Tamba Leadership Conference
The Michelle Sylvester Scholarship (MSS) does an excellent job of identify high-potential girls in their early teens. To ensure these girls received the attention and help they needed to succeed in life, Carla Crooks, Mary O'Brien, Jessica Scates and Jessica Young took the initiative to organize a Girls Leadership Conference for all the MSS winners in the Tamba region.
This event focused on challenges and opportunities for middle-school girls. It covered in-school problems and wider cultural issues that they face everyday. It was attended by twelve regional scholarship winners, each with a family member and the Peace Corps Volunteer from her village.
A panel of speakers was put together based on the career interested of the girls. This included a wide range of female role models, including the American Ambassador Marcia Bernicat. The inspirational film Elle Travaille, Elle Vit (She Works, She Lives) was viewed and Awa Traore led discussion groups about how young girls can find the balance between tradition and self-respect. The girls also visited an internet cafe, many of them getting their first opportunity to use a computer.
The girls left the conference feeling energized and inspired. And making plans for their futures. Many of them still keep in touch.
| 
