| | Yes I know it has been too long since I have used this website. I guess I´m not much for diaries or online blogs, which explains the hard time I have remembering to post stuff online for everyone to see. I am almost finished with my service here in Ecuador, so I am wrapping up all of the projects in my community and getting ready for a new adventure back in the states. My tentative date for departure is the second week in August, when I´ll be back in the states.
Things in Nabon have been going well. I just finished a big project where I trained seven kids from the high school to be leaders in Sex Ed. This past week they gave their own talks on topics such as condom use, AIDS, abstinence, and domestic violence to their classmates, and it went really well. I wanted to create a sustainable program so that when I am gone the school and the community will have some sort of sexual health education. Hopefully in the future the kids will be able to give presentations to the rest of the community as well as to their classmates. One of the kids ended up giving a workshop to his community on AIDS and condom use-all by himself. I think its pretty awesome that he had the confidence to talk about AIDS and condoms with his community-and I am excited about what the kids will do in the future with this project.
It will be really hard to leave the people in Nabon, especially the kids whom I have come to love! All of them are so cute, and still are often at my house doing art projects. The other day we made animals out of clay which was really fun---and we made mothers day cards together to give to their moms.
Things I am looking forward to before I leave are the fiestas celebrating my canton, or county, of Nabon. There will be music and usually there is some sort of bull fight--basically a bunch of really drunk men running around in a ring with an angry bull. Not exactly smart behavior, but really entertaining to watch nonetheless. I am also taking a vacation to the Galapagos Islands in the beginning of June, where hopefully I will get to see a lot of wildlife!
I am also a member of a volunteer committee called the Gender and Development Committee (GAD). As a committee we try to promote gender equality in Ecuador through offering 70 high school scholarships to young ecuadorian women each year (high school is not free here in Ecuador), leadership camps focused on breaking gender barriers for young men and women, and workshops with volunteers and Ecuadorians focused on gender issues. Every year we host a raffle where the proceeds go to our efforts to promote gender equality in Ecuador. This year some of the prizes include round trip airfare within the continental USA and roundtrip airfare to ECUADOR! If you are interested, please see the below info!
As I wrap up my service here in Ecuador I am really thankful to everyone who has supported me during my Peace Corps service with your prayers and thoughts! Also, thanks to all who have sent me letters and emails- you make me feel really loved! I am starting the job hunt soon, and although the 9-5 work schedule will be completely different than what I have been used to here in Ecualand, I am ready for something new. Hopefully I will be taking some more pictures of my community as I prepare to leave, and I will try to post those so you all can see more of my life here! If you see me when I am back stateside, feel free to ask me about what I´ve been up to here in Ecuador-I would love to share!
I am writing to ask for your support for two very important Peace Corps Volunteer
priorities: providing scholarships to
young Ecuadorian women AND combating sexual exploitation and human trafficking.
The Peace Corps Ecuador Gender and Development Committee
teamed up with the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Task Force for a big raffle fundraiser
to support these important causes.
With your purchase of raffle tickets, you will:
1)
Help Ecuadorian girls finish high school
(it’s not free here). Our
Gender & Development Committee’s scholarship program is one of only a
handful worldwide. The financial
assistance that we provide for these young women is vitally needed: a mere 56% of Ecuadorian women receive their
high school degree.
2) Help prevent human
trafficking and sexual exploitation of women and children. Thousands of
Ecuadorian women and children have fallen victim to human trafficking, which is
considered a type of modern-day slavery.
The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Task Force is working to prevent the
spread of trafficking and to provide support and to provide shelter and
services to former victims.
3)
Have a chance to win fabulous prizes
including roundtrip airfare to Ecuador, roundtrip airfare within the U.S.,
Ecuadorian art, exciting outdoor adventure packages including surfing and whitewater
rafting trips, as well as weekend getaway packages to exciting destinations
across Ecuador.
Don’t delay! Buy your tickets today! Each ticket is only $1.50. The raffle will take place on July 8, 2008
Two easy options to
support TWO great causes and have a chance to win LOTS of great prizes:
1) Credit Card:
BUY ONLINE NOW through the secure Friends of
Ecuador website: http://www.friendsofecuador.org/
2) Check: Please make
checks payable to: Club Kiwanis Chuquiragua Please write GAD Rifa in the Memo of the check and
mail to: Attn: GAD. Casilla 17-08-8624.
Cuerpo de Paz/Ecuador. Quito,
Ecuador.
2008 Raffle Prizes
Include: - ROUNDTRIP AIRFARE TO ECUADOR!
·
Roundtrip airfare for one person between
any two major cities in the continental U.S.*
·
Whitewater rafting package in beautiful
El Chaco, including all equipment, guides and lodging
·
A Tour of Cotopaxi National Park aboard the Chiva Express, a colorful one-coach train, where you can “ride the roof” along
the panoramic “Avenue of the Volcanoes.”
·
Ruta del Sol prize package including
private surf lessons, accommodations at the Hostal Tsunami in Montanita plus a
private panga ride tour of a mangrove reserve
·
Exciting weekend getaway packages to Mompiche, Canoa, Sua and Quito
·
A night for two at the
Maquipucuna Lodge where you may get a glimpse of the elusive, endangered Spectacled Bears
·
Puyo Prize Package which
includes personal guided tour of Omaere
Ethnobotanical Park and a weekend stay at the luxurious Hosteria Finca
El Pigual
·
Dozens of other exciting prizes including art, books, indigenous
handicrafts, gift certificates for fine dining and much more!!!
Don’t delay! Buy your tickets today! Each ticket is only $1.50
The GAD-Anti TIPS raffle is made possible thanks to many generous
businesses and individuals including:
Adam’s Rib, Metropolitan Touring, WaterDog Tours, Hotel Chagra Ramos, Hosteria
Gabeal, Hostal Pais Libre, Hotel Almare, Hostal Tsunami, Balsa House, Hosteria
Finca El Pigual, Hosteria El Jardin, Reserva Maquipucuna, Dave Goucher, Sonia
Aguirre, Parque Omaere, Mango’s Mongolian Barbeque, The Magic Bean, Best
Western Plaza, Bom Café, Shooters Sports Pub, Hotel Sanmelis, Chandani
Tandoori, The Mango Tree, Mister Bagel, Henry Morgan Pleasure Cruise, Libri
Mundi, 4
Manos, Expediciones Apullacta, El Maiz Restaurante, Hotel Principe, Wunderbar
Café, Posada del Angel Hostel, Moliendo Café. THANK YOU SPONSORS!!!
ABOUT
GAD
The Peace Corps Ecuador Gender and
Development (GAD) Committee aims to enhance gender equality in all sectors of
Ecuadorian society. In 2007, GAD
provided over 70 scholarships to financially underprivileged, yet highly
motivated Ecuadorian women so that they can finish their high school education.
Working in partnership with Club Kiwanis Chuquiragua in Quito, GAD Ecuador's scholarship program is
one of only a handful worldwide. The financial assistance that GAD provides for
these young women is vitally needed, as a mere 56% of Ecuadorian women receive
their high school degree. In addition to the scholarship program, GAD also
sponsors popular youth camps and large national leadership conferences for
Ecuadorian girls.
ABOUT
THE ANTI-TIPS TASK FORCE
The Peace Corps Ecuador Anti-Trafficking in
Persons (Anti-TIPs) Task Force aims to combat the increasing problem of
trafficking and sexual exploitation of persons—particularly women and
children. Through local outreach,
education and national conferences, Anti-TIPs focuses on the prevention of the
spread of commercial sexual exploitation.
As a relatively new Peace Corps committee, Anti-TIPS seeks resources to
support an important initiative to provide housing and services to Ecuadorian
victims of human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
ABOUT
THE GAD-ANTI-TIPS COLLABORATION
In an effort to avoid duplication of
effort, maximize volunteer effort and conserve resources, GAD and Anti-TIPs are
collaborating on a joint fundraising effort.
Funds raised through the raffle will support the committees’
philanthropic goals of 1) providing scholarships to low income Ecuadorian girls
so that they may finish high school; and 2) supporting Fundacion Quimera, one
of the countries leading anti-trafficking organizations that is creating Ecuador’s
first shelter for victims of human trafficking.
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