It was easy to feel unfocused living in the stress of a camp.  But every time the girls joined to talk about their lives, to share and read poems,  and give voice to their experience and feelings they nurtured happiness and confidence.   They kept each other engaged in not losing hope and living with integrity.  Finding voice for complex emotions and sharing in mutual trust inspired them to consider the plight of other youth and the future of their country. 

 

At our first meeting in 2011, the  girls' dances were static miming dances replicating the gyrating shows they saw on videos on their parents cell phones. Girls Write Haiti  sent a professional Haitian dance teacher, Medjina Augustin, into the camp, whenever it was possible often twice a month.  She trained the girls to be flexible,  to pay attention to each other to develop discipline and mind-body coordination. They learned to move and dance and explore their feelings through gesture and movement.   They cocreated choreographies with Medjina. The girls received their own MP3 player   crowded with music. They began to explore reciting poems with songs and rhythms.  It is something we can develop into their new group. 

 

The dance classes gave them discipline and a way of moving out of self preoccupation or low self-esteem. As they gained flexibility,  they increased inner trust. Their dance has given them immediate joy. It was  a positive use of energy, and uplifted their minds and hearts.  It furthered  capacities for working for change. 

 

The value of self expression and group engagement is immeasurable.  

 

The girls  received several days of training from a professional photographer from Vancouver.   They learned to observe the camp, each other, and the world around them. In the future they want to become more skillful in digital storyteling and documtenting their lives and Haiti. 

 

The girls began learning how to engage in a forum or council meeting to discuss ordinary and  urgent problems; to call on each other for support and practice deep listening skills. 

 

As they move into young adulthood the girls are seeking serious trainings and opportunities to mentor others and continue their education and expression.