Summer Camp Project

Happy December, can you believe it? Lots of exciting things have been happening down here. Today I am sharing one of my favorites...enjoy! 

As my time down here in Paraguay is coming to a close I have a few more projects to complete. One of them is a really exciting opportunity for Paraguayan youth to attend a summer camp that will discuss the importance of a healthy mind and healthy body in relation to living and feeling well. This camp will include both boys and girls and hopes to provide a space for youth of the opposite sex to gain a better understanding of each other through sessions that will discuss issues from self-esteem and body image to the impact of sexual harassment on both genders. There will even be a session on Ally Training for the Paraguayan youth to learn how they can be better allies to each other as often times their peers are the ones that try to bring them down. The idea is to equip the youth with a holistic view on how they can live healthy lives and that the way they treat and view themselves reflects in the way they treat those around them. The name of the camp is Healthy Mind, Healthy Body ( Cuerpo y Mente Sanos in spanish) and it discusses the role of gender and development. 

Here in Paraguay, boys and girls do not spend much time together, most all of their activities are segregated, this is a trend that is evident even when adults spend time together. By having both genders involved in this camp we hope to show that it is possible for boys and girls to be friends and find ways to relate to each other. The camp will last 3 days and the hope is that after attending the camp, the youth will then share the information and resources they learned in their own communities with the help of their volunteers. Thus, we aim to aid a seed of sustainability to the work we do here as Peace Corps Volunteers. 

I am currently the director of the camp and busy planing everything for the month of February. But, in order for this camp to be successful, we need the help of people back home to donate to the cause! In the future we would like to transition the camp to a Paraguayan organization that will cover the costs but for this year (its inaugural year) we need YOUR help. So please, whatever amount you can afford, donate! I would appreciate it so much and will be sure to share the success of the camp with all of you. 

Also if you have friends or other family that you think would be interested in donating and supporting our cause please forward them the link and if they have questions they can email me- roniannlaroque@gmail.com

Thank you so much for all your love and support over these past 2 years! I so am happy I get to share this experience with all of you 

Here is the link