On March 17, 2016, the American Library at the Embassy of the United States of American in Ouagadougou hosted its monthly English Club meeting. The focus was on Women’s History Month. US Embassy English Program Specialist Lynn Hanson Ouedraogo led the participants through exercises in summarizing and identifying key points in texts by studying short biographies of 10 Black American women who have changed history. The fact the audience was comprised of all young male students provided a positive learning opportunity. These young men read about and discussed what these women had accomplished after rising out of very challenging circumstances very early in their lives. After learning about the backgrounds and accomplishments of such women as Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Oprah Winfrey, and Michelle Obama, one young gentleman declared, “There are many, many men who never achieve even a fraction of what these women have.” The American Library at the US Embassy is pleased to offer its monthly English Club as a framework within which participants can improve their English proficiency by engaging in dynamic discussions on pertinent topics of shared interest.
