The EAGLE school and the Girl Scouts

You'll remember back in November, I wrote about the EAGLE school that we went to visit with the Ambassador. It was a good visit, but it highlighted a lot of the challenges that the students face. Not too long after that, the Girl Scout troop leader (who is a good friend) was telling me that she was looking for a way to support girls' education in DRC, as their troop had made about $500 over the last year with their bake sales and other fund raisers. Did I have any ideas? Yes!! I spoke with the EAGLE staff and asked what would be most useful. The answer came back quickly: underwear for the girls. You see, they all have to wear skirts as a part of their uniforms, and underwear is expensive so many don't have any and need to miss school if they have their periods. So, we bought about 600 pair of underwear and a number of boxes of sanitary napkins. 

We also thought it would be great if the girls could meet. Come to find out, with all of the visits that grown-ups had done to that school, never had any children visited. Everyone was excited and got ready! The Scouts got art supplies and snacks together (okay, the Scouts parents), and the EAGLE girls put together a while program to make their guests feel welcome. Here's how it went:

Girl Scouts meet with a car load full of girl stuff to donate.

We arrive at the EAGLE school, and the EAGLE girls sing a welcome song. (These are the elementary girls, the older girls were at another part of the campus doing much the same.) Then the EAGLE girls each came and chose a partner, and took them to the classroom to draw together.

Waiting for art supplies..

The girls had a good time making art to decorate the classrooms, and did a lot of chatting too! There were enough scouts who spoke both French and English to make for some good chatting.

Art goes up on the walls

Then some impromptu play outside

That grew and grew

And finally, after snacks and more playing, we took our final group picture.

We all had a GREAT time, and everyone was asking to do it again soon!

(Note: The donations were taken to the principle's office while the activities were going on, and girls would receive them the next school day, privately.)