How GLOW Changed My Life

In 2011 SYC announced a contest of essays for GLOW alumnae. The topic of the essay was the impact of GLOW on girls. The winners of the competition got small funds to organize peer education activities or community actions in their regions.

Here are extracts from the essays:

"GLOW gave me aspirations and goals to reach for higher and better. I was unsociable, obedient and passive before GLOW, now I am purposeful and determined to make change in my life and in my community."

Nvard Pandunts, Khndzoresk, GLOW 2010

"In my village I was never taught to believe in me, rather be in the shadow. GLOW gave me a chance to open up my potential, be heard and accepted as I am. Now I am positive about future and confident that I will become a useful person".

Gayane Yegiazaryan, Tavush, GLOW 2009

"In GLOW I learnt about such topics as gender roles, HIV/AIDS, trafficking, etc. which I did not know much about. I was amazed how much knowledge I took home in just a week. After GLOW I was excited to organize seminars for my peers and share my experience."

Valentina Haytyan, Sevan, GLOW 2010

Follow Up Seminar in Charentsavan

Regional follow up seminars started in November 2011. They are designed to give the GLOW girls and their peers in regions of Armenia a possibility to deepen their knowledge and acquire new skills in one of the GLOW topics. The GLOW alumnae help our trainers to select the topics and organize the seminar connecting to local partners and occasionally co-facilitating the sessions. They also are yet another event motivating the girls to be active in their community and organize events on their own together with their peers and local organizations.

As expected the GLOW alumnae Gegharkunik region became very enthusiastic knowing that GLOW follow ups will be held in their regions They and the local Peace Corps volunteers worked with the trainer to choose the location and date for the event, invite teenagers from the region and identify the appropriate topics for the session.The seminar in Charentsavan was about time management. The trainer, Mane Papyan provided some theoretical input on how to effectively make daily plans, introduced Eisenhower's Time Matrix and tips of managing own time.

Here is the feedback from some of the participants.
I seemed to know all we discussed here, but never had a chance to deeply think about it.
The seminar made me think that I have to be more organized and do better time management in my daily life, otherwise I will regret in future. I have to make smaller goals to reach the larger goals in my life. I got a lot from today’s session.” Mane Papyan