Read and comment on this story from the Republic of Botswana Daily News Online on the return of of peace corps volunteers to Botswana after six years of their withdrawal on the grounds that Botswana was no longer a poor country. Local government minister Michael Tshipinare said the offer by the US government to re-introduce the Peace Corps programme, could not have come at a more opportune time, adding that the “Botswana government values and appreciates this gesture of international response to HIV/AIDS”.
Congratulations to the Peace Corps on the return to Botswana. Read the story at:
* This link was active on the date it was posted. PCOL is not responsible for broken links which may have changed.
US peace corps to breath new life into Botswana’s districts multi-sectoral HIV/AIDS programmes 01 April, 2003
Local government minister Michael Tshipinare says American Peace Corps will help breath new life into the districts’ multi-sectoral HIV/AIDS programmes.
Welcoming the volunteers to Botswana at Rasesa Lodge near Mochudi onlast week, the minister said the US peace corps would also help mobilise, co-ordinate, monitor, evaluate responses and support other sectors in implementing HIV/AIDS programmes.
Tshipinare said government had initiated a variety of strategies to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Of these strategies, one was aimed at strengthening District Multi-Sectoral AIDS Committees by placement of 15 district AIDS co-ordinators, who were to be reinforced by the Peace Corps in the local government sector.
He said the Botswana government and the US peace corps enjoyed a strong and productive relationship that started at independence and that over the years, the volunteers’ contributions had added value to “the good economic gains, good governance and political stability that Botswana was renowned for”.
Tshipinare said the day was important as it marked the re-introduction of peace corps volunteers in Botswana after six years of their withdrawal on the grounds that Botswana was no longer a poor country.
He said the offer by the US government to re-introduce the Peace Corps programme, could not have come at a more opportune time, adding that the “Botswana government values and appreciates this gesture of international response to HIV/AIDS”.
US Ambassador to Botswana Joseph Huggins told the volunteers that they should be proud to be in Botswana as they were here “representing the government and the people of the United States of America”.
He said they should do their work in Botswana as expected and deliver their services promptly and perfectly to communities they would be serving.
Huggins commended President Festus Mogae for having been bold enough to request Washington to re-introduce the peace corps programme so the volunteers could come and assist his people in the fight against the HIV/AIDS scourge.
National AIDS Co-ordinating Agency (NACA) co-ordinator Banu Khan was among guests who attended the event. More about Peace Corps Volunteers who have served in Botswana
Read more about Peace Corps Volunteers who have served in Botswana at:
Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS- Botswana; AIDS Education