We wanted to celebrate the women who inspire us and who are making a difference in their communities all over the world.

The webinar opened with PCV Emily from Nicaragua and PCV Kyle from Ukraine describing their host countries. After that, students got the chance to ask questions of the Volunteers.

“What practices have you learned from your counterparts that are really opening up education opportunities for your students in Nicaragua?”

Emily said that the thing that resonated with her is that she has over 700 students and Ana Cecilia, her counterpart, impressed her because right away she took the time to learn the names of all her students. She makes a serious effort to get to know her students. Ana Cecilia is an inspiration to Emily because she believes that education can make a big difference in the world, especially in Nicaragua.

A 7th grade student from South Carolina asked “What education opportunities do I have that girls in your host community do not?”

Students, especially girls, tend to drop out around 9th grade because of the poverty in the area of Ukraine that Kyle lives in. There is a high need for these children to start working. Kyle said, “My counterpart, who couldn’t be with us tonight has extreme perseverance, most teachers here do. Natasha amazes me because she feels that if you have the desire to learn she will work with you, extra hours, before and after school. She’s really dedicated.”

To wrap up the webinar participants were asked to think about one word that describes the women that they work with. The students in South Carolina said that the women that they know are passionate, hardworking and caring. PCV Emily said that the one word that she thinks of in regards to women in Nicuragua is esperanza, hope. She feels that girls want to make a difference and are starting to believe in their power.

You can watch this full webinar below or register for any upcoming webinars on the World Wise Schools events page.