Girls’ Clubs

Barbara is pleased to announce that the editing process of the Talita Cumi Girls’ Clubs curriculum is coming to a close. She is beginning meetings this week with the graphic designer who will create original artwork for the layout.

Barb is thankful for the IM colleagues who have come alongside her, contributing content: Ruth Mooney, Sarah Nash Matos, Sue Hegarty, and Adalia Gutierrez.

Sarah Nash Matos, Global Servant in Bolivia, and Barb have worked daily, solo and on Zoom, going through the manuscript, often agonizing over the right wording. If anybody tells you the Spanish language is the same in all Spanish-speaking countries, take our word, they are wrong.

Barb and Sarah Nash (IM Global Servant in Bolivia)

With input from native speakers from Chile to Mexico, the goal is to have a curriculum in Spanish that is not grating to the sensibilities of any Spanish-speaker, no easy task! And the next challenge is to translate it to English!

In January, Barbara and Sarah begin recording virtual lesson modules for preparing the local mentors of Girls’ Clubs.

This virtual platform for mentor training creates more opportunities for expansion of the Girls’ Clubs project to partners in other countries.

Sarah Matos is preparing to launch the Girls’ Clubs program with mentor training and activities in Bolivia in the Spring of 2021.

Barb is preparing to teach the practice of program evaluation to the Girls’ Clubs mentors and community leaders.

This is an important capacity that Barb will integrate into all mentor training. Program evaluation skills are essential, enabling mentors and community leaders to design, deliver, and evaluate youth development programs.

Barb’s research convinces her that the only way to effectively nurture youth in vulnerable communities is to build program delivery/mentoring skills in local leaders, because their cultural and contextual knowledge is irreplaceable.

Also, in 2021, the Girls’ Clubs project will begin addressing the needs of young girls in first-generation immigrant communities in the U. S.

Rainwater Harvesting

Since travel was restricted in March, Dwight does all training, design, and guidance with these mountain village community leaders in Guatemala online – Zoom, WhatsApp, and e-mail.

Their connectivity is limited at times by remote location and cost, but their ingenuity and determination to provide water for their school prevails.

This week they are making final purchases and beginning installation.

This model system will provide water for bathrooms and the kitchen of a school with 85 people, and serve as a teaching model that can be replicable with local resources.

Upon completion, we will begin the same process with partners in Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Mexico in 2021.

Merry Christmas!

And so, at this Christmastime,
I greet you with the prayer that for you,
Now and forever,
The day breaks and the shadows flee away.
– Fra Giovanni Giocondo letter to Countess Allagia Aldobrandeschi, Christmas Eve 1513