Camp G.L.O.W.

So once a year Peace Corps Namibia puts on a leadership camp for boys and girls grades 8-10 in Windhoek. Camp G.L.O.W. (Guys and Girls Leading Our World) brings around 75 learners from all over Namibia who have been identified as someone who is a leader or stands out or maybe has the potential to excel with the right direction. The learners are not the only one’s who benefit, 16 older Namibians (youth ages 19-35ish) are chosen to volunteer as facilitators (after training) to help guide the learners, watch over them and serve as a positive role model for the learners. You see Camp GLOW is trying to focus more on Namibians helping each other and the facilitators are the key to that process. The facilitators are chosen because they are leaders in their communities. I had the opportunity to go and observe this year’s camp in hopes to get some understanding of what running a camp actually takes or entails. First WOW, Nam26 in my opinion really did a great job, but it wasn’t easy. I think it’s Murphy’s Law that says something like “anything that can go wrong, will”…unfortunately this year’s Camp GLOW really lived up to that message, but despite all the things going wrong the learners had an awesome time and I think they really gained a lot from being there.
Although I was there to “observe” I was put to work immediately when a transportation crisis’ left learners and PCVs hours and hours away from Windhoek. Me and the other 27ers were assigned little jobs just to take some of the stress off the 26ers, I mean they had a lot to deal with it. After a day the 26ers decided that someone needed to fill the spot of a facilitator who couldn’t make it. Since I had already spent so much time with that group and had nothing serious to do in Outjo I decided to stay for the entire week and become a facilitator, which I must say was such an amazing experience.
Throughout the eight days I really got to bond with my 8 learners. During the different days I got to see a different learner excel. Each day has a different theme like “Team Building Day”, “HIV/ADIS Day”, “Leadership Day”, “Future Day” etc. It would be too much to write about the entire week but here are some highlights of my week through just a few of my amazing group members…

“B” is a learner who didn’t speak much, actually much may be an overstatement. She sat quietly for like five days just following what everyone else was doing. On “Leadership Day” one of the activities was to practice good public speaking, it took some silliness on my part but I got her to start making some noise. By the end of the exercise I was almost in tears as she read her speech with such confidence, so loud, with eye contact to each member, oh my gosh I wish I could paint a picture of this four foot mute stating her dreams and aspirations to our entire group, it was beautiful. As if I wasn’t proud enough after that during that talent show on the last day she was one of the main actors and really just did it with all she had, aw, wonderful. I sat in the back of the theatre room just amazed at what I was watching, it was as if she had finally got comfortable with the group and the camp and just broke out of her shell.

“Mr. President” is brilliant. I mean really he is so smart. Anytime any speaker or presenter asked a question he had the answer. When asked what his dreams were he said that he “wanted to become a doctor, find the cure for AIDS and then retire as the President of Namibia” something in the way he said it and after getting to know him and knowing his potential…I believe it. “Mr. President” really shined in his leadership abilities, he is a natural and leading our group just seemed like what he was born to do. I really hope he follows through with the plans he has for his school and community, something tells me he will.

“The Wizard” is another really quite one who just kinda went along with the group but on “Leadership Day” things totally changed. During a blindfolded obstacle course she masterfully guided half the group safely through the course all at once. It was awesome. After that day she had a new power that was just really cool to see develop.

“Somebody”. Anyone with facebook knows that all my status updates last week were about “Somebody”, well this is him. Somebody is a grade 8 learner from a village sort of near me. On the first day of camp the learners had to decorate a t-shirt using words that described them. This learner kept writing NB all over his t-shirt. He told me it was a nickname his teachers at school gave him and now everyone calls him NB. Later Jill found out what NB stood for because he wouldn’t tell me. NB is short for Nobody. What kind of teacher says something like that to a child, let alone repeat enough times so it sticks with them? My heart broke as I thought of this child thinking he was actually nobody before his life really starts. I decided this was not only unacceptable but I wasn’t going to encourage it by repeating that name. Starting that day he began to go by SB or Somebody. It was really cute if anyone said “I need somebody to help with this” SB would walk forward and state “I’m Somebody.” The best part of it was that on the last day when the learners were suppose to add things to their t-shirts that they had learned about themselves over the week Somebody changed all the NBs to SBs and wrote SOMEBODY all over it. Out of all the villages in Namibia, he probably comes from one of the worst so I worry about him but luckily he is close enough to me that I can go visit and check up on him.

These are just some of the stories from my group and there were seven other groups so just imagine how camp had changed some learners. Having professional Namibians come and speak to them about careers really made these learners think of all they can do. After a career panel where an accountant and geologist really sold their jobs half the learners wanted to go to university to be come one of the those two exciting careers. Gaza (the biggest music star in Namibia) comes from a really bad background much like a lot of the learners but has made something of himself and continues to work on changing Namibia. When he spoke to the learners it was one hilarious to see them go nuts that they actually were face to face with their icon but to have that icon encourage them to follow their dreams and not to get mixed up in drugs, alcohol and sex…probably one of the best motivators for them of the week. The week was filled with these moments that really made me so grateful for the opportunity I had to participate this year and help plan next year’s camp. It was the hardest week that I have had here, I worked 6am-11pm straight, always on, but it was also the most rewarding week. I feel so blessed for this past week.