almost 8 months left

Well here it is folks, gearing up for some of my last projects in Birni N'Gaoure as well as the capital in Niamey. But first, here is some amazing news from Pangea the music and dance exchange that we held last May in Niger:

I just wanted to share how overjoyed I am with the progress of this program which started out as Pangea. With Pangea II coming in May of this year, it will surely be an even bigger event. New Peace Corps volunteers are involved in the planning process this year, so we hope that this will remain an annual event for years to come. In addition to the songwriting class with the young girls and professional music exchange, we will plan on adding a new theatre and hip hop/rap element. Wow! so exciting. Thanks to all for support and hard work.
Ginger

Here are the results of Pangea's partnership with Manhattan Theatre Source in New York Cityand Voices of Africa:

Pangea of last May created by Ginger O'Neill, Michele Stoner, and Sheena Washington had a songwriting class component for young girls that gave the girls an opportuntity to write and sing about topics including: positive role models, challenges in school, HIV/AIDS, and other life situations.

Their songs were then translated by Ginger and Suomo in Birni and sent to a Theatre Company in New York City called Manhattan Theatre Source, which in turn held a well-received fund-raising performance for the Young Girls Scholarship Program. Fiona Jones, Lanie Zipoy, and Attonia Pettiford made the vison become a reality States' side.

A finalist in American Idol was in the performance and the New York girls performed their stories of racism, love, weight issues, crime and dreams alongside the Nigerien songs (performed as monologues). The New York Times, among other news sources in NY, highlighted the story.

Manhattan Theatre Source raised a significant amount of school supplies which they will be sending to Niger. The performance also raised $2,000, directly benefitting the The Young Girls' Scholarship Program which include the Nigerien participants' peers and fellow struggling students. In this way, their words are helping their own country's young women to challenge themselves to a higher level of education. The money will go toward scholarships that help buy school supplies, uniforms, and living money for food, soap, and sometimes rent.


We will definitely continue this partnership in May 2008, and will expand on the original idea.
We can't wait for the next go!



Other upcoming events:

FEBRUARY

*Starting work on a successful women's book that highlights women in Niger who have become successful and sharing these stories with young women in Middle and Highschool

MARCH

*HIV/AIDS day in my village with theatre, film, and sensibilization aspects for my community

APRIL

*Month long English festival

MAY

*Pangea II in Niamey--Our American/Nigerien music and dance exchange comes again! one full week of exchange including traditional/folk music on Monday, Jazz/Blues on Tuesday, Rap/HipHop/Reggae on Wednesday, and theatre on Thursday. The young girls will come on the weekend this time and spend all day Saturday and Sunday taking dance, music, theatre, and life skills classes.

JULY

*Pangea in Birni N Gaoure
-working with local musicians and bringing in professionals from the capital as well as working with the radio station to increase awareness of music as a profession and what goes into it.
-youth classes in dance, singing, acting, drawing, small business training, and Zarma literacy

*Series of concerts throughout the next few months with Niger and international musicians in Niamey, the capital as well as other region.

*Series of ongoing radio interviews with music professionals to be used in radio emmisions

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Here is the lowdown:This experience is seriously flying by and I am really sad to see some of the people who came here before I did in the Peace Corps community leave before I do. But I have been having such a good time and despite a slightly dramatic fall off of a low bridge into sand I am doing great and loving life. Just because I haven't written in a while doesn't mean I don't miss you guys. As much as I love it here, can't wait to come back and see all y'all again.

Lots of Love,
Ginger