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A.G.I.L.E.
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AGILE — African Girls' Initiative for Leadership and Empowerment is a program designed for girls ages 9 - 1 8. AGILE builds girls' self-esteem, reduces their isolation, helps them discover new friends, and reduces the effects of peer pressure.
AGILE's motto is: "Building on our African past for a successful American present and future."
6 Clubs are currently running in Brooklyn Park and South Minneapolis.
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Announcing AMAKOLO: A Rite-of-Passage Program for Young African Women
Amakolo Rites of Passage program, a division of the AGILE program, promotes cultural values and self-development for young African women ages 17-21. Traditionally, African parents often rely on certain life lessons, such as sex education, to be taught by elders at a rites of passage ceremony. Since many of African parents in Minnesota do not provide the necessary lessons for their children, the Amakolo program will replicate the traditional rites of passage ceremony. The participants in the Amakolo program will be initiated into adulthood through lessons and discussions with African “aunties” and “big sisters” on the social obligations of adult life. The intensive program will culminate with a celebratory Ball to commemorate the young women’s initiation. More information...
AMAKOLO Program Brochure
AMAKOLO Application Form -- DUE FEBRUARY 28, 2005
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Activities
Amakolo Rites of Passage Program: A program for the initiation of young African women into womenhood.
Addressing Peer Pressure - peer pressure for African girls occurs in both of their cultures.
School Work Assistance - girls help each other with schoolwork and learning, while creating valuable peer mentoring and coaching.
Social Interaction and Skill-building Programs
Other activities reinforce learning and culture - dance, song, cooking, language (major African languages including Creole, French, Oromo, Somali, Swahili, West African English) and career guidance.
“African Aunties” - an exciting and rewarding intergenerational program that pairs AGILE participants with older women who serve as mentors and positive African female role models
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“Beauty”
Beauty is inside,
Beauty the flower
Of my face…
Beauty makes me
Shine,
Beauty is soul,
Beauty is the mind…
Beauty is my name,
So let it be.
~ Amal
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Comments from Participants...
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1. One problem I have with living in America...
One problem I have with living in America is the fact that most Americans see you in a different way, like as an African woman you might be uneducated or maybe unliberated. (Sahra)
2. Something I have learned while living in America...
I have learned to have pride for my work I do, and I also learn to be very strong and skillful. (Alfreda)
3. Something I like about living in America...
The freedom to do what I want, and the help that is out there, that makes it possible to reach my goals of achieving higher education.(Adeline)
4. Something I’ll like to learn more about...
I like to learn more about the different cultures in America. (Hannah)
5. Something I’ll like other African girls to know...
To be who you are and to keep your traditions and customs so that we can pass them on to our children (Sirad)
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6. Something I’ll like my schoolmates who are not African to know...
That we are equal, and our culture is something that makes us unique and different. (Najmo)
That Liberian girls are also intelligent. (16 year old MAWA participant)
7. Something I’ll like my teacher/social worker/nurse to know...
I don’t live at home with my mother and father. (MAWA participant)
8. Something I’ll like to learn from AGILE, the African Girls’ Initiative for Leadership and Empowerment...
I would like to learn how to become a good leader, and a strong black woman. (Amal)
How to come together(Fatu)
9. Something I’ll like to learn from older African women...
How to become a successful woman.(Magol)
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