Girls leading our world

The theme of this year's World AIDS Day event on December 1st is Leadership. Girls attending the recent Girls Leading Our World camp in Benin were given the opportunity to learn more about education, women's rights, health and HIV/AIDS prevention in a fun environment.

Forty-eight girls and five community advisors attended this year’s Camp Glow, which took place  in Porto-Novo, Benin. Girls, around half of whom were from communities supported by Plan, community advisors and volunteers participated in a variety of educational sessions and recreational activities during the week-long camp.

Girls were divided into five teams and competed against each other throughout the week. At the end of the camp, the winning team received new backpacks filled with school supplies.

Activities on the first day included a game that allowed the girls to discuss gender roles in Benin, and talks about the importance of education, women’s rights, sexual harassment and conflict resolution techniques.

Girls and community advisors learned about HIV/AIDS and met two women living with HIV who shared their experiences. A midwife spoke to the girls about puberty and reproduction, and participants learned the importance of nutrition and how to improve their diets.

The participants learned time-management and study skills, rights for women and children in the Benin legal system, financial planning, and careers advice.

During the afternoons, girls and community advisors were given the opportunity to play sports, visit the market and use the Internet. There was also a talent show and girls took part in art and craft activities.

During a packed week, the girls gained knowledge and self-confidence and encountered women who had overcome odds to become respected members of society. Most importantly, girls learned important health information they might not otherwise have learned in school or from family members.

Girls that participated in Camp GLOW are now better equipped to stay in school, succeed and become the leading women of the next generation. Community advisors will serve as a support system for girls in their communities, encouraging them to stay in school and share lessons they learned at Camp GLOW with other girls in their communities.

Find out more

To find our more about Plan's work to assist those affected by HIV/AIDS, read case studies and Plan publications on the topic, visit Plan's Voice of Hope microsite