Fundraising

October 1, 2008


Dear Family and Friends,

Asalaamalekum! I hope this finds you happy and healthy. Since moving to Senegal in 2007, I have been performing my primary assignment as a rural health education volunteer, in Kanel, in the Matam region. I am also involved in many secondary projects, including SeneGAD, Peace Corps Senegal’s Gender and Development advocacy organization.

SeneGAD is a network of Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) (of which I am a board member), that develop resources and programming that emphasize gender equality. SeneGAD encourages volunteers to incorporate GAD work into all Peace Corps projects, including the Michele Sylvester Memorial Scholarship, women’s health and leadership conferences, and youth clubs. We hope that these events will inspire the participants, bring attention to issues of gender and development and provide a springboard for future SeneGAD efforts.

The Michele Sylvester Scholarship Fund was founded in 1993 in memory of former Peace Corps Senegal Volunteer Michele Sylvester, who was committed to girl’s education. Initially, the scholarship benefited two village-based girls, but thanks to generous donations and fundraising the number of recipients has increased to forty girls for the 2007-2008 school year. After receiving the 25,000 CFA ($50) scholarships, each girl is partnered with a PCV who mentors and follows the girl’s progress throughout the school term.

PCVs are also encouraged to start youth clubs, an opportunity to educate and empower young people in the community. Often, groups make and sell crafts, learn about proper hygiene and nutrition, or undergo leadership training. Above all, these groups offer a safe place to discuss the challenges of growing up in Senegal and inspire young people to be active citizens.

Every year, SeneGAD raises money through a semi-annual auction and rummage sale and yearlong calendar and cookbook sales. As part of this year’s effort to expand SeneGAD’s visibility and increase programming, we are seeking additional support from friends and family back home. For $50, you can reward a hardworking middle school girl with a Michele Sylvester scholarship; for $20, you can sponsor a youth club.

Please send contributions to:
Friends of Senegal and The Gambia, ATTN.: Daniel Theisen, SeneGAD, 428 Bowleys Quarters Road, Baltimore, MD 21220. Friends of Senegal and The Gambia will forward proceeds to SeneGAD.

If you know of any others who might be interested in SeneGAD's mission, please feel free to share this letter with them. If you have any questions please contact me at: caitlingive@gmail.com, 221. 77.257.1479, or the SeneGAD representative: Awa Traoré, SeneGAD Advisor, Awatracheikh@yahoo.fr, B.P. 299, Thies, Senegal, 221.77.654.16.53.

Thank you in advance for supporting SeneGAD, and helping us achieve our goals and aspirations for gender equality in Senegal. I wish you and your family continued peace and good health.


Sincerely,

Caitlin Givens

Work pictures updated

I have updated the pictures in my Picasa web album called, Work!
To find my pictures go to the sidebar and find the links, then click on the one labeled
"Cait's Senegal Pics"

There are pictures of some of the cool work stuff that I've been busy with in Dakar over the past several weeks. Please take a look and enjoy! And be sure of course to check out Jac et le Takeifa, the cool band that we're working with. I know you will all really enjoy their music.
I hope to write a more substantial blog entry soon, I know these have been unsatisfying, but know that no news = good news, and that I'm as busy as can be and enjoying myself thoroughly.

Ramadan ends this week, and then as soon as this next film screening is over I am FINALLY making the trek back up to the desert (until the first week of november when I have to come back down to Dakar. Sigh.) I can't wait to see my family and friends at site. I'm beginning to wonder if all of the baby clothes I brought back (thanks mom) will even fit the right babies anymore?

Film Screening #2 October 7th

Peace Only Productions, SeneGAD, and PEACE CORPS Senegal

Present

ELLE TRAVAILLE, ELLE VIT!

Tuesday October 7th, 2008
3 pm
American Center, Mbacke Building, Dakar


Please come join us for the screening of Elle Travaille, Elle Vit! (She Works, She Lives!). Produced, directed, and edited by Peace Corps volunteers with funds from the US Embassy and SeneGAD.


She Works, She Lives! is a documentary that explores the role of women in Senegalese society and highlights the importance of girl’s education in particular. Each of the five women interviewed for the film come from diverse backgrounds and followed distinct paths to get to where they are today. Some of them come from small villages while others come from urban environments, some from supportive families and others from less supportive families. But at some point in their lives, each of these five women realized that she had the potential to be more and to achieve more than what was expected of her. This documentary looks at the histories of these inspiring women, the feelings they have about their work and their upbringing, and their hopes for the future of Senegalese women.

Concessions will be available. Donations to SeneGAD are welcome.

Film screening Sunday September 28th

Peace Only Productions, SeneGAD and Peace Corps Senegal

Present

ELLE TRAVAILLE, ELLE VIT!

Sunday, September 28th 2008
7:30 pm
Club Atlantique


Please come join us for the screening of Elle Travaille, Elle Vit! (She Works, She Lives!). Produced, directed, and edited by Peace Corps volunteers with funds from the US Embassy and SeneGAD.

She Works, She Lives! is a documentary that explores the role of women in Senegalese society and highlights the importance of girl’s education in particular. Each of the five women interviewed for the film come from diverse backgrounds and followed distinct paths to get to where they are today. Some of them come from small villages while others come from urban environments, some from supportive families and others from less supportive families. But at some point in their lives, each of these five women realized that she had the potential to be more and to achieve more than what was expected of her. This documentary looks at the histories of these inspiring women, the feelings they have about their work and their upbringing, and their hopes for the future of Senegalese women.


Following the film, there will be a brief Q&A session with the director, PCV Barry Pousman. Concessions will be available for purchase. Donations to SeneGAD are welcome.

I'm sorry it has been so long!!

Hello everyone,

I just wanted to drop a quick note to say that I am so sorry I have neglected my blog for so long. I have heard from some of you who are very disappointed that I haven't written in 3 months! (Yikes!) I thank you all for being such avid readers though and for caring so much about my adventures! Unfortunately, this is just a little note saying that I am fine and that I am simply too busy to write these days! My to-do list is longer than my arm, and my blog has to be pushed to the bottom of that list because I've got deadlines. Sorry.

Briefly,

I am doing very well adjusting back to Senegal. I am currently working on some exciting film projects in Dakar (as a producer!) and have received a Fulbright-Hays Grant from the US Embassy for this current film that I was invited to produce for fellow PCV (and director) Barry Pousman. It is a tree-nursery making guide for school children. (See the website below!)

I am now the Director of Public Relations for his production company, Peace Only Productions www.peaceonlyproductions.blogspot.com, Check out our current projects! We have our first public screening next week of our documentary Elle Travaille, Elle Vit! (She Works, She Lives!). I'm coordinating the whole event at the Club Atlantique in Dakar, which has proved to be a huge undertaking, with lots of embassy staff, RPCVs, and NGO reps, in attendance.

I am also applying for another grant and holding a Girls' Health and Leadership Conference in November with 60 invited participants from various middle schools in the region.

I am doing a zillion other things that I am just as excited about and am LOVING being so busy. I had no idea I would love PR work so much. I've found a love of the administrative side and it feels great to be so busy again.

I do miss you all dearly and it was wonderful to be home for so long and to see so many friends and family (however briefly). The months are going quickly and my service is up April 13th 2009, so only about seven more months. I cant believe it. It has absolutely flown by.

I promise promise promise to try and write a real entry soon.