2006.01.14: January 14, 2006: Headlines: COS - Togo: Women's Issues: The Post-Standard: Peace Corps Volunteer Laurence Dessein is teaching women and girls in Togo to have more self-confidence
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2006.01.14: January 14, 2006: Headlines: COS - Togo: Women's Issues: The Post-Standard: Peace Corps Volunteer Laurence Dessein is teaching women and girls in Togo to have more self-confidence
Peace Corps Volunteer Laurence Dessein is teaching women and girls in Togo to have more self-confidence
It's called life skills - strategies that women and girls can use to make better decisions about their lives, Dessein said."The program is promoting, supporting girls' education so we can empower women or help them develop or grow stronger so they can take part in the development of the country," Dessein said. "They're conditioned at an early age to be submissive. They're taught that they are not as worthy as men and they're not as intelligent. In the home, too, all the majority of the chores fall on women, whether it's cleaning, cooking, sweeping outside, taking care of the kids, fetching water or getting wood. In addition, the majority of women have petty trades where they sell things at the local market. In my household, the women are up at 4 in the morning and the last ones to go to bed while the men sit around and chat."
Peace Corps Volunteer Laurence Dessein is teaching women and girls in Togo to have more self-confidence
Teaching empowerment
Sunday, January 14, 2007
By BoNhia Lee
Staff writer
Laurence Dessein is teaching women and girls in Togo, western Africa, to have more self-confidence.
It's called life skills - strategies that women and girls can use to make better decisions about their lives, Dessein said.
"The program is promoting, supporting girls' education so we can empower women or help them develop or grow stronger so they can take part in the development of the country," Dessein said.
Dessein, 23, whose family lives in the Strathmore neighborhood of Syracuse, is a Peace Corps volunteer who spent the last year living in Togo. She came home for one month and leaves today for her final year of service.
Her duties include training religious leaders and parents to talk to others about the importance of giving their daughters an education. She also teaches HIV/AIDS prevention and helped an organization that provides medical care to orphans infected with the virus.
"Togo is in a level of poverty beyond comprehension," Dessein said. "They can't move up without the help of the international community."
Dessein took some time Saturday afternoon to speak to The Post-Standard:
What is Togo like?
It's a small country the size of North Carolina. There's a plethora of different ethnicities, culture and languages. The south has a lot of vegetation. The north is just under the Sahara desert. The northeast is very Muslim and the south is Catholic and Christian.
Where do you live in Togo?
I live in the northeast in a village that is mostly Muslim. I live in Gande. There are probably 1,500 people in the village. There is no electricity or paved roads. The structures are made of mud and sand. My house with my host family is made of cement.
What is the role of women in Togo?
They're conditioned at an early age to be submissive. They're taught that they are not as worthy as men and they're not as intelligent. In the home, too, all the majority of the chores fall on women, whether it's cleaning, cooking, sweeping outside, taking care of the kids, fetching water or getting wood. In addition, the majority of women have petty trades where they sell things at the local market. In my household, the women are up at 4 in the morning and the last ones to go to bed while the men sit around and chat.
What is most satisfying about your work so far?
It's hard because I feel like it's been more self-fulfilling than what I have given back to the community. You do achieve little things. I came in with high expectations that the girls would follow me. They see me as a girl who grew up with much more opportunity, but after persevering, there are a few girls I have developed close relationships with and they want to go to university, which is unheard of.
What do you plan to do after the Peace Corps?
I plan on going to graduate school. I'm looking at schools in Canada or Europe. I want to study international law. I'm very interested in the United Nations. I'd like to see if I can work with them doing development and conflict-resolution work.
BoNhia Lee can be reached at blee@syracuse.com or 470-2134.
Links to Related Topics (Tags):
Headlines: January, 2006; Peace Corps Togo; Directory of Togo RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Togo RPCVs; Women's Issues
When this story was posted in January 2007, this was on the front page of PCOL:
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Story Source: The Post-Standard
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Togo; Women's Issues
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