This past week I’ve been in Kribi, a beautiful beach town in the South Region. We had GrassrootSoccer training. GRS has four different programs to work with youth in our communities: one aimed at teaching them about malaria, one is a coed curriculum about sexual health and HIV, the third is about gender issues, puberty, and health for young girls, and the last is the same for young boys. The idea behind the curriculum is to provide the youth with a safe forum for open discussion that they may not find elsewhere, to discuss topics that can be uncomfortable or sometimes even taboo in the society, and it uses activities and games which are engaging and fun while also having a deliberate message along with them.
I came to training with my community host Saada. She has been the one to help me transition into the Jakiri community by making introductions, bringing me to events like weddings and funerals, and mainly just by being a friend. When I received the invitation for GRS she was my first pick to bring even though she had never been a work counterpart before. She slipped into the role flawlessly. She became a different person in front of my eyes; she was engaged and active and had amazing ideas to contribute. Halfway through the week she had a serious health issue and continued to power through like a champion.
I was inspired by her throughout the week and I’m looking forward to implementing GRS with her in Jakiri. To end the week she showed her courage and enthusiasm in a great, symbolic way. She stepped into the ocean for the first time (gripping my hand tightly and screaming). She loved it: the ocean, the training, the new role as a work partner. She told me she’ll carry the Kribi spirit home with her to Jakiri, and I’m excited to see what she can do with it.
