Beyond the Institute

Jesse and I got to share ideas and experiences with other volunteers at a regional Peace Corps conference last weekend. Following that, I participated in a REDES (and JOMA) "Training of Trainers" conference. Peace Corps volunteers working with REDES (which stands for "Girls in Development, Education and Health") organize an annual national conference to discuss issues of interest and importance for the lives of women in Mozambique, including facts about sexual and reproductive health, self-confidence, professional opportunities available to women in Mozambique, and the rights of Mozambican women. Mozambican teachers involved with the REDES program were invited to this conference to prepare them to facilitate the sessions for the girls at the national conference next month. Generally, someone who is originally from Mozambique can better relate to and discuss important issues with Mozambican girls and REDES wants to empower them to be leaders of the conference. More than that, the five women I met at this conference are awesome. They are assertive, animated, fun - great people and great role models. A trainer from the Brazilian NGO, ProMundo, led much of the gender training at this REDES/JOMA conference (http://www.promundo.org.br).
In addition to enjoying our professional work, Jesse and I are also appreciating this beautiful country. A few weekends ago, we got to camp with a couple friends on a beautiful, unknown, and practically deserted island just a few minutes of the beach in Maputo. This island, called Xefina, was a military base and jail during the colonial rule of the Portuguese. It was abandonned at the end of the colonial period. Big cement buildings and canons are sideways, tilted by the moving sands and some are under water. Now only ten or so families live on the island, though we think that there are immenent plans to develop it into a resort. We asked a fishing boat to take us across and enjoyed exploring. Our tent was surrounded by a herd of goats at sunrise. The water was low when we returned so we waded half the distance back to Maputo from the island. So, again, Mozambique is amazing.
In addition to being amazing, Mozambique can be a tough place to live. We recieved an email from a fellow Peace Corps volunteer in the northern region of Mozambique, Alex, who wrote about the destruction cause by Cyclone Jokwe in Angoche. She is organizing to personally purchase immediate aid for this community. She provided information about how to make monetary donations in case you're interested in supporting in this way. Email me and I can forward you the details, or check out her blog site - http://alexkruzel.blogspot.com.