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Monday, September 19, 2011

REDES Conference

The REDES conference was, hands down, my favorite week in Mozambique so far. As I’ve previously mentioned, REDES, which stands for Raparigas em Desenvolvimento, Educação, e Saúde (Teen Girls in Development, Education, and Health), is a nationwide program in Mozambique run by Peace Corps Volunteers and some Mozambican women. Annually, there is a conference in each region, and each group can send 2 girls, a Mozambican facilitator, and Peace Corps Volunteer (if applicable; there are independent groups as well). After some difficulty getting caretaker permission (I later learned people were concerned it was ruse to steal their daughters), the 4 of us loaded onto a bus packed with singing girls to Barra, Inhambane, a beautiful beach in a neighboring province.

The conference, which felt like overnight camp and reminded me greatly of Camp Dreamcatcher (if you live in the Mid-Atlantic area, look it up and volunteer as a counselor for the weeklong camp for kids infected or affected by HIV/AIDS), was a great success. Each day had a theme (self-esteem, health, education/planning for the future, women’s rights, and development) that included various sessions led by Mozambican facilitators. Additionally, there was a skills session each day led by volunteers (Mozambican facilitators had a training session during this). I led the nutrition session in which the girls learned the basic food groups and made peanut butter. My real claim to fame, however, was for “pulling the potato,” a Mozambican dance move that I have no problem making a fool of myself attempting to perform. I may have even jumped over a chair at one point to partake. Clearly, I had a blast and cannot wait for conference next year. And since I did in fact return with the girls, caretakers have already given advance permission for next year.

1 comment:

  1. Hi Megan, thought you might like to see pics from the first REDES conference. http://www.flickr.com/photos/28938979@N04/sets/72157629607074439/
    Please feel free to share!

    -Janine PCMOZ Maxixe

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