Empowering Women and Girls

2011 MAT Team

MAT team with some Nicaraguan teachers

I believe that it is important not to overlook the fact that the MAT team is composed of all women and the majority of the people the team will be working with at the 3 Day Professional Development Teachers Conference are women. 

On a global level, the conference is an example of women empowering women. The book Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by husband-and-wife Pulitzer Prize winners Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn (2009) argues that the key to economic progress in the world is empowering women. Here is a review of the book from the New York Times. This book discusses the Half the Sky Movement which focuses on supporting women in developing nations. I love the quote from the book: "Women aren't the problem, they are the solution along with men" because it has been proven over and over again with statistical data that the best way to overcome poverty and extremism is to empower women and girls (Kristof & WuDunn 2009).

There is a direct correlation between women’s education and total rate of fertility in developing nations like Nicaragua. “Education is key because educated women are more likely to know what social, community, and health services, including family planning, are available and to have the confidence to use them. In addition, women with more education have more opportunities outside the home and can see the benefits of education for their children” (Population Reference Bureau 2010). Below is a graph from PRB (2010) that illustrates this tread in developing nations (PRB.org):

Women's Education and Family Size in Selected Countries, 2000s
The Alternative Spring Break Program supports empowering girls (and boys) in La Ceiba by improving the infrastructure of the school which enhances the learning environment. Improving the infrastructure is so important because it meets the students’ basic needs such as being protected from the sun and creates a motivational & engaging climate. 

The long-term effects are that the students will obtain a higher quality education by not worrying about their basic needs and these positive experiences will encourage them to continue their education career. The Alternative Spring Break Program program is also empowering women in Nicaragua by providing professional teacher development for the teachers, who are predominantly female. The conference supports Nicaraguan teachers because most teachers would not be able to acquire these skills, strategies and teaching techniques otherwise.