Project Description

So previously I had briefly mentioned that my project was called Girls Education and Empowerment (GEE). Now that I've reread my assignment description I can better tell you what I will hopefully be doing in Mauritania. Keep in mind, I'm going to a country with limited resources, so the proposed description may only generally describe what I'm going to do.

GEE is a new project that was developed to extend efforts already begun by previous volunteers in the creation of Girls Mentoring Centers (GMC). A GMC is a place for girls to go after school or work to further their education and give them a place to learn skills necessary for life. In Mauritania there are fourteen GMCs that have been set up in just the last four years. I will be working with Mauritania educators and professionals in the managing of the GMC and the mentoring of the girls. My goal is to help the GMC develop and/or strengthen their link with schools and communities. One of the most important projects for me is to make sure that whatever I help set-up is sustainable after I leave. This will require that we use as many local resources as possible instead of relying on Peace Corps connections and funding.

The school year in Mauritania is organized in trimesters. First trimester is early-October to late-December, second is early-January to mid-March, and the final is early-April to late-June. They have a much longer summer break than we do. During the school year the GMCs are generally open 4 days a week, including Saturday and Sundays. On their school vacations I hope to find a secondary project to help the community.

When I first applied to the Peace Corps I wanted to work in youth development. However, I ended up being nominated into health extension. This project will give me the best of multiple areas. I will be able to work with youth at the GMC, the community in an attempt to create an understanding of the importance of girls continuing education, and maybe a little bit of health awareness. I am excited about the variety of possibilities with this project and look forward to getting started.