It’s the weekend! On Saturday, we headed to Kigali for our first excursion. Our first stop was the Kigali Genocide Memorial, where we paid our respects by laying roses on mass graves. Following a guided tour of the museum’s exhibits, we had a classroom-style discussion with the museum’s education team on peacebuilding and understanding our roles in preventing future genocides. Lunch was open buffet style at Camellia Tea House. Some favorites included chicken with mixed vegetables, pumpkin, avocado, and a local Rwandan side, cassava. Here, our campers explored the tea house courtyards shops while exchanging money for our next stop — the crafts market. After a ten minute drive from the restaurant, the girls explored the stalls of the Caplaki Crafts Market and had fun bargaining for Rwandan souvenirs including clothing, bags, bracelets, sandals, and paintings. At around 4:45pm, we headed back to Gashora for dinner and had a free evening of board games, mural painting, and dancing.
Stand Up, Speak Up, Rise Up with Girl Up! Girl Up started off Sunday with an introduction to the campaign’s work across the world. Girl Up staff Julie and Rachel gave a presentation on the Girl Up supported programs in Malawi, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Liberia, and India that keep adolescent girls safe, healthy, educated, counted, and positioned to be the next generation of global leaders. Campers learned about over 1,000 Girl Up clubs led by girls from the U.S. to Afghanistan, and even here at Gashora Girls Academy!
We had a busy afternoon with optional recreational activities. Counselors and staff led yoga and Zumba classes, which of course turned into yet another energetic dance party!
Model United Nations Simulation: Campers worked within their cohorts to represent different nations in a simulation of UNESCO council addressing the issue of gender and STEM. The campers learned about the different positions their countries take on gender and STEM, presented position speeches, and practiced skills of diplomacy as they built coalitions and crafted UN-style resolutions.
We ended Sunday evening with campers grouped into their country delegations to discuss how their communities empower and disempower them as young women. They then created maps of their communities to indicate places, people, and institutions, and began an important conversation about how they can use their strengths and assets to address the most pressing needs in their communities and beyond.
Week two of classes is here and we’re excited for Intel to teach us about robotics and making things!