Camp GLOW Recap

Camp GLOW 2010 is over and went off without a hitch. From transport to programming, everything went smoothly, thanks to the hard work of 16 Namibian facilitators and 10 PCVs. Without this group of dedicated individuals, Camp GLOW would not have been possible. Thank you!!

In the posts below, you can find detailed descriptions of each day from Camp GLOW 2009. The days’ themes remained almost the same this year.

Day one is “Character Day,” which encourages each learner to examine his/her own personality and identify personal character traits. Through group discussions and written activities, campers embark on a path of self-discovery. They “define character trait” and examine why certain traits are important for being successful leaders. The discussion culminates with an activity that tests the artistic skills of each learner. Every camper is given a plain white t-shirt, which they must decorate with words and/or pictures to display their positive character traits.

The second half of Character Day is a discussion of stereotypes. After defining “stereotype,” campers engage in a discussion of common stereotypes that exist in Namibia and why these stereotypes are a major challenge to getting to know other people. For many GLOW learners, this is the first time they have interacted closely with Namibians of different tribes and cultures. Consequently, the stereotype discussion is particularly pertinent in this setting. As a large group, campers create a “wall of stereotypes”—literally a wall (made of cardboard boxes) that displays prominent stereotypes and represents the obstacle they pose.

Day 2 is “Team Building and Gender Diversity Day.” The morning is spent playing a number of games (e.g., a blindfolded obstacle course and water balloon volleyball) that aim to promote teamwork, good sportsmanship, and effective communication. Set up like a miniature Olympics (complete with an “Olympic” torch), the games force teams to rally together and get campers excited about and involved with camp. The afternoon consists of three activities that focus on gender awareness and diversity. Through these activities, campers are encouraged to examine their own views on gender, society’s role in determining “acceptable” gender roles, and how successful leaders can promote gender equality.

Day 3 is “HIV/AIDS Day.” The title explains it all; this information-intensive day is entirely about HIV/AIDS. We discuss the basics of the disease: how it is transmitted, what it does to your body, and how to protect yourself against the virus. Group discussions and activities examine common myths about HIV, how individual choices have direct consequences for you and your partner’s health, how to use male and female condoms, and the role of alcohol in HIV transmission. The day ends with a guest speaker, a HIV positive Namibian woman who is very well-known and an inspiration to us all.

Day 4 is “Leadership Day.” As part of the premise of Camp GLOW, we encourage every learner to become a leader at their school or in their community. This “GLOW Challenge” can manifest in many ways. Some learners choose to start school clubs; others find different ways to help their communities, such as tutoring younger children or helping at orphanages. On leadership day, we aim to equip each learner with the skills and resources they need to become community leaders. After brainstorming qualities of effective leaders, campers spend the morning practicing public speaking. In the afternoon, they brainstorm and create an action plan for a school club that they will start when they return to their communities.

Day 5 is “Future Day.” In an effort to expose the learners to the options their futures hold if they study hard, we start off the day with a career panel. This year we brought a fire fighter, pilot, chiropractor, entrepreneur, veterinarian, and geologist in to talk to the learners. Set up in stations, each professional takes the time to describe to each team their job and what they had to do to succeed in their line of work. After the career panel, we pile all 80 learners on a bus and take them on a tour of the Namibian parliament and Polytech University. This is an incredibly special opportunity for our learners, most of whom have never been to Windhoek, let alone sat in the same seats as their representatives. To cap off the day, we surprise the learners with a trip to the movies, which for most is a highlight of the week.

Day 6 is “Discovery Day,” aimed at wrapping-up and reflecting on the activities of the previous 5 days. By revisiting the discussion of stereotypes and character traits, the learners are encouraged to examine what they’ve learned about themselves and their diverse group of peers over the past week. They also take time to write notes to their teammates, exchange contact information, and create thank-you cards for all of Camp GLOW’s donors.

All in all, Camp GLOW 2010 went better than we could have hoped. Everyone was happy, had fun, and learned a lot. To everyone who donated time, money, supplies, or support, thank you for making Camp GLOW 2010 a success! Because of you, 80 Namibian learners are more confident, better educated, and ready to become future leaders in their schools, communities and country!