Letter From The Field

Dear Friends and Family of Peace Corps Burkina Faso,

The third annual Youth Development and Leadership Conference was a huge success! Thank you! We would never have been able to reach out to, and train, 38 youth leaders without your help and support.  After working with such motivated and capable youth, we sincerely believe that the future of Burkina Faso is in good hands. Although a PCV service tour is only two years, these youth are now fully capable to do some of the same work and to affect change in their communities.  Although you were not physically there, feel free to browse our pictures and relive some of our greatest moments. Most of the pictures have been posted online and can be viewed by clicking the following link. https://plus.google.com/photos/100400178087205224810/albums/5887736581270353425

Outside of the usual West African logistical problems, tardiness, Day 1 went off without any problems. We opened up both conferences with welcomes from the local Mayor's offices, Peace Corps, and conference directors before moving on to our first session on gender roles and norms. Although there were a few comical scenes involving men wearing women's clothing, all of the youth took the session seriously and came to appreciate the differences between gender and sex. Further, participants began to think about the qualities of a good leader (strangely not limited to the male sex). After discussing gender, participants began working on identifying the needs within their own personal communities and began planning their responses to these needs. 

Day 2 consisted of sessions on professionalism, community resources, community mobilization, and how to be a successful positive deviant.  With these newly acquired tools and knowledge we are sure that our youth will be heading back to their communities well equipped.  Day 3 required participants to hit the ground and work in the communities hosting the conferences.  Participants at the Fada conference volunteered at a public radio station and at a vegetable garden owned and maintained by multiple women's groups. Participants at the Yako conference performed HIV/AIDS demonstrations at a local hospital, worked in a tree nursery, and tutored primary school girls in reading and math.  The youth had a BLAST! The local community members were sincerely impressed and touched by the thoughtfulness and motivation of our youth leaders.  Although we spent most of the afternoon working on the ground, nobody complained when we were a bit late getting back to the conference room.

En fin, day 4 graced us with visits from various community members, past participants, and a representative from the Peace Corps Bureau.  Our guest speakers spoke on citizenship, community service, and how to work as a "volunteer citizen" at the village/community level.  After these fantastic guest speakers each young leader went to work planning their community projects and then presented their projects to the group.

SUCCESSS!!!

Again, none of this would have been possible without your generous contributions and support. Thank YOU! In the words of one of our youth counterparts; "You, the Americans, have opened our minds and eyes to a new way of thinking about our communities. We are leaders. We are able to work for our entire community and to develop our nation. Thank You!"

Yours in Gratitude and Service,

The Youth Development Committee