computer savvy host country nationals within The Gambia. Bringing computer equipment to a coun- try where the vast majority of the popula- tion lives without electricity has lead to prob- lems in maintenance and facility upkeep. The dependence on outside aid was discour- aging. Facilities will sometimes be shut down for weeks at a time while a machine is taken from a rural province to the capital for servicing. More often than not, schools cannot afford the cost of servicing a com- puter, so the machine will lie collecting dust for a relatively minor problem. With this in mind, we brought together Gambians from schools and health and governmental offices in each rural division and trained them in computer maintenance and repair. In this way, we formed a new network of people who can rely on each other for advice when a computer develops Editor’s Note: On June 6th, Peace Corps Volunteer Clara Soh and three other win- ners of the International Institute for Com- munication and Development (IICD) Infor- mation and Communication Technologies (ICT) Stories Competition 2001 presented their stories and lessons learned at the 2001 Internet Summit in Stockholm, Sweden. Further information about the competi- tion and Clara Soh’s article can also be found at www.iicd.org/stories. A shortened version of Clara Soh’s article can be read below. Last year, I noticed a magazine article discussing the difficulties that many companies face when upgrading their computer systems. Many people think that the actual purchase of new computers is the only costly step in upgrading. How- ever, this article discussed the growing demand for adequate disposal facilities for dead computers; companies regularly pay upwards of US $40 for the safe disposal of a single unit. The article further discussed the fact that while many schools and non- profit agencies constantly clamor for dona- tions of computer equipment, no one wants machines that are obsolete. Here in West Africa, the word obsolete does not exist. Cars that should have been retired years ago have been soldered and spot welded numerous times, and still function as bush taxis, ferrying villagers across the country each day. Before this project began, the only computer training facility outside of the capital city taught eager computer students on outdated computers. Several Peace Corps Volunteers and I realized that there was a missing link in the chain of supply and demand; therefore, we pitched in to try and bridge the gap between willing donors and eager recipients. Project Description Initially, we focused on bringing com- puter equipment to Gambian Schools Resurrecting the Dinosaur continues on page 9 THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 • 9 Gender Roles and ICT a problem. We trained them to communi- cate with each other through e-mail and to access troubleshooting information over the Internet. By facilitating cross-sectoral coop- eration and communication through the application of ICT, we have helped to alleviate reliance on outside aid, and have furthered sustainable development. Project Results Before we began our effort to bring com- puters to The Gambia, the only computer training facilities in the country were pri- vate, for-profit enterprises. Since we began a consolidated push to bring equipment and computer literacy to The Gambia, eleven computer labs have been opened at primary, junior and secondary schools around the country. Students who were previously unable to afford classes at the private institutions have since been trained in basic computer literacy and to teach computer literacy as teachers’ assistants to their fel- low students. Introducing computer literacy to Gambians offers a chance to students to significantly improve their quality of life by teaching them a skill they can readily apply. In a few short years, students trained at Volunteer-initiated facilities have gone on to jobs in the computer field, such as at The Gambia’s first Internet service provider (ISP), or as full-time computer teachers. Volunteers engaged in this project have also made a conscientious effort to include both female and male students in the lim- ited enrollment classes that are now offered. In the Gambia, girls are often married at an early age before they can finish their school- ing. Therefore, by the time students have reached senior secondary school level, the number of male students far exceeds the number of female students. Additionally, in a traditional household, the male is the absolute head, especially when dealing with finances. Considering this traditionally low status of women in The Gambia, girls trained at the computer facilities have made signifi- cant strides towards advancement, and have used their knowledge to become secretaries and teachers. Finally, most schools are so seriously underfunded that they are unable to provide textbooks to even 10% of students in rural areas. Teaching students to access informa- tion over the Internet opens up a wealth of information and resources. Sustainability The Gambia has been on the receiving end of numerous philanthropic and devel- opment projects, but many of the assisting agencies have not sought ways to make their projects sustainable. The result is that after foreign support has run out, the project falls into disrepair. We realized that many projects fail because they are viewed by Gambians as outside projects — projects initiated and carried out by well-meaning foreigners. In order to combat this trend, we sought ways to make the computer project sustainable. We decided that before we brought in dona- tions of computers, we would encourage the community to take partial ownership of the project, so that when Volunteers left, the community would view it as their own. We did this by having schools pay for shipping and handling charges on the donated com- puters. In the end, it turned out that having communities, or in this case, the schools, take ownership of the computers was not enough to make the project sustainable. After facilitating the acquisition of donations, we realized that most schools did not have the human resources to manage and maintain their computers. Thus, we launched a second phase of our project to train computer resource persons throughout the country on computer repair, maintenance, and advanced literacy. Ensur- ing that our project is sustainable has been more difficult and time-consuming than bringing in the actual hardware. Through the efforts we have made in bringing comput- ers to The Gambia, we have realized that development is not done by procuring ma- terials, it is done by building the human resource base, and ensuring that the com- munity feels included every step of the way. Development Aspects Bringing in used, obsolete computers to The Gambia has brought information and opportunities to an entire generation of students. Computers are no longer viewed as mysterious machines by many students, and accessing information over the Internet and communicating with pen friends across the ocean has become a reality. Providing girls with the opportunity to explore addi- tional roles other than just the limited role of child-bearer, by giving them a concrete skill that they can use to better themselves, has made a significant impact in furthering development. Today, the number of computer labs is still inadequate, with students con- stantly turned away from classes because they cannot be accommodated in the facili- ties available, so the number of students who have been reached by this project is limited. However, we look forward to the day when we can say that we have revolutionized an entire generation of students, as they have grown up with computers in their classrooms. c/o Yamai Secka-Jack APCD/Health Education Peace Corps P.O. Box 582 Banjul, The Gambia Resurrecting the Dinosaur continued from page 8 10 • Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Gender Roles and ITC Computer Classes with the Girls Club During my first year in Ghana, I kept busy as a full-time math teacher, so I never really considered starting computer classes. But after I attended a Gender and Youth Devel- opment workshop sponsored by the Peace Corps, I picked up some ideas on starting a girls’ club at my school. I was a little reluc- tant at first; I didn’t know how the students and the staff would respond to a white male as the patron of a club for girls. In the end, I decided that by making computer literacy — not girls’ health, girls’ empowerment, or other sensitive issues — the major goal of the club, I could avoid the problem. The first step, of course, was to find some computers. I had brought a laptop with me from home, but that was not enough for the fifteen girls who had signed up for the club. And although my town recently had been wired for electricity and was growing at a phenomenal pace, the only computers around were tucked away in a few nongov- ernment organizations’ offices and in the hospital administration’s office. Luckily, the Ghanaian government had recently established over a hundred science resource centers across the country, each containing chemical solutions, dissection kits, magnets, and all kinds of equipment for teaching science. Also included were six computers for running educational software and gathering data from experiments. None of the science teachers knew how to use them, however, so they just sat in the labs collecting dry-season dust. I figured the girls’ club could find a better use for the comput- ers at our local science resource center. After getting permission from the head- master, the girls’ club opened the school’s first-ever computer lab. We carried the cases, monitors, and peripherals to an old storage room, dusted them off, and fired them up. At each station sat at least two girls, one operating the keyboard, the other on the mouse, both looking at me wide-eyed and ready to learn. Because none of them had ever touched a computer before, I decided to start off slowly with the basics: a lesson on how to open and save files. That was my first mis- take. Using the mouse and keyboard was so natural for me that I had never thought about teaching it to my students. My lesson plan was soon scrapped as I discovered how fun- damental my teaching would have to be. I felt somewhat like a little league baseball coach, instructing the proper hand grip of the mouse and finger form on the keyboard. Although my students needed a good twenty minutes just to master the art of the double- click, they left the computer lab the first day with a little more knowledge of the com- puter and a lot less fear of it. The classes continued — one per week — as the girls discovered how to type their names (probably the all-time most popular lesson), how to launch programs, how to print, and even how to calculate sums and averages in a spreadsheet. They also stud- ied definitions — ROM, RAM, and other acronyms — which are more important than ever now that their standardized graduation exam includes questions on computer lit- eracy. Of course, they had equal time for fun stuff as well. After each lesson, the girls were given an hour to do anything they wanted: paint digital pictures, browse a CD-ROM about dangerous African animals, or record impromptu songs through the computer’s microphone (which got me into a little trouble with the faculty, as I mentioned earlier). Though my aspirations of helping the girls’ club members become computer geniuses have long since faded, together we accomplished some big projects. For ex- ample, the club put together a two-page magazine of original essays and poems that they typed themselves. We formatted it newspaper-style and printed copies for all of the club members. Later that year, we went on a field trip to the local District Assembly (the Ghanaian equivalent of a city hall) to learn how the secretaries use com- puters for writing reports and keeping track of the local government budget. After the tedious hunt-and-peck experience typing up the magazine, the girls were shocked and impressed when the secretaries gave a Girls in Ghana continued from page 1 MOUSE SKILLS: Jamila (left) and Zenabu practice their computer skills at their school’s new science resource center. Photo by: Trevor Harmon/PCV Girls in Ghana continues on page 11 THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 • 11 Information Collection and Exchange (ICE) demonstration of touch-typing, their fingers flying across the keyboard. Even if we had not pursued these projects, the most important goal was accomplished: The girls now have the desire to learn more about computers. Perhaps some of them will one day launch prosperous careers as con- sultants — not a far-fetched idea since com- puter training institutes have begun popping up all over Ghana. If nothing else, they can go on to teach their families, friends, and future sons and daughters a little something about the world of computers. Lessons Learned If you are thinking of starting a computer class for young women, keep the following ideas in mind: • You do not need a fully equipped com- puter lab to get started. Even a few com- puters can support around fifteen students if they triple-up. For larger numbers, you can teach the same lesson to different groups, or you can use the classes as a reward for good grades in school. (The best students may do the most with an op- portunity to increase their computer lit- eracy.) It is not ideal, but it at least gives them exposure to computers and can mini- mize any intimidation they might have in working with technology. • Your lessons can never be too easy. You might think that a keyboard is simple once you explain what it does — you press a key and the letter appears — but what about capital letters? What does Tab mean? And why does the question mark key produce a slash instead? Remember: If it is not obvious to your students, it is not obvious. FUTURE VOICES: Faustina, Alimatu, and Ayisha (from left to right) combine their singing talents with computer literacy by recording songs on a laptop computer. Photo by: Trevor Harmon/PCV • Classes without boys can make more of a difference than you might expect. I dis- covered that when boys are not around, the girls ask more questions, help each other more often, and generally seem to enjoy themselves a bit more. They also have the opportunity to draw pictures, sing songs, and do other girl stuff (sorry) with- out fear of being mocked by the boys. In my classes, I try to promote any activity that shows the computer as more than just an electronic typewriter. • Self-learning is, I believe, the best learn- ing. At the end of each lesson, I like to quietly excuse myself and let the students use the computer on their own, without any teacher looming over them watching for mistakes. These days computers are quite forgiving about mess-ups; they can give a polite error message without crash- ing (usually). Students are free to make mistakes and correct them independently, so the computer is an ideal tool for self- learning. • Beware of cultural traditions that might confuse your students. In Ghana, for in- stance, students often bring to school a white board, which is a thin piece of wood about the size of a sheet paper, with one side painted white and given a clear var- nish. The students write on it in pencil, then erase it using a mixture of soap and water. It saves them money because they do not need to buy paper for scratch work and practice problems. Naturally, my stu- dents carried this idea with them to com- puter class. Before shutting down for the day, they would carefully erase anything they didn’t want to save by holding down the backspace key. I had to explain that simply closing the document and not saving the text would erase it instantly. c/o Aba Sey APCD/Environment Peace Corps P.O. Box 5796 Accra North Ghana Girls in Ghana continued from page 10 12 • Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Engendering Development Engendering Development The Peace Corps’ involvement with WID/GAD was originally funded by the Peace Corps’ 1994 Participating Agency Service Agreement (PASA) with the U.S. Agency for International Devel- opment (USAID) for Women’s Organization and Participation. THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 • 13 Engendering Development To date, activities in which GAD Team members are involved include: • Developing strategic plans at post to incorporate a gender perspective in all projects. • Assisting program managers/APCDs to better address gender needs in their project plans through gender analysis. • Establishing and supporting WID/GAD committees, develop- ing mission statements and by-laws with the committees, and serving as a liaison between the committee and other Peace Corps staff. • Training Peace Corps program staff and trainers (including technical, language, and cross-culture trainers) in WID and GAD approaches, gender analysis and PACA tools. • Designing and facilitating sessions in GAD, gender analysis and PACA tools with and for Volunteers during in-service training, mid-service training, all Volunteer conferences, and project design and management workshops. • Working with training directors to strengthen the gender components in pre-service training (PST). What Does this Mean for Volunteers? Volunteers have been an integral part of the GAD Team strat- egy. At each workshop, four Volunteers from the hosting post participate and provide input to the Team on how it can best sup- port Volunteers’ work. WID/GAD committees work with GAD Team members to strengthen the gender perspective of program- ming and training at post and lead training sessions. If there is a GAD Team member at your post, learn more about their role and how you can support them and they can support you. If there is not a GAD Team member at your post, you can speak to your program manager/APCD or country director to find out how a GAD Team member can assist your post. For more information on the GAD Team, contact: Lyn Messner WID/GAD Coordinator Peace Corps Paul D. Coverdell Peace Corps Headquarters 1111 20th Street, NW Washington, DC 20526 lmessner@peacecorps.gov Engendering Development continued from page 12 Gender and Development Teams —— Africa GAD Team —— Maria Soumonni, Benin Claude Millogo, Burkina Faso Aba Sey, Ghana Mohamed Fofana, Guinea Susan Mugwe, Kenya Simon Okoth, Kenya Clement Lephoto, Lesotho Florina Pheko, Lesotho Dora Mwalwenje, Malawi Marieme Mint el Becher, Mauritania Custodio Langa, Mozambique Selma Imene, Namibia Assalama Sidi Dawalak, Niger Margaret Rugambwa, Tanzania Rose Kpomblekou, Togo Ignatio Chiyaka, Zimbabwe —— IAP GAD Team —— Verolyn Richards, Belize Carla Carvajal, Bolivia Violeta Tavarez, Dominican Republic Sonia Flores, El Salvador Sheny Huerta, Guatemala Yamileth Alguera, Nicaragua Elias Ruiz, Nicaragua Inola Mapp, Panama Josefina Ríos, Paraguay Kilali Alailima, Samoa —— EMA GAD Team —— Armen Tiraturyan, Armenia Rumana Ahmed, Bangladesh Nino Chelidze, Georgia Kazbek Aubakirov, Kazakhstan Elvira Nistreanu, Moldova Amina Fahim, Morocco Luzviminda Delumen, Philippines Ioana Negrau, Romania Yelena Melekhina, Russia Far East Zohre Ovezlieva, Turkmenistan undefinedTHE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 • 15 How To the size notation. Sites with video and sounds will be larger than those with plain text. The date signifies the last date the site was updated, in other words, how current the information is. Step 6: Explain that when the cursor turns into an arrow or a hand over the subject or the actual address, it indicates a link. Go directly to the site by clicking there. Step 7: At the resulting site, show that the URL has changed and the browser is no longer within the search engine. Recommend that the participants look at the contents of the site to determine whether it is pertinent. If so, read it and follow its links. If not, return to the search result index by using the BACK command. At the index, show that the site they just visited has become a different color. Step 8: When back at the search results’ index, show that there are several more pages with lists of sites from which to choose. Skip to the next page and look at the results. Step 9: Introduce Boolean terms. Describe the concept of Bool- ean terms, a deductive logical system that is the basis of algebra — named after English mathematician George Boole — to mix and match key words for the computer to execute more advanced searches. Use the flipchart to illustrate Boolean logic. There are three key terms: • AND, OR, NOT – Example for AND: Mali AND women – Example for OR: women OR girls OR technology – Example for NOT: Guinea NOT Bissau Step 10: Ask the participants to think about how they would use this feature of the Internet in their organizations. Ask if there are any questions. Some Search Engines to Try: Google www.google.com Alta Vista www.altavista.com Metacrawler www.metacrawler.com (searches many search engines at once) Aardvark www.aardvark.co.za (an African search engine) Ecila www.ecila.fr (searches in French) 1Buscador www.1buscador.com (searches in Spanish) Some samples of the type of sites women and girls might search for and a quick description of each is listed in the sidebar to the right. How To continued from page 14 Web Resources for Women & Girls • The Center for Women and Information Technology www.umbc.edu/cwit/index/html The Center for Women and Information Technology (IT) Web site, established by the University of Maryland Bal- timore, offers an extensive, frequently updated collec- tion of news articles about women and IT; summaries of books related to women and IT; as well as links to Web sites focusing on women or girls and IT, and to e-mail forums devoted to those issues. • Digital Divide Network www.digitaldivide.org The Benton Foundation and the National Urban League, with private foundations and companies from across the Internet, computing, telecommunications and software industries, have launched an initiative to coordinate information, strategies and efforts targeting solutions to the digital divide. This Web site offers a comprehensive clearinghouse on completed and ongoing efforts to expand access by underserved communities to the Internet and IT. • Effect of Computers on the Gender Gap in Education www-cse.Stanford.edu/classes/cs201/Projects/gender- gap-in-education/index.htm This site, created by several Stanford University under- graduates, explores three related topics: the current state of gender differences in education, the current state of gender differences in computing, and the effect of computers in the classroom, as well as how these issues interrelate. • The Women’s Technology Cluster www.womenstechcluster.org The WTC is a business cluster for IT and Internet startup companies with women founders or principals. The WTC assists entrepreneurs in launching their businesses and accessing funds on the Internet. • United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the Advancement Of Women (INSTRAW) www.un-instraw.org INSTRAW promotes and undertakes research and train- ing programs to contribute to the advancement of gender equality. INSTRAW’s Gender Awareness Information and Networking System (GAINS) serves as a virtual workshop for collaborative research, training and net- working. Visit their site for a broad range of resources in six languages. 16 • Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Camp GLOW Camp GLOW continues on page 17 Girls Around the World Thrive at Camp GLOW What is Camp GLOW? Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) started in Romania in 1995. Three Volun- teers and four Romanian teachers took 80 young women to a mountain campsite for a weeklong leadership camp. They spent the mornings working on skill building activi- ties taken from Choices: A Teen Woman’s Journal for Self-Awareness and Planning by Mindy Bingham (available through ICE# WD135). The purpose of this camp was to encourage young women to become active citizens by building their self-esteem and confidence, knowledge of themselves, and skill development in the areas of goal set- ting, assertiveness, and career and life planning. Since the first Camp GLOW, Volunteers in 21 countries have adapted Camp GLOW to meet the unique needs of their communi- ties. A Camp GLOW handbook is being developed and will soon be available through the ICE resource library. Hosting a Camp GLOW is an ideal way to offer adolescent girls self-development opportunities in a fun and friendly atmo- sphere. Camp GLOW is often a life chang- ing experience for both the adult and teenage participants. The following stories and photos will provide more detailed informa- tion on Camp GLOW around the world. Camp GLOW Highlights From Around the World Macedonia: Joellen Reineck/PCV To help the campers learn about project planning, the facilitators had them organize an actual project. In this case, a high school dance. The campers began their project even before the GLOW seminar began. By col- lecting donations in their local community, the girls started learning about project plan- ning. The day prior to the conference, the participants were formally introduced to the steps in project planning and goal setting, after they made the final dance preparations. Activities included setting up the decorations and refreshments. During the dance the girls took turns selling refreshments or collect- ing money at the door. The dance itself served not only as an active example of planning different stages of a project, it also provided the girls with a project idea that is easily achievable within their own commu- nities. The money raised from the dance will The Peace Corps’ Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) has become one of the most popular and successful Peace Corps activities worldwide. The excitement, cre- ativity, and empowerment generated from these camps around the globe provide an impressive number of inspiring articles and photos from Volunteers and campers. So many articles flood The Exchange inbox, in fact, that rather than printing each article separately (which would take a whole issue of the newsletter alone), we have decided to provide a background of Camp GLOW and include a collage of the stories and photos that you have sent. If your story or photo does not appear in this article, we apolo- gize. As always, we try our best to provide the readers with an accurate description of Volunteer activities around the world. Please feel free to continue submitting stories about your Camp GLOW experiences. Countries With Girls’ Leadership Camps: THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 • 17 Camp GLOW Camp GLOW continued from page 16 go to fund the next GLOW Leadership Weekend seminar. Editor’s note: Peace Corps/Macedonia has been suspended. Bulgaria: Kimberly Flowers/PCV Local students came each day to listen to workshops, play team-building games, and create community projects. The young girls discussed topics ranging from goal setting to diversity, and had the opportunity to lis- ten to a special guest, the wife of the US Ambassador, speak on “Women and Lead- ership.” During the camp, campers were required to break into teams and design community projects, present their ideas, and complete their plan within one month after the camp. This planning exercise gave the girls an opportunity to put into practice the leadership skills they were learning, and to fully realize their potential as future com- munity leaders. One of the most successful projects was led by a team that cleaned and painted a local kindergarten. Several local papers and television stations featured this project on the evening news. Burkina Faso: Suzanne Longley and Mark Canavera/ PCVs We looked wistfully at The Exchange photograph of a day at Poland’s Camp GLOW — smiling girls wearing life preserv- ers and proudly displaying their oars before a boating trip. As much as we might have wanted to attempt a similar project here in Burkina Faso, the resources just did not seem available — there is no water to go boating on. However, we realized that putting on a girls’ summer camp in Burkina was entirely possible, although it would entail its own set of challenges and restrictions of having to tailor the camp to Burkina’s socioeco- nomic conditions. We chose education as the camp’s focus. We recruited young women who had just earned high school entrance and showed great promise, but who were unsure of their futures after graduation. The theme of the camp became, “What Will We Be Tomor- row?” The campers had the opportunity to ex- amine what professional and academic op- tions lay before them. Campers went on field trips to the town hospital, where they spoke to nurses, doctors, and midwives; to the local primary school teachers’ training center, where the female dean of students gave them a tour and talked to them about enrollment procedures; and to the local nurses’ training center, where the girls stood before a class of a hundred nurses-in-training and articu- lated their professional desires. The local vocational school called in some of its fe- male students to give the campers a tour of the electricity, mechanics, and carpentry workshops and to talk about their experi- ences as women in traditionally male fields. Poland: Lindsey Rosenberg, Dana Krajewski, and Virginia Black/PCVs The benefit of working so closely with the host-country nationals in preparing the camp was immeasurable. Cooperating with one another, we found ourselves exchang- ing skills and learning more sustainable ideas of how to adapt a Peace Corps project to the needs of the host country. During the last few days of the camp’s preparation we concentrated on discussing the camp’s sustainability. Because this is Peace Corps’ last year in Poland, sustainability is a strong concern of ours. The girls showed so much interest in the camp that we wanted to put Camp GLOW continues on page 18 In Their Words... Provided by Elizabeth Specker/PCV The following are quotes from the GLOW Campers’ journals in Romania: Silvia Manalache, age 13 The most useful lesson was how to think about yourself. Many women say, “I am thin and ugly and stupid, nobody will like me. I hate myself!” But now, I know to change this. You will say these words, “I am OK! I am OK!” and smile into the mirror. Raxana Sandagurschi, age 13 This camp was very useful and very important to me because it helped me make new friends from other towns. I learned how to make important decisions and how to choose my friends. I found out some parts of myself, which I did not know are in my heart or in my mind. I think the most important session of our camp was about what we will be doing in the future...everyone has a goal. Carina Tiran, age 12 For the first time I learned about women’s rights and that women can some- times be masculine or feminine and smarter then men. It is not a shame for a girl to be masculine...like to fight because you must defend your self. But the girl must be feminine too, like being sensible. Ramana-Flarina Cazacu, age 12 I learned that in everything I do I have to be calm and relaxed because if I am nervous all the time I will not be able to do many things in my life. I learned that I can do anything I like, only with hard work because men have more opportu- nities then women. I learned more things about myself like what kind of person I am, and I will be. What’s Going On 18 • Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Camp GLOW them in the position to continue on the idea of GLOW. We held a session where we discussed the “Club GLOW” idea, whereby girls in different regions would arrange to work together to promote GLOW as well as provide services in their areas. This project would be all camper-centered — over two- thirds of the girls signed up to be contacts for future Camps GLOW. Kyrgyz Republic: Leslie Wakulich/PCV A highlight of the camp was a life-size tree the campers made out of paper with painted leaves that hung on the wall of the community room. The camp theme “Shak- ing the Tree” reminded the girls to shake up the tree of life to get more out of it. The life- size tree served as a forum for the girls to express their feelings and thoughts by writing on pieces of fruit cut from paper and pasting the fruit to the tree. We found the girls who were shy and hesitant at the beginning of the week later gain confidence and discovered their lead- ership skills in the final days of the camp. “This was the best week of my life,” said one camper, “I wish Camp GLOW lasted a month!” Others promised never to forget what they had learned and vowed to help make the camp an annual event for other girls. Another girl said, “I cannot wait to get home and teach my friends all of the things I learned at Camp GLOW!” Russian/Far East: Emily Schuckman/PCV Thirty-one girls came together for our first Camp GLOW. Modeled after Camp GLOW in Ukraine and Poland, the camp focused on building self-esteem, confidence and developing goal planning and leadership skills of adolescent girls. Some of the high- lights of the camp included a simulation game in which the girls were stranded on a desert island and had to choose eight sur- vival items from a list of twenty and rank them according to necessity. The girls then worked in groups of five to draft a final list Camp GLOW continued from page 17 What’s Going On groups of fifteen and attended simultaneous sessions held in various locations through- out the campground. These included activi- ties such as teambuilding (low ropes), yoga, journal writing, arts and crafts, GLOW Olympics, and a scavenger hunt. Other ac- tivities included a day hike up a mountain, and a sexual health awareness and HIV/ AIDS discussion. The young women also had to create a “cabin cheer” with their new roommates. At night, campers gathered wood for campfires around which we sang popular Romanian and English camp songs. Morocco: Megan Myers/PCV Six months prior to the camp, a team of Moroccan facilitators worked with a Volun- teer to adapt the original English curricu- lum to the Moroccan Arabic language and Islamic culture. The result was a culturally sensitive curriculum, which preserved the values of Moroccan culture while integrat- ing the modernization of the role of women in Morocco and encouraging the girls to become leaders and take active roles in society. During the four days of Camp GLOW, we successfully accomplished the objectives of having older Moroccan women be the ones to prepare the younger generation to become leaders in today’s rapidly modern- izing Morocco. Through this process the facilitators learned how to examine their own roles, gained facilitation skills in pre- paring and presenting interactive workshop curricula, and increased their self-esteem and satisfaction by becoming role models for young women within their own commu- nity. Having the Moroccan facilitators take the leadership role at the camp was an important part of the mission of Camp GLOW. The facilitators were all college- educated young women who are currently unemployed due to the extreme scarcity of work available for the population in general. They also gained a new sense of self-worth and an opportunity to acknowledge the value of their skills. and construct a plan for getting off the island using only their eight items. The activity was great for helping girls learn how to priori- tize, negotiate with their friends, and write a concrete plan for achieving a goal. One favorite project was making body tracings in order to illustrate the diversity of girls’ body shapes and the difference be- tween physical and personal identity. The girls attempted to guess to whose body an outline belonged. After difficulty in identi- fying a girl simply by her outline, each girl drew symbols of that girl’s personality in and around the outline, which helped each girl clearly see herself as a unique individual. BUILDING CASTLES: Bulgarian campers show off their work after a team building exercise designed to reflect on the future. Photo by: Kim Flowers/PCV Romania: Linda Mormile and Samantha Welch/ PCVs Each morning the young women attended workshops on attitudes, stereotypes, values, decision-making, self-confidence, goal set- ting and community development. After the Volunteers presented the topic of the day, participants broke into small discussion groups to reflect on the topic. After a lunch break, the entire group was divided into three THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 • 19 International Women’s Day and TODTW Day What’s Going On Girls Hold Youth Conference in Nicaragua By Jerusha Neill/PCV self-esteem. The activities included draw- ing a self-portrait, identifying a favorite feature, giving and receiving anonymous compliments on a paper taped to one’s back, and generally appreciating the importance and value of one’s self. After lunch, the young women continued with a session on puberty. Throughout the afternoon they learned and shared informa- tion about their bodies and how to best take care of themselves during the important changes of their adolescence. This included making a bracelet of different colored beads to represent the various days and phases of the menstrual cycle, and making a life-size drawing of their bodies filled with positive qualities which make up their self-image. After more swimming, the girls brought the enlightening day to an end with an evening activity of picture-frame making, which would hold a group photo of the participants. The girls received the their framed photos at the end of the conference. The girls began the next day of the conference with a creative approach to understanding gender roles. The participants engaged in an animated and interesting discussion about the differences between the terms gender roles and sex, (see The Exchange, Spring/Summer 1999, Volume 31, p. 17) and later shared their own gender role experiences through a drawing activity and small group discussions. They contin- ued by examining gender roles in their com- munities by working in groups to create a town map, identifying their own houses as well as all the sites of interest and those frequented by men and/or women. In their enthusiastic presentation of their maps, it was evident that the young women had gained a new understanding of gender roles in their lives and environment. The girls focused the final session of the afternoon on goal-setting for the future. The conference organizers guided the girls through a series of visualizations in order to better pinpoint personal goals for their future lives. In addition, they completed various exercises that helped them in identifying steps to meet those goals, and making the commitment to take those steps. Immediately putting these skills to the test, the young women met in groups by community and completed an action plan, which was a proposal of how each group will carry the message and the information of the conference back to their families and peers at home. By signing this action plan, the young women committed themselves to accomplishing a variety of activities in their communities that will transmit the positive feeling and important knowledge of the conference to those who were not able to attend. The girls closed the day with an evening ceremony at which each participant revealed their secret friend. On the final day, the participants were a little tired but elated by all they had shared and learned. They received certificates of completion and a manual of all the confer- ence activities. Equipped with what they learned and received, the girls began the long trip home, knowing that tomorrow really does belong to them. c/o Yamileth Alguera Program Training Advisor Cuerpo de Paz Apartado 3256 Managua, Nicaragua After eight months of planning the Nica- ragua Young Women’s Regional Confer- ence, Tomorrow Belongs to Us, six female community health Volunteers arrived with three young women, each from their respec- tive communities to enjoy four days of learn- ing and sharing. Each young woman was between the ages of 12 and 15 and was chosen by the Volunteer in accordance with the enthusiasm and participation that she demonstrated in her local youth group. In addition to funding from (SPA) small project assistance grants, this activity was made possible by the time and effort invested by each invitee, who raised funds within her community to pay for her transportation. They gathered together at the Centro La Amistad (the Friendship Conference Center) in the farmlands outside the city of Esteli in the north of Nicaragua. Everyone agreed that the experience of the conference was enhanced by the peaceful, reflective envi- ronment found there. Upon arrival, the young women set about meeting and getting to know their fellow participants through trust games, being pro- vided with a “secret friend,” and an after- noon of swimming. The girls especially en- joyed the secret friend activity throughout the conference because it involved using their creativity to make gifts for their new friends. The first formal day of sessions con- tinued this positive spirit of sharing through a morning of activities designed to build 20 • Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter International Women’s Day and TODTW Day What’s Going On Daughters of Burkina Faso Explore Professional Options By Zallia Mantoro, APCD/Education participating group benefited differently. The following is a summary of the day’s successes: The Girls • became aware of their potential and developed new ambitions. • went back to their sites ready to work harder in their schools and to succeed despite the numerous challenges facing them. • had the opportunity to see professional women at work helped them believe in their own potential. • made a presentation to their schools and shared their experiences with other girls who were unable to attend the events, and were empowered to speak in public after The follonformresentwhwisubmitbenelieve i0TJ 0.9 -1.2 0210.0402 Tc38.1251Peace Corps/0 TD (Burkinhe 0•7 THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 • 21 International Women’s Day and TODTW Day What’s Going On Staff • increased collaboration with Volunteers and staff. • revealed the organizational skills of indi- vidual Volunteers. Such skills can be used during pre-service trainings and in-service trainings. Ministry of Education • reported to local, regional and central level offices that this event was one of the most important girls’ education activities in the course of the year in terms of awareness building and benefits for the girls. • encouraged other women’s organizations to be as creative and practical minded regarding girls’ education. Recommendations • Organize Take Our Daughters to Work Day only at the regional level, ensuring that it becomes nationally or regionally known. • Reduce the number of days spent on learning exercises to increase the amount of time the girls can spend with their mentors. • Provide an entire day for the girls to spend at their mentors’ workplace. This will allow for greater exposure and opportu- nity to examine their mentors’ profession. • Provide an entire day for the girls to spend time with their mentor outside of the workplace. This will allow the girls to watch their mentor interact at home as well. • Organize parallel activities for urban girls to visit rural areas, exposing them to learn- ing opportunities outside of urban settings. • Continue to build relationships with other local women’s associations and institu- tions willing to contribute to future Take Our Daughters to Work Days. c/o Claude Millogo APCD/Health Peace Corps 01 BP 6031 Ouagadougou 01 Burkina Faso • became friends not only with their “daughter,” but also with Volunteers. • (almost 20) reported that their daughters came back to the capital to visit them during the summer holidays at their invitation. • took a lot of pleasure acting as role models and counselors for the rural girls. This event reminded many of the mentors of their own past experiences as girls work- ing for success in a fast-changing world. Volunteers • had a sense of accomplishment and higher job satisfaction. • had a sense of being useful to their com- munity. • earned the trust of their communities to allow them to take the girls to the capital city to stay with people unknown to them. • will benefit from the presentations in the schools, even if they did not participate in the activity. Daughters Explore Options continued from page 20 22 • Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter International Women’s Day and TODTW Day SPEAKING OUT: A student leads a discussion on women’s issues in China at an International Women’s Day celebration. Photo by: Jenna Simms/PCV Volunteers Help Students Celebrate International Women’s Day in China By Aaron Orzech, Kelly Nash, and Jenna Sims/PCVs describe their day, tell what they liked and did not like about being the opposite sex, and analyze how their culture’s views shape what they think about men and women. A week later, the students returned and held a debate about whether or not women’s changing roles in society is good for their communities. The lively debating between the students was at times heated, but very informative, allowing some of the more typically quiet students to stand up for their opinions. Students at the Guizhou Educational Institute in Guiyang, Guizhou put together an International Women’s Day event where guest speakers were invited to discuss vari- ous issues of importance to women. One speaker, a doctor who teaches at the medical school, addressed several women’s health issues. A second speaker gave a talk on how she started her own business consulting firm in Guiyang, and provided wonderful insights International Women’s Day was not a day that slipped by silently in China. Peace Corps education Volunteers around the country worked with their counterparts and friends to find innovative and exciting ways to help their communities celebrate this global observance of women’s and girls’ contributions to their country and commu- nities. An education Volunteer working at the Guiyang Chinese Medicine College helped a group of students organize an evening con- ference. The conference was attended by forty students, including around a dozen men. The two female guest lecturers in- cluded a faculty member with a law back- ground, and an honorary faculty member with influential status in the community. The first speaker gave a talk on legal develop- ments in China affecting women, especially developments concerning domestic violence and marriage law. The second speaker dis- cussed how Chinese women can work to become successful in Chinese society. The participants ended the evening with a lengthy question and answer session. The students left the conference feeling very enthusiastic about the speakers and the possibilities for Chinese women. At the Qiandongnan Teachers College for Minorities, 35 female students, 31 male students and an education Volunteer partici- pated in an exercise exploring stereotypes. They began the exercise by talking about stereotypes in general and listing as many examples as possible. The students then focused in on stereotypes about men and women. This eventually led the participants into small group discussions on culturally defined gender roles. Each group presented their ideas about how culture shapes one’s ideas about men and women. Afterwards, they wrote a three paragraph essay in which they were asked to imagine they are the opposite sex for a day. The essay had to and opinions on professional women in China. The final speaker provided informa- tion on the situation of minority women in rural areas of Guizhou. Several students also spoke about their ideas of how teachers can encourage and help build the confidence of female students. Between speakers, the participants held a trivia game focusing on famous women in Chinese history. Winners were given an as- sortment of prizes. The 100 students (one third of whom were men) left the event inspired and energized. c/o Helen Lowman Country Director Peace Corps c/o Sichuan Normal University Box 193 Chengdu Sichuan 610068 China (PRC) What’s Going On THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 • 23 International Women’s Day and TODTW Day What’s Going On Peace Corps/Morocco Provides Opportunities to Women and Girls By Kristen Cammarata/PCV bility to both work outside the home and care for a family. By the end of the conferences, the girls had come to realize the importance of continuing their studies, but also strength- ened their self-esteem and self-reliance. One participant explained that the most impor- tant thing she had learned was how to deal with strangers and how to travel alone “with- out the help of my father or brothers.” Women in Development Conference Peace Corps/Morocco’s WID/GAD Com- mittee held its second annual Women in Development Conference in the city of Ouarzazate. The theme of this year’s con- ference was “Working Successfully in As- sociations and Cooperatives.” Eighteen women from across Morocco gathered to learn and exchange ideas about how to work together to improve life in their communi- ties. The conference sessions were designed to be highly interactive in order to give women time to discuss individual ideas or questions about the topics covered. Women from non-governmental organizations (NGO) as well as Moroccan ministries were invited to give presentations on their areas of expertise and to serve as facilitators for small group sessions. The conference activities were held over a two day period. After an introductory small group session, two women spoke on how to go about forming associations and coopera- tives. They covered the legal aspects and the differences between associations and coop- eratives, as well as the advantages to work- ing together to solve common problems. In the afternoon, an extension agent from a local NGO spoke about how to set goals and plan for the future when working in an association. Two speakers from a local micro- credit provider also gave a presentation on how to apply for loans to start a small-scale project or business. At the end of the con- ference, participants met again in small groups to discuss projects they would like to do in their own communities. Using the speakers and other women as resources, the women found the information they needed in order to make their ideas reality. Even after the sessions were over, many partici- pants sought out speakers and other women to answer lingering questions and exchange information. At the end of the conference, many women said that this was just the first step and that now they were prepared to go back and work with other women in their communities. c/o Amina Fahim Program Assistant Corps de la Paix 1 Rue Benzerte Rabat, Morocco Take our Daughters to Work Day Peace Corps/Morocco’s Women in De- velopment/Gender and Development (WID/ GAD) Committee is a cross-sectoral group of Volunteers who have made projects focusing on women and gender issues a priority in their work in Morocco. A combination of lack of resources, dis- tance to secondary schools, and priority given to boys’ education prevents many rural Moroccan girls from completing their studies. Volunteers across Morocco held Take Our Daughters to Work conferences to address this issue and raise awareness in their communities about the importance of girls’ education. Based on last year’s suc- cess in the province of Azilal, this year’s project was expanded to four provinces and reached a total of 68 primary school girls. The conference participants were rural girls in the fifth or sixth grade. Though the activities for each province’s conference varied, they were all organized with the participation of a local women’s association or a group of local business- women. These women acted as host moth- ers and role models for the participating girls, who came from their villages to stay in the women’s homes for the duration of the conferences. In each province, the girls devoted one morning shadowing their hosts in the workplace. Other activities during the conferences included visits to middle and high schools and school dormitories, health presentations about women’s health topics, and panel discussions about the importance of continuing one’s education. When the girls returned to their villages, they shared what they had learned with other students by giving presentations about the confer- ence. An important part of the Take Our Daugh- ters to Work conferences was that the girls were able to experience first hand the possi- 24 • Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Apprenticeships and Business What’s Going On Girls in Benin Find Opportunities Through Etoile Apprenticeships By Lida Fitts/PCV During Benin’s summer vacation, 13 urban secondary school girls with otherwise limited means and exposure to professional life took part in the “Etoile Apprenticeships,” which were funded by Peace Corps’ Small Project Assistance (SPA) grants. The appren- ticeships are designed to help develop their career goals and aspirations. The girls worked for a month with female profes- sionals in the fields of medicine, law, and journalism. The girls learned about their chosen profession, the roles the women play in the office and how they balance their work, family, and social lives. The girls were chosen through a rigor- ous application process, including essays, interviews, and a grade evaluation. The men- tors were located through recommendations and interviews. Parents were invited to both opening and closing ceremonies to involve them in the program and encourage them to support their daughters. Mentors thoroughly integrated their young apprentices into the office activities. During the program the girls had the oppor- tunity to watch caesarian-sections and live births, take blood pressure, report on tele- vision, be published in a national newspaper, and go to court, just to name a few experi- ences. The girls met as a group each Friday to describe and discuss their week, explain what they had learned, do public speaking exercises, participate in lessons on subjects such as reproductive health and personal study skills, and provide a progress report on their independent projects. Independent projects required each girl to pick a subject related to her profession, research it throughout the month, and present her research at the closing ceremony. The “lawyers” presented a mock trial using pro- per court procedures. The “doctors” gave speeches on diseases and health problems; including malnutrition, malaria, infant resus- citation, sexually transmitted disease, high blood pressure, AIDS, and dog bites. The “journalists” reported on local Cotonou (capital of Benin) stories. One girl even brought a video of herself as an anchor- woman. The girls left their apprenticeships feel- ing more positive about their professional futures and more enthusiastic about the hard work they will face to reach their career as- pirations. c/o Maria Soumonnai APCD/Education Peace Corps B.P. 971 Cotonou, Benin THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 • 25 Apprenticeships and Business What’s Going On Microlending Provides Hope to Women in Slovakia By Arlene Barilec/PCV The Integra Foundation is a micro- enterprise development agency based in Bratislava, Slovakia. One of the programs of Integra is the microlending program MikroFond Integra, which focuses on the support of women in business. A key aspect of this program is the development of com- munity responsibility and belonging. This is accomplished through the creation of solidarity groups, which enable the female clients to guarantee one another’s loans. The target group for this project is women-at-risk. Women who are single mothers, divorced with young children, vic- tims of domestic violence, with alcoholic or chronically unemployed partners, or not able to re-enter the work force after maternity leave. The program consists of an initial forty hours of training in basic business skills and writing business plans. Women who success- fully complete the training qualify for a busi- ness loan of up to US $2,000, which they use either to launch a new business or strengthen an existing one. They also join a group with up to six other women who meet regularly for support. An Integra staff mem- ber regularly monitors the group by helping to answer business questions or assist with other problems that might arise. The initial pilot project was held in the Petrzalka suburb of Bratislava, which has high levels of unemployment, divorce, and crime. A total of 134 women applied for the project, of which 27 were selected for train- ing with 18 business plans approved. The MikroFond Integra Client Profile Last year I learned that Integra was going to provide loans to women who would like to begin their own business but have inadequate funds to start. The conditions were to com- plete some training and present a business plan. I signed up, even though I was not certain I wanted to start my own business. During the training, I decided to give it a try. My main business activity is accounting for nongovernmental organizations, which I do out of my home. I used the loan to buy a computer, which is essential for my business. It turns out that the computer is working more than I expected. My five-year-old daughter is even using it! Damar Lipovska, graduate from the Bratislava MikroFond pilot project average loan was US $1,100. The training program was funded by a grant from the Peace Corps and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). There are plans to repeat the program in Bratislava and also in the city of Komarno, which has over 6,300 unemployed, profes- sional women. During the Kosovo conflict, many of these women lost their jobs as a result of severe cutbacks in the local ship- building factory. Since the Danube was blocked to river traffic, there was no market for the ships. MikroFond attempts to offer a few of them some hope. Based on the successful experience of the MikroFond Slovakia, a new program for women in Oradea, Romania, is underway. It is supported by USAID and focuses on women-at-risk in Romania. c/o Adriana Pajgerova Executive Secretary Peace Corps Kremnicka 6 851 01 Bratislava, Sovakia 26 • Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Women’s Roles in Agriculture Women in Honduras Get Recognition For Role in Agriculture By Scott Hardy/PCV Blistered hands and soil-stained hats are symbols of the tradi- tionally male-dominated field of agriculture in Honduras. Peace Corps Volunteers have worked for years with male farmers, help- ing to implement sustainable agricultural practices and improve the quality of life for agrarian communities. Together, we have made obvious improvements in the nutritional intake of families, the diversification of crops, and the preparation of soils. We accomplished this by building on traditional farming practices, and taking an old idea and refining it. Despite past success in this field, there seems to be a fountain of energy and motivation for agricul- ture that we have not yet fully tapped — women. As a result of a gender analysis of the project, Volunteers and local women organized an agriculture workshop for women. With the future of Honduran agriculture in mind, the western regional Honduran Women in Agriculture workshop took shape. An inspired group of 16 female counterparts and 10 Volunteers converged for two days of discussion on the importance of women in agriculture. The women immediately bonded creating a com- fortable atmosphere allowing for the open exchange of ideas and concerns surrounding the workshop topic. The training proved to be a powerful platform where women could voice their concerns about their roles in agriculture. Volunteers acted as passive facilitators throughout the work- shop allowing the women to discuss amongst themselves what needs to be done to empower their position in the community. The female agriculturalists gave presentations of their daily activities and exchanged personal practices that they implement in their homes. One could see the excitement grow as the women described their accomplishments and found similarities with the other women in the region. It was obvious that each participant left the training more confident and prepared to take the lessons learned back to their communities. At the end of two days, the participants chose four women to represent the group at a national convention later in the year, an opportunity that was a great honor to those selected. The agriculture Volunteers walked away from the training with a clearer view of the relationship between themselves and Hondu- ran women. They left the conference empowered by the opinions and insights of the workshop participants, believing that agricul- ture Volunteers can and should work with women. There are plenty of females in Honduras who are interested and very able to work with and encourage other women to pursue non-traditional roles. Project plans that take into account women’s and girls’ needs target a larger group of counterparts, and can motivate Volunteers who are discouraged by lack of participation from men and boys. Overall, the workshop prepared Volunteers to work with more women, and taught the female participants how to make a bigger impact in their communities. It motivated the participants to help improve the field of agriculture in Honduras. They also were able to better understand their importance within their families as well as their key role in an agricultural household. By recognizing and increasing their role in agriculture, women will help insure an increase in food availability, a more balanced social structure, and greater participation between agriculture Volunteers and females in their communities. A second workshop with even more female participants was held later in the year with some slight adjustments. The second workshop included an action planning portion, in which women worked with Volunteers to plan activities in their communities based on their expressed needs and interests. The women are also work- ing out ways to share skills between villages based on what they learned about each other at the workshop. c/o Luis Estrada APCD/Agriculture Cuerpo de Paz Apartado 3158 Tegucigalpa Honduras THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 • 27 Around the Corner 1. Benin 2. Burkina Faso 3. China 4. Dominican Republic Articles in The Exchange, Gender Roles & ICT • September 2001, Were Submitted From... 5. Ghana 6. Honduras 7. Jordan 8. Kenya 9. Morocco 10. Nicaragua 11. Slovakia 12. The Gambia Upcoming Issues • The next issue of The Exchange (Volume Number 36) will focus on the role of boys and men in GAD. The submission deadline is October 15, 2001. • Volume Number 37 of The Exchange will focus on gender roles and agriculture. The submission deadline is December 15, 2001. Editor’s Note: All submissions are welcome and are not limited to the theme of the issue. Please feel free to submit letters to the editor, articles for the How To column, sustainable development columns, or any activity that involves Gender and Development. Upcoming Opportunities • August 26: Women’s Equality Day (USA) • October: Domestic Violence Awareness Month • October 15: World Poetry Day • October 16: World Food Day • November 25: International Day Against Violence Against Women 28 • Gender Roles and ICT • September 2001 THE EXCHANGE • Peace Corps’ Women in Development Newsletter Increasing Awareness About Deaf Culture in Kenya By MJ Shahen, PCV customs, which have been transferred from generation to generation. Kenyan women study at several differ- ent vocational training schools for the Deaf in Kenya, where they learn knitting, tailor- ing, crocheting, and other artisan crafts. At these schools, they have learned entrepre- neurship and get to experience real business situations, which helps them to be more productive and confident members of their communities. Together they have learned to communicate with hearing people by writ- ing on paper, using pantomime, some lip- reading, and creating further communication methods for their individual needs. Editor’s note provided by Susan Mugwe, Program Assistant: In September, Peace Corps/Kenya held a national Take Our Daughters To Work event, and for the first time decided to include deaf girls and deaf host mothers. This was such an eye opener to both hearing girls and mothers, some of whom had never come into contact with deaf girls before. The Peace Corps gave a ses- sion on deafness and deaf culture and in the evaluations it was rated the most informa- tive and interesting. The participants re- quested that we ensure that it is a compo- nent in all the follow-up activities. As a deaf Peace Corps Volunteer, I have been working with the Deaf Mumias Women’s Group in Kenya. I have seen this group serve as strong role models to others who are deaf or disabled. The Deaf Mumias Women’s Group has created its own artisan business, allowing the members to share a little bit of deaf culture with others. To- gether, we believe that deaf people all over the world belong to a linguistic minority with its own culture. Deaf culture has its own history, shared values, and social norms and The Deaf Mumias Women’s Group and I also established a newsletter to introduce Peace Corps Volunteers to ways they can assist people with disabilities to break bar- riers in their communities. The newsletter has helped deaf and hearing people commu- nicate by providing ways to specialize sign language to a deaf person’s own national or regional language. This will hopefully pro- vide encouragement to other deaf women in poor or disadvantaged communities. I hope that the story of the Deaf Mumias Women’s Group encourages you to help deaf communities in your country. With the right kind of support, deaf women can work together to start income generating activi- ties, empower themselves as deaf women, and educate themselves on women’s rights. I also encourage you to help deaf women in your country participate in Women In Development projects as well. c/o Susan Mugwe Program Assistant Peace Corps P.O. Box 30518 Nairobi, Kenya Express Yourself Tell us what is happening with WID or GAD in your country that you would like to share with others. Tell us your success stories. What works? What does not? When you tell us about your project, please give a location and an address. Photos should include the names of the key individuals in the picture, a brief description, location and the name of the photographer. Send contributions, comments, suggestions, and requests to: Editor, The Exchange Women in Development Peace Corps/The Center Paul D. Coverdell Peace Corps Headquarters 1111 20th Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20526, USA TheExchange@peacecorps.gov Teri Wingate, WID/GAD Coordinator (acting) Tammy Boger, WID/GAD and ICT Program Assistant The Exchange is published by Women in Development, The Center for Field Assistance and Applied Research, the Peace Corps, for distribution to all Peace Corps Volunteers and staff. Views expressed in The Exchange are those of the individual writers and do not necessarily represent the official position of the Peace Corps. Use of funds for printing this newsletter has been approved by the Office of Management and Budget, U.S. Government. We reserve the right to edit for style, clarity, and length. The Peace Corps reserves the right to use any submitted writing, photos, and artwork in other publications. Peace Corps • Paul D. Coverdell Peace Corps Headquarters • 1111 20th Street, W • Washington, DC 20526 USA • www.peacecorps.gov