Little Women Grow Up

Little Women Grow Up

This post is a bit delayed because March 8 fell on Sunday, and we also wanted to celebrate International Women's Day at our St. Augustine High School here in Bozoum.

Schools in Central Africa have days dedicated to cultural activities (sports, conferences, theatre, games, dances).  The final day, Wednesday March 11was dedicated to the girls of our high school.

In the schools here girls are often numerous in the first grade, sometimes even more than boys, but, as they grow up, they are taken away from school to devote themselves to chores around the house first (caring for younger siblings, helping family etc), and then to take a husband (often at a very young age).  So, from the end of elementary school onwards, the number decreases, until it becomes a small minority (sometimes less than 10% of the whole class).

It is therefore important to encourage girls to continue their studies, in order to broaden the horizons of a life which, for a woman in Central Africa, is rather difficult.

March 8 becomes an opportunity for our girls to reflect, discuss, but also to have fun serenely, with skits, dances, games.

In the meantime, we are here in Central Africa hearing of the coronavirus. Thank God, for now, the country has not (yet) been affected. We are still worried, because if it arrives, it will be a catastrophe (only one laboratory, in the capital, can run the test).

But we are following with apprehension what is happening in China, Italy and Europe, Asia, the Americas, Australia, and we pray for all those affected.

 

Via Crucis

Tavola rotonda
Carrefour