GAD PC PY MEETING MINUTES ¤ MARCH 28, 2008

Next meeting: Friday, May 23rd @ 3 PM @ the PCO 2nd floor conference room

What’s happening:
- New officer elections
- Share session for the inaugural GAD-In-Our-Sites activity:

Organize an Essay Contest on gender & development in your community

(scroll down to the end of these minutes for Jill’s pointers and sample flyer text)

This meeting:
Joan passed out GAD Camp group photos (1 per camp participant) – see Sarah Fouts if you haven’t already picked them up for you youth (apologies for the low quality – hopefully the jóvenes will appreciate them igual)

PATF scholarship (technical training and financial aid for young Paraguayan women)
- Start thinking about if you are interested in joining the committee for next year
- We addressed and sealed official thank you letters for this year’s donors

GAD Gabber (biannual newsletter to all PCVs)
- Co-editors: Rosana and Lauren
- Biannual – July/December
- Rosana and Lauren will email GAD members to avisar when it’s time to submit articles

GAD Binder (PCO general GAD resource)
- There is now a completed draft in the Coordinator’s office! We’ve got Joan and Sarah to thank on this one. Check it out for all your GAD reference needs.

GAD Manual (resource tailored to PCVs working with communities on GAD issues)
- This is going to be a more Volunteer-friendly version of the GAD Binder
- Committee – Kaitlin, Sarah, Joan

Jopara committee (dedicated to providing resources on diversity issues to PCVs)
- Bryan is passing off the baton from Jopara Reloaded to GAD
- Committee – Rosana, Katrena, Joan
- Recommended PC staff contacts – Gloria Aquino, Josefina
- Pre-existing Jopara idea – Organize a diversity taller

Project Spotlight: Secretaria de la Mujer
- Orlando presented the project of creating the office of the Secr. de la Mujer in J. O’Leary
- What does the Sec. de la Mujer do? Supports women with the justice process and other aspects of domestic violence; promotes broader gender and development work
- A rep from the Sec. de la Mujer may attend the next GAD meeting
- Recommended PC staff contact – Josefina

Auction
- It can still happen. Tell your COS-ing G20, G21 friends to donate items to Sarah’s desk

Turning the Focus to Males in Paraguay
- Rosana is working on the creation of a manual specifically for Paraguayan boys
- Carlos will write a proposal requesting to include Paraguayan males as PATF recipients

GAD-In-Our-Sites: Essay Contest
- What’s a great way to get more involved in GAD without ODing on Asunción? Try the GAD-In-Our-Sites kick-off activity: organize an essay contest on gender & development in your community (thanks to Jill for sharing her experience)
- The idea of GAD-In-Our-Sites is to pick an activity that all interested GAD members can do in their communities and share the experience at the following meeting…so give it a go and we’ll see what comes out of this!

Officer Elections
- Do you want to take the lead in GAD? Contact Joan (president), Orlando (treasurer) or Jen (secretary) to avisar your interest and learn more about their roles.
- Be there at the next meeting to cast your vote and keep GAD going strong!

* * *

This is the flyer I used for the essay contest I did in Horqueta in celebration of Dia Mundial de Mujeres. It can be modified for mother's day or anything really. For prizes, I had the public library in Horqueta donate library cards and pencils, buttons, etc. I chose a handful of finalists based on who actually answered the questions, and wrote a legible one page, was most expressive, etc. Then I had the teachers select the winners from those finalists. We read a bunch of the essays on the radio and also talked about famous women from history on the radio that night too. It was a big success, i received about 25 essays in total and the winners read their essays in front of their parents at the parent's meeting at school and I gave the prizes to them after they read it. All in all, it was a very simple, easy, lindo project with great results. I recommend people try it in their sites! Get the support of teachers who will encourage their students to participate.
- Jill Anderson, G23

Flyer text:

Concurso de Ensayo

En celebracion de Dia Mundial de Mujeres-el 8 de Marzo, escribe una pagina sobre la mujer que es tu modelo ejemplar. Ella puede ser una persona que te conoce como tu madre, tia, hermana, abuela, vecina or profesora pero tambien puede ser una mujer que no conoces como una mujer politica, una famosa o una persona de historia. Por favor, en recognicion de ese dia importante comparte esa mujer con todos. Describe un poco sobre su vida y contesta las preguntas siguientes:

¿Quien es la mujer que es tu modelo ejemplar?
¿ Que es lo que mas admiras de esa mujer?
¿ Porque ella es differente de otras personas?
¿Como tiene ella una influencia positiva en tu vida?

Por favor, entregen tus ensayos a tus profesor@as antes del 7 de Marzo. Va a ver
un/a ganador@ de cada grado y van a recibir un premio y una sopresa super calidad.

* * *
More sample Essay Contest flyer text:

El comité de género y desarrollo de Cuerpo de Paz presenta:

Concurso de Ensayo

En celebración del progreso hacia la igualdad entre las mujeres y los varones, escribe una página sobre el siguiente tema:

¿Qué futuro imaginas en cuanto a los papeles de los varones y las mujeres en la sociedad paraguaya, 10 años más adelante?

Por favor, entregan los ensayos a la sala de la Dirección antes del 13 de mayo. El jurado seleccionará 1 ganador/a por curso.
Premios: 1 hora gratuita del uso del Internet en AMUR
Se sorteará entre todos los participantes 1 tarjeta de saldo de TIGO – valor: 15.000 Gs.
Todos los ganadores serán invitados para leer sus ensayos por la radio, gracias a la colaboración de Radio Valenzuela.

Sample judging criteria:

Concurso de Ensayo
Colegio Nacional San José - Valenzuela, Cordillera, Paraguay
Facilitado por el comité de Genero y Desarrollo (GAD) de Cuerpo de Paz

Guía para el Estimado Jurado

Tema del Ensayo: ¿Qué futuro imaginas en cuanto a los papeles de los varones y las mujeres en la sociedad paraguaya, 10 años más adelante?

Nuestro objetivo del proyecto es dar a los alumnos la oportunidad de pensar en el tema y expresar su visión del futuro en cuanto al desarrollo hacia la igualdad entre los varones y mujeres.

La colaboración del jurado será:

1. Agregar un comentario breve por cada ensayo
2. Seleccionar 1 ganador/a por cada grado por turno, utilizando los siguientes indicadores-

1. Argumento (15 puntos)
1. El ensayo indica claramente una visión tratando específicamente del tema (5 puntos)
2. Se trata de ambos papeles (no solamente por la mujer ni solamente por el varón) (5 puntos)
3. Están incluidas evidencia y razones para dar respaldo al argumento (5 puntos)

2. Estilo y Presentación (15 puntos)
1. La redacción es lógica y fluida (5 puntos)
2. Se usa un buen nivel de vocabulario (a nivel del curso) (5 puntos)
3. Está sin errores de ortografía y gramática (3 puntos)
4. El ensayo cabe en una hoja, tamaño oficio o carta (2 puntos)

3. Originalidad (10 puntos)
1. Es idea propia del alumno/a y ninguna parte del ensayo está copiado de otras fuentes (5 puntos)
2. El ensayo resalta por el ingenio del argumento y expresión del alumno/a (5 puntos)

Total de 40 puntos*

*Los puntajes sirven solamente para facilitar la elección de los ganadores por el jurado y no se enterrarán los alumnos de esos datos.

¡Le agradecemos por su colaboración en el proyecto que apoyará a los que formarán el futuro del Paraguay!

We Bonded

We Bonded
Cargado originalmente por gadparaguay

The camp experience was a unique chance for participants to get to know other Paraguayan youth from all across the country. GAD Youth Leadership Camp, Tati Yupi, Feb 2008.

We Played

We Played
Cargado originalmente por gadparaguay

Dinamicas such as this balloon-stomping game helped to bring up the energy level during a full day of activities. GAD Youth Leadership Camp, Tati Yupi, Feb 2008.

We Worked

We Worked
Cargado originalmente por gadparaguay

Paraguayan youth participants and volunteer Mila Wilmouth work in a team to complete exercises in personal and community development. GAD Youth Leadership Camp, Tati Yupi, Feb 2008.

We Traveled

We Traveled
Cargado originalmente por gadparaguay

Volunteers and Paraguayan teens arrive at the site of the 2008 GAD-PreAlpa Youth Leadership Camp, bio-refuge Tati Yupi.

GAD PC PY meeting minutes ¤ January 25, 2008

Next meeting: Friday, March 28, 3PM at the PCO.

This meeting:
Pira pire – 2008 calendars have sold out! Orlando reported 897.000 Gs in GAD’s coffers to date.

PATF Scholarship (technical training and financial aid for young Paraguayan women)
Sarah’s got the 2008 recipients’ list – next year’s applications will be available around November.
For those PCVs who have a 2008 recipient from their site, the winners are required to attend 2 workshops where they will get training and the funds in 2 installments. First workshop date TBA.

GAD section of the Kuat
Calling all GAD for article submissions for the next issue of the Kuat (March deadline). So far, we’ve got a feature issue by Sarah Fouts and a GAD Camp 2008 charlas compilation by Gabby.

Upcoming fechas:
Paraguayan Women’s Day- Feb 24
International Women’s Day- March 8
Contact our pres Joan for tips on how to get your community involved in these awareness celebrations.

GAD Manual (resource for PCVs working with communities on GAD issues)
Michael requested that GAD put together a GAD Binder for office use before March
Topics will be assigned to all interesados at February’s GAD Camp
The PCO GAD Binder can segway into a Manual (to be geared more toward volunteer use in site)

Jopara Initiative
Jopara president Bryan Weiner presented the idea to incorporate Jopara (volunteer diversity group) into GAD – proposal approved

GAD Camp, February 8-11 @ Tati Yupi
KUDOS to the GAD Camp Committee - Lorien, Evangeline, Sarah Fouts, Orlando and Joan - and NGO Pre-Alpa for laying the groundwork for an amazing experience for jovenes and volunteers alike, all set against the beautiful backdrop of the Tati Yupi bio refuge near Ciudad de Este.

Now that it's all over, we want to help next year's group do it again, even better! So that leads to...evaluations. At the camp, participants turned in written evals to Evangeline and Volunteers hashed out their initial reactions.

Rachel offered to prepare 3-month evals, to track the impact of the camp experience that the jóvenes have brought back to their communities.

With the huge organizational effort put into the camp now behind us, the slate is cleared for renewed focus on ongoing projects and lots of possibilities for all your ideas!

GAD PC PY meeting minutes ¤ Nov 24, 2007

Anuncios
The next GAD camp meeting will be on Monday, December 10, 11:30am at 4D. If you are interested in getting in on the final planning for February, bring your ganas to planear and stay for the gelato.

The GAD general meeting will be on Friday, Jan 25th, 5 PM at the PCO - a must-attend for all those participating in the GAD Camp (February 8-10).

We sold out of the first batch of GAD calendars with photos of Paraguay by RPCV Emily Horton. Pick up yours for 35 mil at the PCO Coordinator’s office.

Yup, that’s right - all eyes are now on Ko’erogua Mita Pyahu, aka GAD Youth Leadership Camp facilitated by Paraguayan NGO PreAlpa. The oh-so-guapo committee has reserved the oh-so-lindo camp site of Tati Yupi near Hernandarias, near CDE. We are all set on the SPA grant, and got Michael E’s approval for the site and travel to CDE!

There are only 2 more volunteer slots available as of today, November 30! Here’s how to get involved in the camp:

1. Seek out 1-3 youth in your community who are active, potential leaders, preferably under age 20 (officially between ages 15-25). Email the names of the youth you’re planning to bring to Lorien AND Evangeline – bneirol@yahoo.com AND evan77sk@yahoo.com Please include Name, Cedula #, Age, Sex, and whether or not you feel this person could lead an activity, charla, or dinamica. Please note, we have space for some volunteers to bring 3 youth. So if you have 3 candidates identified, please send info for all. Be sure to mention if you are interested in giving a charla and/or facilitating with a Paraguayan youth participant or adult contact (include names and affiliations in email).

2. If you don't already have the official invite, camp committee will provide the document that contains all important details at next camp and general meetings. Each youth needs to pay or raise 50 mil (or more but no less) toward their pasaje to the CDE bus terminal (PCVs pay their own way). From CDE, there will be 2 pre-arranged buses to take participants and volunteers to the camp site. Rosana emailed out a muni pedido form to the GAD list to help youth request pasaje funding from their muni.

3. The committee is also going to send out a food pedido form so we can get some donations toward our camp grub. We need help from all GAD volunteers to conseguir food donations and identify what items and quantity of items you might be able to bring (Desayuno, Media-manana, Merienda). More specific info will be communicated to everyone after December 10th.

4. Bring complete charlas & dinamicas/ice breakers to share with the group at the camp meeting December 10 and come to the general meeting January 25 to get in on the ultima hora noticias!

If you have questions or concerns before the camp, please feel free to call or email either Lorien 0971-901-886 or Evangeline 0971-901-881.

Also fully T-ray charged is the PATF young women’s scholarship program – the deadline for the 2008 academic year has now passed. Any youth you helped apply will be contacted by phone if they’ve been selected by December 21! If chosen, they will be required to attend the ceremony to receive the first half of their scholarship money on February 8, 2008.

Speaking of plata, we’ve raised $6125 dollars as of November 30, that’s from our initial goal of $10,000. Kudos to you all and super-kudos to the PATF committee. 1 bit of feedback from a non-GAD PCV was a request to pass out a 1-page print-out to all PCV mailboxes with essential facts on PATF and how to donate.

If 2 project-guasus weren’t enough, we are making the group’s presence known with the GAD Gabber Newsletter – Send in your interviews and articles on gender issues in Paraguay by December 14 to Evangeline at evan77sk@yahoo.com.

Felices fiestas to GAD, and to GAD a good sandia (or melon, or mango, or clericol…)!
– Jen Cheng, GAD secretary