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I have less than a week left in the United States before I call Burkina Faso “home” for the next two years. As a Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV), I will be in this land locked country to focus on Girls’ Education and Empowerment. This title/job is a relatively new one for PCV in Burkina. Upon receiving a grant, the government of the country has started to address gender inequality. I am assuming this is mainly due to the fact that women rights, education and development is essential for a country’s economic growth (check out Amartya Sen’s work). So in working with the government, Peace Corps now places volunteers, such as myself, in villages (mainly in the North and East of the country) to work on getting the girls into schools and educated.

As I pack many pairs of pants, shoes, shirts and spend an large sum of money on various items; I am very conscious that I have out spent what a family in some parts of Burkina makes in a year. Many will have only one (if even that) of something that I have several of. Oh, the inequalities of this world!

I hope this blog is educational and I have no doubt it will be entertaining- I can only imagine the mistakes I will make with the French Language. Please feel free to share your thoughts and knowledge with me.