Women's Month Celebration

Women's month celebration - this year the girls and I were asked to dance during the Juana walk Juana Zumba regional event in honor of national women's month. We began practicing this dance for our Valentines Day celebration in honor of raising awareness of violence against women and children.  We saw an opportunity to perform for more people once the girls were asked to perform a spiritual dance at the regional office.  The girls were excited because this was the first time many of them were leaving the center in a very long time.  After they performed their Doxology, we performed "One Billion Rising".  After performing in front of the Regional (Department of Social Welfare and Development) DSWD director, we were asked to perform for Women's Month Celebration in March; another chance for the girls to advocate for themselves and get out of the center!!!! 

Here are a few pictures.  Here is the link to our video of the dance! Enjoy! 

Here stands a statue of Simeón Ola y Arboleda;  a hero of the Philippine Revolution and the last general to surrender to American forces during the Philippine-American War.  This park is home to the Philippine National Police, training center and Headquarters for Region V. 

Batch 272 volunteers Kelly and Candy came to support the girls and I. Posing for the social worker Grace who accompanied us to the venue. 

Zumba on the field. 

Posing with the regional director. 

And another snap shot. 

Breaking the Chain! 

It meant the world to me the ladies were able to perform this dance outside the center and to a broader audience.  This validates their self-worth and shows that people do care about them and they are not just outcasts because of the abuse perpetrated against them. 

Thanks for reading.