Campamento Mariposa, a Women Empowerment Camp

Design by Ica Friedly

Photo: Kyle Fredrickson

Campamento Mariposa, Camp Butterfly, a week-long women empowerment camp for young ladies in rural, marginalized communities in the states of Puebla and Tlaxcala in México, has been one of the most rewarding experience in my Peace Corps service. 

With the slogan, Mujeres Cambiando el Mundo, Women Changing the World, you can´t avoid the flutter of inspiration beat in your heart. This camp sponsored by Peace Corps, INAOE and donations through PCPP allows participants to attend the inspiring, week-long camp for free. Check the Mariposa website and see how you can involve yourself in the project from afar!!

Negative message box, photo: me

Positive message bulletin board, photo: me

Participants laying out for relaxation time, photo: Karen Magrid

I taught sessions on positive and negative messages, which included a box for negative thoughts and observations and a positive bulletin board focused on positive thoughts and random acts of kindness. At the end of the camp we reflected on what was drawn and written, and did a personal activity writing negative things we think or others think of us. I led a relaxation session, where we let go of all the negative thoughts, letting them trickle to the floor. Afterwards as a group we took our negative papers and burned them together, letting only positive thoughts to reside. 

Burning the negative thoughts, photo: unknown

I also co-lead a goal session with my counterpart Gisela, helping the girls identify dreams and then create the steps to achieve their goals. We focused on personal goals and club goals, for each community that participates must establish a club or if one already exists, strengthen it. This session seemed challenging, but extremely inspiring for the girls. 

The goal session is very important, because when we are no longer in the communities the ladies need the knowledge and tools to create and achieve their goals for the club and their personal dreams without us. Thus, this session provides a tool to help the Mariposa girls establish a sustainable framework for their clubs.

Writing kind words to our new friends, photo: me

Helping out a session for Reusing Trash for Art, photo: Kyle Fredrickson

Showing the girls how to do Improv, photo: Shayna Sellars

One of the most fun sessions for me involved teaching the girls improv games! In high school I was part of an Improv group, where we provided free shows to the community every Saturday. So, I´ve had about 4 or so years of weekly training.  Thus, I was really excited to play some improv ´starter´games with the girls. 

Playing thumbs, photo: Shayna Sellars

The group rockin´Thumbs´, photo: Kyle Fredrickson

We played thumbs, 5 second environment and 1,2, 3,4. These games are great for beginners and it really broke down boundaries. Just remember if you want to teach an improv game, some games are REALLY hard and require bundles of training. Here is one website that has some great ideas for improv games.

Peace Corps Volunteers plus Ale (INAOE) and Tessa (founder of the camp), attempting a scene game, Replay (really advanced & challenging!) during the Talent Show: photo, Karen Magrid

Frozen is HUGE in México. Many of you probably remember my awesome dance moves with my Host Family back in Querétaro.  Thus, I helped with a commentary on Frozen, specifically focused on themes of bullying, strong women, health, leadership, etc. 

Rockin´our Bollywood moves at the talent show, photo: unknown

I remembered to rock my dance moves during Zumba and the Bollywood performances. I learned just dancing with all my heart and making crazy big exaggerated moves and laughing at my mistakes, broke the girls dance shells. Dance like you´re a bunny on 70 bags of sugar, but still managing to have a wee bit a rhythm is EXHAUSTING. haha Do watcha got to do to inspire ;)

Other notable adventures during the week

INAOE shared their telescopes for stargazing, photo: me

Learning about edible plants at the Jardin Etnobotánico, photo Priyanka Jagtap

Making planters at the Jardin, photo: me

The girls enjoying the puppets from the play, photo: me

Team activity, photo: me

Reflection

When going through inspirational, challenging projects or day-to-day life I always remember: We are the product of everything we have ever done and the people we met along the way, be it negative or positive (although, I find I learn far more from challenging experiences). Thus, we are changing constantly, becoming more of who we are meant to be, who we decide to be. We can say many things, but our actions speak louder than words and your habits control you unless you decide to liberate yourself. I feel like and hope that in this camp we taught these girls to empower, liberate themselves. 

Through this entire process, planning, and executing of the camp the same goes for me. I can say things, but if my actions show something else, how can I lead anything? Our actions prove our worth: although, keeping in mind that, yes, people tumble, and fall off the path for nobody is perfect. But we can try with all our might. What we do everyday becomes who we are, thus we can be who want by simply changes our actions and behavior. Therefore, we need to make an action towards that and habitually practice that action otherwise it´s all talk. We also must forgive when we or others make mistakes: forgiving others, but most importantly learning how to forgive ourselves. Because of these reasons, in the camp I tried to be hyper-aware of my actions and behavior, and attempted to set myself up as an example. 

Ferris wheel in Puebla, Puebla

We were all scared of the Ferris Wheel, due to fear of heights.. but we went together. The ride was actually, calm moving granny-paced... it even had a TV in it. ha, we survived ;). Conquering fears, one day at a time :), photo: random stranger

Mariposa girl presenting to the group, photo: me

Lastly, below is a poem I wrote from my experience from the camp. Please note that the Spanish words are in italics and are explained above the poem. Enjoy :)

Teaching the girls Ultimate Frisbee, photo: Alex Gareis

Vocab:

Amiga: friend

Amistad: friendship

Aquí somos: We are here

Casa: home

Con esperanza: with hope

Desconocida: Stranger, unfamiliar person

Estrellas: stars

Frontera: political border

Jovencita: young girl

Mexicanos: Mexican

Mujeres: Women

No estarémos: We will not be there

Paz: peace

Pueblos: small rural communities in México

Terremoto: earthquake

Sin Límites: without boundaries

Su: Your

Mujeres Sin Límites (Women Without Boundaries)

La frontera, slices opportunities, yet we see nothing but air.

These boundaries   c

u

r

         v

     e,

j

u

t

&        sli

ce

our territories--- defining our opportunities.

For today, we  e r a s e  them: we are e q u a l s.

 Human boundary: Earth.

Young, brave, strong women from pueblos mexicanos,

We are equals, family, sisters, friends.

We can choose to rise together,

Believing in Equality and Paz.

You want change,

First you must change y o u r s e l f,

Your own personal malleable boundaries,

Vía goals made, goals applied.

You fall, stand up.

Break a boundary?

Mend it, extend it.

I see you,

Obstacles higher than my roof, poking your ribs till you weep.

Yet, I see a light, 

L u m i n o u s  hope in your eyes,

Brighter than I ever saw in mine,

Shining its light into me,

Forever inspired.

Your bravery and strength in your voice shakes the ground, terremoto.

You’re ready to bre

       ak gender boundaries,

Exceeding the expectations of your society,

                yourself,

              me.

Footsteps of those you empowered,

.::echo::.

 on the dirt road, 

Stemming from light shared by you,

shattering your own boundaries.

Perhaps our boundaries define us, our culture, our being.

But what happens when we dissolve some?

Not cultural annexation, nor blindness of being,

Rather listening, learning

Open heartedness, mindfulness, and seeing...

At the women empowerment camp,

I see her shy, sad, scared and alone.

F r i e n d l e s s,  she says

--Jovencita, have you looked b e y o n d the boundaries of su casa, your pueblo?

Look. Around.

You see her?--desconocida

            Every stranger is a potential Amiga

You see me?-- Amiga

--When you return home, No Estarémos

But look at the stars

B e y o n d the boundaries of our lands,---we share this sky, sin límites.

We, your friends, look with you.

Shining estrellas,

Aquí somos.

You're never alone,

Amistad, demands fluid boundaries.

My new friend con esperanza hugs me,

sin limites.

Learning to laugh and swim, photo: unknown

Peace Corps Volunteers: Me, Ica, and Pri, missing our homies Shay, Kyle and Alex, photo: unknown