Projects!

I thought that I would just share some great news about my Peace Corps service with you all! I recently applied for a grant for a small (in American standards, HUGE to the Togolese) for my Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC). My grant just got approved, so I am currently in Lome picking up my $400! My project is a Club OVC. Its a monthly, and during the school holiday's weekly, club where all 518 of the AIDS association I work withs OVCs are invited to come. I have a group of 30 regulars, which doesn't seem like many, but considering the kids situation's here its pretty good, many of them are the primary care takers in their households, most of them are the only ones that can work in the fields because their parents are too sick, they do all the chores of the house, and still go to school - or try to. The main purpose of Club is to provide these AIDS orphans a safe place where they can come, be around other children in their situation. Ideally it will also be a means to help their development through art and creative activities (that they definitely don't get in schools), and through other life and practical skills like self confidence, gender equity, and learning certain income generating activities. What I am really happy about is that they approved the portion for the Big Brothers and Sisters so that these kids will be mentored by model young people in village. I am so very happy this project came through, it is scheduled to last till December, so hopefully by then we will see some real changes in these kids! Funded projects in Peace Corps Togo are few and far between, hopefully this will be worth it. I am sure it will be, if not for my own sanity as sometimes its the kids in Togo that keep me here!

Here are some of my favourite OVCs that come all the time. They also come to my house about 5 times a day to just play on my porch. I have never been so popular in my life!

Not OVCs but just some raelly great cute kids!