This is one of the programs that our office runs, and it's a good one. We're in our 4th year, and we're seeing some great things happening in terms of changing attitudes about the value of girls and girls' education--in the schools we work in, and in the communities where the students live. Remembering that DRC is one of the hardest places in the world for girls and women to live, this is a much-needed program. We provide mentoring and tutoring, and youth clubs that talk about all kinds of issues (that frankly seem really grown-up for middle schoolers, but are right on target, sadly). They talk about early marriage and pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and STDs, abuse, possible future professions, confidence, good work habits, and lots more. We found out about a year ago that some serious abuse is happening at school to very young students, and we know that the victims are both boys and girls. It's really hard to handle knowing that for our schools, and even harder when you can only imagine what's happening all over this huge country. It's common knowledge that sex is expected for good grades in high school, but this is a different thing altogether.
In celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child, we had a morning event where our project team strutted their stuff. The Minister of Education opened, and our Mission Director was there.. as was the press. We heard all about the approaches that the team is using to work with the students, the teachers, the school directors, the community members, and the police in those communities. My favorite parts were the skits and songs that the students performed, and this panel discussion. These students will become doctors and journalists.. and why not? Maybe the president of DRC. They were very articulate.. and we are very proud of them!
The following week, we took Ambassador Swan to an EAGLE school in the suburbs of Kinshasa. He's a fantastic Ambassador and had asked to see some USAID programs that were easy to get to, so he could have an even better idea of the kinds of things that we do. We visited Kimpangi primary and middle school.
The students performed a welcome song :)
The teachers stood by. The school director was quick to mention that many of them hadn't been paid (by the state) in more than three years. No wonder schools collect fees from the parents. The current statistic is that parents pay upwards of 75% of all of the costs of the school system in DRC.
The Ambassador speaking to the English class.
And a youth club meeting, discussing whether girls should go to school. They read a comic where the mother of a primary school aged girl told her she needed to stay home now because she needed to learn how to cook and take care of the house, so she could get a good husband. And the debate took off! Was she right or wrong? There was a group of students for each perspective, and they each made their case.
Before leaving, they had organized a focus group meeting so that we could ask questions
of ten students. I'm sure it was nerve-wracking for them. They were quite shy..
And so then the Ambassador signed the 'gold book' for important visitors and we took our leave. I asked one of the project staff, who is also one of the mentors for this school, why the kids were so quiet there at the end, and she said that it was likely because they were shy but that they also often have trouble focusing in class. You see, the peri-urban areas of Kinshasa are poorer than the rural areas, and this is one of the very poor ones. This is also one of the ones where abuse is the worst, and so they are fighting an uphill battle in trying to help these young people have some feeling of confidence. And, it doesn't help that many of them only eat one meal every second or third day. I asked her how she dealt with that.. and she said that she cries every day, that she brings them food when she can, and that buys the girls uniforms when they grow out of their shirts.
It was like a kick in the stomach.. to really REALLY see what this looks like on the faces of young people who are doing their best to get through each day with the hope that someday things will be different.
