AFADLA's creative summer camp for girls

During the summer vacation of 2025, the Women's Association for the Development of Lafond (AFADLA) will organize a summer camp for the girls of our community in rural Haiti. In a context marked by extreme insecurity and economic collapse, leading to a pervasive loss of hope among society at large, this camp provides a powerful counter-narrative. By providing these girls with a safe, educational space where they feel valued as individuals and as members of a community, we feed the fires of hope that are in danger of going out.

Our concrete objective is to allow participants to relax, learn, develop their skills, and strengthen their sense of autonomy. The program will include various training workshops and creative activities, such as:

• folk dance

• floral art

• fashion design, crochet and sewing

• creative writing and elocution

• chess

• a theatrical production of Corneille's "Le Cid", and

• traditional Haitian martial arts (Tire Bwa, or stick fencing).

We will also be providing regular informational sessions on important themes such as: self-esteem, hygiene during menstruation, and women’s rights. These activities are designed to enhance the intellectual, artistic and social potential of at-risk girls.

Another important aspect of the camp is the educational cinema session. Every week, participants will watch an educational film, and there will be a debate where everyone will give their opinions and interact. The films include: Queen of Katwe (the story of a young Ugandan girl who became a chess champion despite poverty), Akeelah and the Bee (a teenager who overcame her fear of participating in a spelling bee), Hidden Figures (three African-American women who played a key role in the development of NASA), and Wadjda (a young woman in Saudi Arabia’s fight for the right to ride a bicycle).

Each day will include a space for relaxation and sports activities, and a hot meal will be provided for each participant, to support food security and promote a positive atmosphere. For many, this will be their only reliable meal of the day, so it is vital that we provide it.

To make this camp a success, AFADLA is seeking the support of various partners. The association needs funding to cover the cost of food, pedagogical and artistic materials, compensation for our instructors and councilors, and logistics. They are also open to all forms of technical or human support (training, facilitators, volunteers), as well as donations (supplies, equipment, toys).

This camp is not just a summer activity. It is an integrated development tool that aims to strengthen the capacities of young women and accompany them on the path of emancipation and personal development. Investing in this generation today is laying the foundation for a stronger Haiti tomorrow.

––Guivenie Pierre-Paul

Cultural Capital Haiti

(translated by Michael Dylan Rogers)