Who run the world? Girls!

About a month ago, the sixth annual Girls Leading Our World (GLOW) conference was held in Apia, Samoa. GLOW is a Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV) initiative throughout several different countries where PCVs serve. In Samoa, the GLOW conference has become better known throughout the years. It started with just a conference six years ago and has been working more toward sustainability this year.

Each PCV who chooses to do so, can crea

te a GLOW club at his/her school. The purpose of GLOW clubs is to empower girls in upper primary years (typically years 6-8). GLOW is built on three pillars: careers and education, healthy bodies and healthy minds, and ending domestic violence against women and children. These topics are explored throughout the year in each GLOW club and the PCV and a local counterpart at the school run each club.

Even though the GLOW conference was in its sixth year this year, this was the first year that having a GLOW club at the school was a requirement for attending the conference. The goal of what PCVs do in their communities is meant to be sustainable. By introducing the idea of a GLOW club at each school and requiring that for the conference, the idea was to have GLOW be sustainable in Samoa.

This year, the GLOW conference brought together 78 girls and 14 local counterparts from 14 primary schools throughout Samoa to a 4-day conference held in Apia. I was privileged enough to help plan and run the conference and was so thrilled to see the girls selected from my school learn more about how they can become leaders.

Very often, Samoans do not have many opportunities to leave their villages (or potentially their island). They often find themselves growing up and staying in their village or possibly a village not to far from the one they grew up in. Their friends are often Samoans from their village. Being able to take girls to a conference in the capital helped them to expand what they know.

My girls made friends with some girls from other schools at this conference. They became so close with them in just 4 days that they cried when they had to leave them. They also got to hear from Samoans about how to stay healthy, possible careers, and how valued they are. This conference was an amazing opportunity for them.

Before joining Peace Corps, I had no idea about GLOW or why it is important, but I am so grateful that I got to be a part of it this year. The best part though, is that I get to do it again next year as well. I am so excited to grow my GLOW club at school and help to grow the conference so that more girls throughout Samoa have this opportunity. So many PCVs work hard to have GLOW clubs and to run this conference so a big thank you to them as well for putting in so much time and work to make this initiative grow in Samoa. I look forward to the day where this becomes a Samoan led initiative so that they can take girls’ leadership and empowerment into their own hands.