"It's always gone without question in my mind that most aid was good or at least better than nothing. Now it just seems that aid is the biggest deterrent to progress driven by the receiving country's people. Aid breeds dependence in a people who have historically been independent and self-sufficient. Aid and westernization also breed corruption and greed. Instead of thinking for themselves and working hard, many aid recipients simply choose to take the free handouts that are all around and keep expecting more and more. And they'll do practically anything to keep picking from this money tree. Who can blame them? Free money? It's almost too good to be true! And it's just that. It seems most aid organizations are doing more long-term harm than good. When aid increases every year and the economy weakens, HIV/AIDS prevalence increases, malnutrition is rampant, the quality of life doesn't improve, and the gap between socioeconomic classes widens, something's not right."
http://www.xanga.com/danielleinzambia
I hope she doesn't mind me using this, but it is so true!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
A view from Zambia
1) I have found through UNICEF a movie that was made mostly by Zambian women in the Northern part of the country. I think it is interesting whenever something comes out from the African point of view, rather than that of Westerners, so check out the trailer.
http://www.watermeetssky.com/
2) This is a piece (keep in mind it is youtube so I don't know how true it is) to think about
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQM5g7JzSh0
3) An engineers without borders clip. Funny about the characters he meets
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMfOIQz4cL8
4) Life in the Peace Corps
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2F0oETt9x8&feature=channel_page
5) A hysterical Public Service Announcement/Ad for Clorin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrWoCa1Tx3g
http://www.watermeetssky.com/
2) This is a piece (keep in mind it is youtube so I don't know how true it is) to think about
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQM5g7JzSh0
3) An engineers without borders clip. Funny about the characters he meets
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMfOIQz4cL8
4) Life in the Peace Corps
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2F0oETt9x8&feature=channel_page
5) A hysterical Public Service Announcement/Ad for Clorin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrWoCa1Tx3g
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Peace Corps Zambia Blogs
So I have been bumming around on blog sites...
"The way Peace Corps Zambia works is that there are 3 generations of volunteers at each site: the first one gets things started and introduces the community to what Peace Corps does, the 2nd one works on programs that were started by the first volunteer, and the 3rd one works to make the programs sustainable and turn them over to the community. So the type of work that we do will be really different depending on what generation of volunteer we are."
This is a good one: http://rachelabigailstevens.blogspot.com/
This girl is named Carrie, so OBVIOUSLY this blog is great http://carriezambia.blogspot.com/
and her photos: http://boldt.us/places/zambia/
"The way Peace Corps Zambia works is that there are 3 generations of volunteers at each site: the first one gets things started and introduces the community to what Peace Corps does, the 2nd one works on programs that were started by the first volunteer, and the 3rd one works to make the programs sustainable and turn them over to the community. So the type of work that we do will be really different depending on what generation of volunteer we are."
This is a good one: http://rachelabigailstevens.blogspot.com/
This girl is named Carrie, so OBVIOUSLY this blog is great http://carriezambia.blogspot.com/
and her photos: http://boldt.us/places/zambia/
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Rural Education Development Zambia
I got my invitation yesterday!!! I am going to Zambia on February 28, 2009.
This is the jidst of what I will be doing:
If I work at the district level
working with counterparts to develop monitoring and evaluation plans
effective mentor trainings
creation of databases
plans for sensitizing communities to the nature and uses of non formal education
If I work at the zone level
collaborate with teachers and school heads to improve quality of education
teacher trainings
modeling learning-centered teaching methods
facilitating trainings
professional development for teachers and administrators
All of this includes working with local PTAs, community centers, and the Ministry of Education of Zambia.
The stuff I was sent also said that I will not have running water or electricity, and will probably live in a mud hut with a grass thatched roof.
Sounds like a blast!
Oh..and they totally have goats, pigs, cows, and chickens, so I win!
This is the jidst of what I will be doing:
If I work at the district level
working with counterparts to develop monitoring and evaluation plans
effective mentor trainings
creation of databases
plans for sensitizing communities to the nature and uses of non formal education
If I work at the zone level
collaborate with teachers and school heads to improve quality of education
teacher trainings
modeling learning-centered teaching methods
facilitating trainings
professional development for teachers and administrators
All of this includes working with local PTAs, community centers, and the Ministry of Education of Zambia.
The stuff I was sent also said that I will not have running water or electricity, and will probably live in a mud hut with a grass thatched roof.
Sounds like a blast!
Oh..and they totally have goats, pigs, cows, and chickens, so I win!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Invited!
So I got invited today! I am pretty sure that it is for HIV/AIDS nonformal education through radio. I will find out for sure on Monday or Tuesday!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Journals
There is a great website that puts together all Peace Corps Volunteer's blogs from a while ago as well as people who are there currently or who are going soon. It is a fun place to waste time and surf (spying on where I might be going! Togo has two married couples going there in September!! Dennis watch out!)
http://www.peacecorpsjournals.com/
I think I have to give the "this does not reflect the opinions of the Peace Corps, US Government or any other organization except the person who authored it" schpeal. Make note.
http://www.peacecorpsjournals.com/
I think I have to give the "this does not reflect the opinions of the Peace Corps, US Government or any other organization except the person who authored it" schpeal. Make note.
My guesses
So I am still waiting to hear back from Peace Corps about my placement. No rush, I think it will take them at least until the end of June as they haven't even placed people leaving in June yet! I am supposed to leave in September so I've got some time.
Anyway, getting bored, procrastinating from homework, I made this list of places I might be sent. So far we know: my French will help probably (these are all French Speaking), I am supposed to be doing primary teacher training, and it will be in Africa. So here are the countries on the Peace Corps website that match that description. The more volunteers they send then obviously the more likely my chance is...but I could still be sent anywhere. Drumroll please!
Mauritania (country name) 110 (number of volunteers currently there)
The education project strengthens learning, teaching and service to secondary schools and helps to build capacity by providing boys and girls with quality instruction in English. The project also entails peer coaching Mauritanian teachers of English as they build skills to be more qualified, creative, and effective in a work environment with few resources to support them. Volunteers help develop resources to strengthen links between schools and parent associations, encourage strong participation by parents, and advocate for the education of all children.
Benin 108
Volunteers have helped Benin improve the quality of education by teaching English, math, physics, and chemistry in secondary schools and by developing improved teaching materials, such as instructor lesson plans and student workbooks. It also collaborates with the Ministry of Education to provide qualified English teachers and develop English textbook materials.
Volunteers are incorporating the international science program, Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE), into the school curriculum. GLOBE connects students around the world via the Internet to share their knowledge of the environment.
Cameroon 161
Providing an expanding school-age population with quality education remains a challenge for the Cameroonian government. Volunteers help improve the quality of education by teaching classes in English, math, science, and computers and by developing teaching materials applicable to Cameroonian life. Health and environmental education curricula are integrated into daily lessons. Volunteers bring innovative techniques to the classroom that enhance students' critical thinking skills and improve the teaching skills of their Cameroonian counterparts.
Cape Verde 56
The education project is designed to share knowledge (content) and skills (methodologies) with Cape Verdean students, teachers, administrators, parents, organizations, and communities in formal and informal education settings through Volunteer and counterpart collaboration. Volunteers work as secondary school English and vocational education teachers and as teacher trainers. The project addresses inequality regarding girls' and boys' access to and participation in school, and educates students and the community in life skills and HIV/AIDS. Work with youth groups in sports, summer camps and community projects are also important components of the project. The MoE and Peace Corps began their collaboration with the education project in 1988, 13 years after Cape Verde gained its independence from Portugal.
Guinea 13
Volunteers have been working in Guinean secondary schools since 1986. Volunteers help foster students' access and performance, build teachers' capacity, improve school resources, and enhance communities' self-reliance. Volunteers teach English, physics, chemistry and math to nearly 8,000 students at 33 schools and the University of Kankan. Education Volunteers incorporate gender equity values in their daily teaching and give remedial instruction to girls in their schools. Many do secondary projects that help females cope with educational and developmental problems they face.
Madagascar 141
Volunteers live in underserved rural communities and work with students, teachers, and the larger community to improve capacity to speak English and use English in the workplace. Working in cooperation and collaboration with central and regional curriculum professionals, Volunteers also support the government's initiatives to raise the standard of teaching, develop teaching resources, and strengthen links between schools and communities.
Mozambique 163
In eight of Mozambique's 10 provinces, Volunteers provide quality English and science instruction to over 19,000 students in secondary and technical schools. They also work with Mozambican colleagues to expand the range of teaching methodologies, improve English communication skills, and provide assistance in completing certification responsibilities for the national in-service training program. Volunteers promote education outside the classroom with such activities as tutoring, coaching sports, organizing school library committees, facilitating regional science fairs, and directing theater productions.
This is all copied and pasted from http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=learn.wherepc
all rights reserved, etc etc etc.
Anyway, getting bored, procrastinating from homework, I made this list of places I might be sent. So far we know: my French will help probably (these are all French Speaking), I am supposed to be doing primary teacher training, and it will be in Africa. So here are the countries on the Peace Corps website that match that description. The more volunteers they send then obviously the more likely my chance is...but I could still be sent anywhere. Drumroll please!
Mauritania (country name) 110 (number of volunteers currently there)
The education project strengthens learning, teaching and service to secondary schools and helps to build capacity by providing boys and girls with quality instruction in English. The project also entails peer coaching Mauritanian teachers of English as they build skills to be more qualified, creative, and effective in a work environment with few resources to support them. Volunteers help develop resources to strengthen links between schools and parent associations, encourage strong participation by parents, and advocate for the education of all children.
Benin 108
Volunteers have helped Benin improve the quality of education by teaching English, math, physics, and chemistry in secondary schools and by developing improved teaching materials, such as instructor lesson plans and student workbooks. It also collaborates with the Ministry of Education to provide qualified English teachers and develop English textbook materials.
Volunteers are incorporating the international science program, Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE), into the school curriculum. GLOBE connects students around the world via the Internet to share their knowledge of the environment.
Cameroon 161
Providing an expanding school-age population with quality education remains a challenge for the Cameroonian government. Volunteers help improve the quality of education by teaching classes in English, math, science, and computers and by developing teaching materials applicable to Cameroonian life. Health and environmental education curricula are integrated into daily lessons. Volunteers bring innovative techniques to the classroom that enhance students' critical thinking skills and improve the teaching skills of their Cameroonian counterparts.
Cape Verde 56
The education project is designed to share knowledge (content) and skills (methodologies) with Cape Verdean students, teachers, administrators, parents, organizations, and communities in formal and informal education settings through Volunteer and counterpart collaboration. Volunteers work as secondary school English and vocational education teachers and as teacher trainers. The project addresses inequality regarding girls' and boys' access to and participation in school, and educates students and the community in life skills and HIV/AIDS. Work with youth groups in sports, summer camps and community projects are also important components of the project. The MoE and Peace Corps began their collaboration with the education project in 1988, 13 years after Cape Verde gained its independence from Portugal.
Guinea 13
Volunteers have been working in Guinean secondary schools since 1986. Volunteers help foster students' access and performance, build teachers' capacity, improve school resources, and enhance communities' self-reliance. Volunteers teach English, physics, chemistry and math to nearly 8,000 students at 33 schools and the University of Kankan. Education Volunteers incorporate gender equity values in their daily teaching and give remedial instruction to girls in their schools. Many do secondary projects that help females cope with educational and developmental problems they face.
Madagascar 141
Volunteers live in underserved rural communities and work with students, teachers, and the larger community to improve capacity to speak English and use English in the workplace. Working in cooperation and collaboration with central and regional curriculum professionals, Volunteers also support the government's initiatives to raise the standard of teaching, develop teaching resources, and strengthen links between schools and communities.
Mozambique 163
In eight of Mozambique's 10 provinces, Volunteers provide quality English and science instruction to over 19,000 students in secondary and technical schools. They also work with Mozambican colleagues to expand the range of teaching methodologies, improve English communication skills, and provide assistance in completing certification responsibilities for the national in-service training program. Volunteers promote education outside the classroom with such activities as tutoring, coaching sports, organizing school library committees, facilitating regional science fairs, and directing theater productions.
Togo 141
Volunteers work with different community groups to increase understanding of the importance and benefits of girls' education in order to increase girls' access to formal and nonformal education. They also work with teachers to create an environment that will keep girls in school and students in clubs and classrooms. In recent years, the project has expanded to address the educational needs of apprentices and the trafficking of children. Volunteers help coordinate boys' and girls' camps during the summer with a focus on topics such as the importance of education, gender equity, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS prevention, and life skills.
This is all copied and pasted from http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=learn.wherepc
all rights reserved, etc etc etc.
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