GYDlines

 HEY PCV's! 

It's time for you to put down the laptop (even though Homeland is the most addicting show ever) and get to work supporting Gender and Youth Development at your site! We love hearing about the amazing projects that volunteers have been working on with their communities, so to help you get started we've compiled a list of ideas for GYD-related projects. And remember, your friendly GYD Committee is always here to support you (financially and otherwise) in anything you decide to undertake regarding GYD!

-School garden

-Tree planting event

-Trash clean-up day

-Business classes

-Canning project

-Reading group/tutoring

-Cooking club

-Painting a mural / world map

-Craft club-recyclables

-Ultimate frisbee

-Bike riding

-Quilting/crochet/sewing club (tap into your inner grandma!)

-Language exchange

-Pen pals/World Wise Schools Program

-Movie night

-Jogging club

-Volleyball

-Yoga

-Singing group

-Dance group

-Basic business skills program for young girls (especially those who are vulnerable to travel on Kayayo).

-Boys & girls soccer camp

-Spelling bee at the local Junior High

-Round table discussion with some female leaders (ex: clinic staff or national service volunteers)

-A Men as Partners program with opinion leaders from the village

-Start an HIV & AIDS/art/reading/cooking club

-Start a women’s Shea or Batik group and teach some skills

-Sit with your local women, men, or children and listen to their stories; take the time to discuss their daily lives

-Watch Harry Potter with the kids (because being a good role model starts with good, fun quality time)

-Sit in on a baby weighing (and hold the cutest nuggety chunky-monkeys in the world)

-Try your hand at farming (or any chore that is made easier with a little bit of chit-chat)

-Learn about age- or gender-specific beliefs in your area (be it rumor, stereotype, superstition or ghost story)

-Endear yourself to the nearest school and offer to help with lessons

-Organize a village clean-up day with the local youth and teach them a bit about waste management

-Hold a nutrition or family planning course for the local mothers and mothers-to-be in your community

And remember, send us your story! We'd love to hear about anything you've done (a lesson learned, a successful project, or just a picture of a cute baby).