Greetings, volunteers! Looking for something fresh, new, and exciting to spice up your service? Allow me to introduce you to Global Dialogues! Established in 1997, Global Dialogues is a Dakar-based NGO that combines creativity with social media to educate and empower youth around the world. Global Dialogues originated in Senegal and became so popular that it has now spread worldwide. The organization holds bi-annual competitions for youth under twenty-six by having them create stories – fictional or true – for short films on topics such as HIV/AIDS, sexuality, violence against women, or drugs, alcohol, and sex. Contestants can work in teams or on their own, but essentially the contests are a unique way to begin facilitating discussions on taboo topics.
For those of you who have youth groups, this is an excellent project to implement into your group. Global Dialogues has produced several short films (think five to ten minutes) covering the above topics that were based off stories created by youth here in Western Africa, many from Senegal. Topics covered in the films include teachers giving grades for sexual favors, forced marriage, HIV/AIDS, and women empowerment. The best part about these films is that they may be watched in a number of local languages, as they were made for those living in the Sahel.
The films may be found on www.globaldialogues.org, via YouTube by searching “Global Dialogues scenarios du Sahel” (if searching for videos in a local language, add the name of the local language after Sahel),
local language after Sahel), or I have a full set of the discs, which I am working to copy and will happily send to interested parties (contact me at [email protected]).
If anyone is interested in this, I highly recommend checking out the website listed above. The deadline for the next competition is March 31, 2015. Even if the competition seems like too much to take on, I’d still recommend watching and playing the videos for those of you who have youth groups or have camps for youth at some point during the year. It’s an amazing way to approach those “off-limits” topics and to understand how younger audiences view the issues. The Linguere, Louga, and Saint Louis regions just finished a week-long girls camp during which we played Global Dialogues videos for the girls and we received an incredible response from them.
I am currently in contact with the regional director for Global Dialogues in Dakar about collaborating with Peace Corps Volunteers, which they have in the past and which has been very successful. As such, I am happy to answer any questions or help get things rolling for those of you who may be interested.
Go. Reach. Inspire.
By: Rebecca Singleton, 1st year
Linguere Health Volunteer
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