March 15, 2013 – Update from Tracy

Yesterday’s Level 3 Girls was an immensely satisfying and emotional day. There was a strong connection since the 25 participants had been coming to WWT workshops for 3 years, so they knew us well. And although we first met them as kids, now they are finishing middle school and transitioning into high school. And it was kind of a last hurrah for me because with my retirement from WWT, this was the last time I would work with this group of lideresas. So tears flowed everywhere. But I’ll get to that.

This day was unusual because we were being observed by representatives of the Ministry of Education there to take the next step in accreditation of ADIMTU’s program. These two marvelous women spent two days learning about what we do here in San Pedro and my sense is that they were pretty damn impressed. They actually called me, “La Famosa Doctora Tracy.” And they wore our “Manda Tu Hija a La Escuela” tee shirts both days.

I want to describe a wonderful activity facilitated by Guatemalan Program Manager Nancy Perez de Navarro. She asked the teens to discuss the kinds of leadership they witnessed during the November 7 earthquake in San Pedro. They were reminded that the village Mayor was not the only leader, that there were examples of courage and support for others within their own neighborhoods, schools, and families. Then she asked them to think about what THEY would do if there were another earthquake. After witnessing what went on in their communities, where would they, as lideresas, step up to work with others. It was tremendously heartening to listen to the new roles that were designing for themselves as leaders in their families and villages.

Wendy and Theresa worked with the ADIMTU team to design an activity where girls wrote about what they had learned in one of our projects or WWT workshops. Then they illustrated their thoughts with wonderful drawings. All this will be made into a book authored by the girls themselves!!!

Finally, about 8 mothers of the girls arrived and participated in the closing activities. We sat in a circle and each girl gave a short testimony about how being a lideresas had changed her over the last two years. Mothers chimed in with what WWT workshops had meant to them and their daughters. Memories, tears, stories, hugs, thanks, more tears. We took a group picture that included the girls, mothers, teams, and Ministry representatives all wearing tee shirts. Pura Vida!! (That’s Costa Rican for What a Great Time!!)

3/14/2013—Update from Felicity

One of the activities we’ve been using in our workshops with the junior-high age girls here in SPS is an icebreaker called “Snowball Fight.”  We write numbers on letter-size paper — if there are 40 girls, we give them each a piece of paper with a number from 1 to 20. The girls then form a circle, crumple their papers into “snowballs,” and at a signal they begin throwing the balls at each other over and over, picking up the fallen balls and re-throwing them. This causes a lot of hilarity and beneficial chaos. At another signal, the snowball fight ceases, and each girl should be holding a ball. 

At this point, the girls will open up the crumpled paper to see the number, and then find the other girl with the same number. This forms pairs that will be employed in a couple of subsequent exercises, and with luck the pairs are “mixed” so that the girls don’t hang out only with their buddies from the same school. 

The pairs of girls find a quiet place and do an interview of one another for just a minute or two — what’s your name, where are you from, and a prescribed question: today it was “of the things that happened here, what will you always remember?”  They then introduce their partner to all the others by name and their response to the question. It’s a good icebreaker. 

But there was something unexpected that happened today. In a couple of the pairs, a girl from one of the urban schools in SPS treated her rural partner with a bit of disdain, and one even asked to be re-matched with a friend. I hadn’t seen this before, and it surprised me because most of the girls seem aware of the pernicious effects of discrimination, at least in the abstract. But maybe they don’t always recognize it in themselves? The members of our local team were equally dismayed. 

We explained that the mixing was an important part of the activity, and in the end, it seems that all the pairs worked fine together after all. But it was an interesting cultural lesson for the team.

-Felicity

3/13/2013—Update From Theresa

Each day that I am here in San Pedro Sacatepéquez, I participate in or bear witness to innumerable special moments. I would like to share a handful of these moments with you, our readers.

Today was the first day of a two-day Leadership Institute for girls in the first year of Básico (7^th graders). As I was waiting outside of our hotel for girls to arrive, I noticed one tiny girl walking toward me. “You came to my village, right?” she asked me in a shy voice. “Yes,” I answered, crouching down to her level. “I don’t want to go inside,” she said. “My classmates aren’t here yet, and I’m scared,” she explained. “Let’s sit down out here,” I suggested. “We can wait a bit.” The girl and I sat on the cement steps and watched other girls enter the hotel. Eventually she entered the hotel, and her classmates arrived. I felt special that she had chosen me to confide in, and I kept my eye on her all day, enjoying seeing her participate in group discussions and even stand in front of the group of 44 girls to speak aloud. Inwardly, I celebrated seeing the shyest student become just a bit more bold. 

Our primary focus today was to discuss the challenges to staying in school that girls face in their respective communities. Our WWT team works hard to challenge the girls to respond to questions with concrete answers. We want to push beyond abstract answers, such as machismo, discrimination, and the need for girls to continue their studies. During an afternoon activity, in which the girls created posters that advertised ways that they could overcome obstacles to staying in school, one group caught my attention. Their poster displayed a girl in traditional dress. They explained that often, indigenous girls face added ethnic discrimination because of the clothes they wear, language difficulties, and the poorer status of their families. They argued that teachers and classmates should educate themselves on cultural diversity, in order to create a space for indigenous girls to feel welcome. I was touched that girls so young could grapple with such a complex topic and explicate it so clearly.

The last moment I want to share is extremely personal. I’m including it, because I think it demonstrates so clearly the precise moment in which these girls find themselves presently. At one point during a break today, I watched as two girls exited the bathroom. Assuming the bathroom was empty, I went to open the door, and I was surprised to find a girl still inside. I asked her if she was hurt, and she said that she had just gotten her period for the first time and had stained her clothes. I asked if she knew what to do, if she needed a sanitary pad, or if she wanted me to wash her clothes. She smiled and responded that her friends were helping her out and she would be fine. At that moment, two girls gently pushed past me and entered the bathroom, bringing with them a collection of clothes, undoubtedly gathered from their own overnight bags and being offered on loan in a gesture of solidarity. Sometimes it’s hard for me to remember what it was like to be twelve-years-old. It’s an awkward time when no one wants to stick out and but everyone needs to feel special. You think you know everything, but you have very little real world experience. In this moment, in which three girls worked together to solve a problem, I was reminded just how resourceful, quick-thinking, and compassionate twelve-year-olds can also be.   

March 11, 2013 - Update from Diane

Thirty-five girls who are now in level 2 of the Leadership Institute gathered on Thursday for a day of activities that reinforced and advanced the work we began with this group last year.  It was exciting to see how much they’ve matured and grown in personal confidence since our last visit. Each has participated in one or more of our core projects – Family Reading Time, My Mother’s Life, Big/Little Sisters – and had a chance to share what she’d learned and consider what the experience meant to her.  Themes of leadership, education, gender and community were woven into the day, with the girls exploring these topics through different means, writing and illustrating some of their mother’s stories, making puppets and reviewing new books.

Friday was a day with 50 teachers, investigating concepts of multiple intelligences and how they could devise lessons that touched on the different ways students learn.  We opened the workshop with an inventory that gave them each a chance to consider their own learning styles. This generated a good bit of discussion about the value of diversifying the activities in their classrooms to involve students differently than is customary here. Small groups developed and presented multi-dimensional lessons on-the-spot and many indicated that this experience opened their thinking to consider how they might bring participatory learning into their classrooms.

On a personal note, I was treated to a typical Guatemalan birthday celebration. It all started with a mariachi band showing up at the door of my hotel room, playing traditional music and rousing all of us to start the day as we never had before. Next were firecrackers, more music and a highly decorated birthday cupcake with candle…fortunately just one to represent my rapidly accumulating years. The team, along with local friends, kindly put together a festive dinner, too. The faces around the table brought so much joy to my heart, wrapping up a birthday celebration I will long remember!

Yesterday, Sunday, we hosted the first ever WWT Fiesta Familiar, bringing together the families of the MTU staff and interns. It was great for everyone to get to know each other’s children, spouses and other family members.  Everyone visited and played together… volleyball, hula hoops, soccer, bubble blowing, slides and swings, along with ice cream and other picnic goodies. All that is universal about good people and good times came together for a sunny afternoon of fun.

And now, onto a very full week ahead…Leadership Institute programs (levels 1 & 3) plus a father/daughter workshop and additional time with the teachers and school directors who are directly involved with our programs in their schools. We’re looking forward to a 3-day site visit by representatives of the Ministry of Education who are reviewing MTU programs for accreditation and recognition, another giant leap forward for the success and sustainability of our work here.

March 6th, 2013—Notes from the Field Diane Dvorin

Tracy and I, along with WWT Board member Felicity Hannay and two valued volunteers from Costa Rica, Jorge Mora and Walter Naranjo, arrived in San Pedro a couple of days ago, eager to learn what Wendy and Theresa had discovered in their program review.  Thanks to them and the outstanding team of Mujeres Trabajan Unidas, we have a much deeper understanding of what’s working (or not) in the field and how we can improve what we do.

As we usually do, we started off bright and early Monday morning with a welcome breakfast to bring our US and Guatemalan teams together as one. Judith Castañón, MTU’s program director, and Alejandra Ramos, program manager, presented a review of 2012 plus goals for 2013, projecting work with nearly 500 girls in cooperation with some 16 schools. Wendy and Theresa followed this up with a summary of their findings, the most useful of which are helping us to restructure how MTU will organize and deliver the core programs. 

And then the surprise…a joyful tribute by MTU to Tracy, acknowledging her enormous contributions to the lives of the girls and women of San Pedro. Several colleagues who have become such special friends spoke of the many ways she’s inspired them, personally and professionally. A video collage of her work in SPS brought together warm memories with a view of her accomplishments, generating tears all around.  Of course, no real celebration here is complete without mariachis, and this one was no exception. Imagine Tracy’s surprise when the musicians arrived! We even had a sing-along, much laughter of course, plus picture taking and a delicious ice cream cake, lovingly prepared by Nanci Navarro, the newest MTU program manager.  All in all, it was a great way to kick off this next phase of WWT’s work here, marking the passing of program leadership from Tracy to Wendy and Theresa.

And so, back to business. The team got to work preparing for this our workshops with girls, teachers, mothers, fathers and others. Judith and Alejandra traveled to Guatemala City yesterday for a workshop at the Ministry of Education, preparing MTU to apply for accreditation. Once achieved, this will both raise their profile and open doors to MTU programs in the schools. We eagerly await their report when we meet today. Tomorrow we’ll be working with 40 second-level girls in the Leadership program. We’re all looking forward to seeing how they’ve changed since our first workshops with this group back in June. 

March 1, 2013 - Notes from the Field - Wendy Baring-Gould

Theresa and I are now almost at the mid point in our time here in San Pedro and environs, having spent our first two weeks assessing both the structure of the work – basically the delivery systems which get the work to the girls and their families - as well as the actual impact of the three projects we are working with. It has been fascinating and fun – with days spent bouncing over dusty mountain roads in pick up trucks to arrive at brightly painted schools made of cement block, filled with shy and sweet girls who in no time become eager, talkative and curious. This in contrast to the large and loud urban classrooms which seem to work with almost military order or are abandoned to something approaching controlled chaos.

The girls themselves vary incredibly, from those in the large urban schools who have braces on their teeth, cell phones at the ready and Madonna on the brain, to the more far flung places where little bands of girls in uniforms of pleated skirts and knee socks thread their way along the scramble of dirt roads, school bound, and somehow in doing so, defying all odds and customs that go back only to their mother’s time, when it was unthinkable that a girl would ever get an education.

However, in both cases, it is very, very clear from all that we have learned, that when the projects can be effectively delivered, they are changing lives. The girls who have been consistently involved understand and are committed to the basic project goals:  the importance of education, the role of leadership, the impact of gender discrimination, and the benefits of strong communities. During this past year, the work of the clubs has become more academic in nature and centered in schools as part of  - or extensions to – the school day. This has assured that the girls participate on a regular basis, that the parents are amenable, and that the teachers are at least aware if not supportive. This shift is fortuitous, as the educational system here seems to be shifting itself to a less rigid more participatory approach, and our projects can provide a model for what that shift might mean. It is an exciting time, full of challenges and opportunities.

We are so fortunate to have a fabulous team here, who bring enormous heart to the work, a real openness to new ideas – for after all – they were educated themselves in the very systems they are hoping to change – and a tireless work ethic.  We have had wonderful talks, wonderful laughs, and after 2 dusty hours a day in the back of a truck – how can you not come to build camaraderie and affection for each other?

We now look forward to the arrival of Tracy and Diane and two weeks of workshops with the staff, the girls, the teachers and the parents. Much to do and much to learn!

As a PS and caption to the picture below:

As I left Boulder near Valentine’s Day – the shelves were full of little heart candies with messages of love and affection. I bought out the supply at King Soopers and at the end of each session with the girls, have distributed them, one to each participant, and told them that even though we were leaving – to return in 6 months, we were leaving a piece of our hearts with them. We then translated the message on each heart which range from  “TEXT ME ” to “ B TRU 2 U” . They love them, and kiss us on the cheeks as they leave.  It doesn’t get better than that!

February 28th 2013—Picture Update

Wendy shares candy hearts with the girls. “We’re leaving a piece of our hearts here in San Pedro with you.” Thereafter followed dozens of translations and screams of delight.

Second year students registering with WWT to participate in Family Reading Hour.

It’s not all work and no play for Wendy and Theresa.

Nancy, a member of our team in Guatemala, helps with the program evaluation with second year girls.

Third year girls in Santa Teresa. These girls are so incredibly clear about the importance of leadership and community service in the Little Sisters project.

Pretty nice view from this urban middle school in the heart of San Pedro Sacatepéquez.

Todas prestando atención.

Our team helps to hand out books to the girls in Corral Grande for the Family Reading project.

Trudging up the hill toward the house where a teacher hosted our lunch.

Alejandra works with the girls of Chim to evaluate the Hermanitas program.

February 23, 2013, Update from Theresa

WWT’s bi-annual trip to Guatemala to support our sister organization, Mujeres Trabajan Unidas is well underway. We will be here in San Pedro Sacatepéquez for one month, focusing for the first two weeks on an in-depth evaluation of our current programs and spending the last two weeks leading workshops with teachers, parents, and MTU staff members and leadership institutes with girls enrolled in our programs. Wendy and I have been in San Pedro Sacatepéquez for nearly one week, visiting a different village each morning and afternoon. 

My goal for these two weeks of program evaluation is the establishment of a baseline against which we can measure the impact of each of our three projects (Family Reading Hour, The Life of My Mother, and Little Sisters) on girls’ choices to stay in school. To do this, we need to know about the specific family situation of each girl and her experience with our projects. It’s necessary, though not easy, to measure social change, as Bill Gates explains in his 2013 annual letter http://annualletter.gatesfoundation.org/#nav=section3&slide=0. I am confidant, however, that through the use of a series of quantitative and qualitative tools to learn both the outputs and outcomes of WWT’s campaign to send and keep girls in school, we will determine the best route toward ending the cycle of poverty in Guatemala.    

Each day, our team climbs into the back of a pickup and travels into the mountains to meet with the girls and their parents. In each school, MTU personnel meet with the parents of girls who are just entering básico (junior high) in order to explain the benefits of the projects and to get their permission. They also administer a survey to all of the girls, which creates a program registry and solicits household socioeconomic status information, such as the jobs of their parents and what types of homes they live in. We can compare this information to larger community-wide statistics gathered previously in order to understand the living conditions experienced by the girls in our programs. 

While the MTU staff focuses on the parents and registering girls, my focus has been on learning what the girls themselves think about the projects. Their insider perspective is fundamental for learning how we should iterate the projects to encourage greater participation and deeper comprehension of the importance of staying in school. When I speak to the girls, I tell them that it’s rare for someone to ask teenagers for feedback. I ask if their math teacher ever solicits their advice on how to teach better, to which the girls cover their faces with their hands in embarrassment or giggle. In Guatemala it’s common for teachers to ask students if they liked something, and for the students to respond in unison that, yes, they liked it. I joke that I don’t want to hear yeses from the girls, I want to hear specifics—what they found to be difficult or boring or hard to understand, as well as what they enjoyed. They are the experts in these projects, I explain. They are all my assistants in creating a better project. Then I tell them that WWT is planning to take these projects to girls in other communities. The new girls depend on the girls with experience to speak up about what worked well and what didn’t. I want the girls to be leaders of their lives, I say. Leaders have opinions. Leaders aren’t afraid to speak up and ask for change.

I section the girls into small discussion groups, each with a staff member who takes notes. As a group, the girls discuss not only the good and the bad about the project assigned to them, but also the effectiveness of their teacher in supporting their efforts, the support expressed by their families, the interest of their peers, and the knowledge they gained regarding leadership, gender, and education in connection with their specific project. Often it takes a little effort and a few jokes to get the girls to realize that they can offer their experiences and honest opinions without rebuke, but after a few minutes the girls nearly always start brainstorming things that would make the projects more interesting or effective. 

So far the results have been astounding, and not at all what I had expected in some cases. In one village, the girls flat out said a project was boring. Together we worked to determine the underlying reason and potential ways to make the project more appealing. In another village I learned that the girls spoke eagerly and regularly with their parents about one project but not at all about a different project. Finally, in a third village the girls suggested an entirely new way to structure a project, which has sparked excited discussion between Wendy and myself.

Ultimately, it has been a week of reckoning for me. I am seeing the projects that we developed fifteen months ago in action and changing girls’ lives. For instance, there are eighty-five girls involved in the Little Sisters project, and of those eighty-five, only two dropped out of school last year. This is an incredible success! I have also had the good fortune to observe our MTU staff in action, and each member is as passionate, hard-working, and thoughtful as I could hope for. Wendy and I have one week of program evaluation left, which means days filled with bumpy roads, delicious chicken soup lunches, and girls who use their own free time to walk for miles just to speak with us. It doesn’t get any better than this.  

-Theresa

February 21, 2013—Picture Update

A look at the first couple days working closely with our MTU personnel, and visiting with the girls clubs for program evaluations.

Proud to Show our newly expanded office space and education center in San 
Pedro Sacatepéquez.  

Wendy grinning ear-to-ear during a long mountain ride to El Cedro, a village where we have just completed the Life of My Mother project. 

Intern Juliana helps with program evaluation for The Life of My Mom. 

El Cedro, high up in the mountains.

The girls first practice reading aloud to one another before taking books home to read to their families. 

Introducing the project Family Reading Time to First Year girls.

February 19, 2013, Wendy and Theresa visit Girls Clubs Across San Pedro

Quick update before running to a meeting with our MTU counterparts—Wendy and I arrived without incident. The weather’s beautiful and sunny. We’re spending today meeting with MTU personnel, and then tomorrow start heading into villages to do programs evaluations with the girls clubs. 

More later, Theresa