International Children's Day

Hi, this is Cathy here.
The day after Settlement Day, November 20, is International Children's Day. Rather than have another session of the Adolescent Empowerment Workshops, Michele Irving planned a big party for the girls, POWA women and their families. It was held at Why Not Island under "di tatch" - the thatch. It was well planned and SO MUCH FUN!

Steve, his sisters, and Ava, who has helped train the POWA women in several projects, all attended, too.

Several of the girls from the workshops provided entertainment - an emcee, poetry recitation, songs (a capella!) and dance. Here's a couple pictures of their performances.  They had a choreographed dramatization of "Love and Affection," a song about HIV and discrimination. There was also a fun dance contest, mother and daughter or son. Lots of karaoke - Gosh, WHO invented that? Painful . . .

We had special guest stars! A father-daughter duo from Dangriga won the Belize version of American Idol, and they performed for us. That was also karaoke, because they couldn't afford a backup band. The daughter was especially talented.

So then the part where I really lost it was when we all joined hands in a big circle and sang "We Are the World." I KNOW it's schmaltzy, but I used to tear up just watching the music video. Imagine how I felt being a part of a circle of these beautiful girls and women!

Following is A Girl's Pledge, which the girls recite at the end of all our workshops.

I am a girl.

I am an expression of beauty, joy, and love.

I have the right, the power and ability,

to create a beautiful, joyful, and peaceful world for myself and others.

I have a body, but I am not my body.

I have a face, but I am not my face.

I am the most important thing in the world to me.

I am love in motion.

I am the light of the world!

I can create!

I can make a mistake!

I can create something beautiful in all that I do.

I deserve the best.

I give my best.

I do my best to always take care of myself!

I am a girl!

I am growing into a woman!

I AM IT!

I am the joy the world is waiting for!

Finally, for your viewing pleasure, here are the winners of the dance contest - one of the POWA women, Bev, and her son, dancing to "Tornado." P.S. I did not record this. My sister-in-law, Carol, is the one who zoomed in on the magic hips :-)