Uzbekistan RPCV George A. Hofheimer says Laura Vanderkam's prescriptions are a bit simplistic



Whether they're living in a mud hut in the African bush or in an apartment in an Eastern European city, Peace Corps volunteers struggle with the question of their work's sustainability. Vanderkam urges quicker "development" by attracting a cadre of highly skilled volunteers who are encouraged to meet specific goals through the use of technology, collaborative teams and a pay-as-you-go system for impoverished stakeholders. Sounds like a textbook plan for corporate restructuring! This line of thought (which often fails in the best of situations) totally misses the mark in the developing world.

Uzbekistan RPCV George A. Hofheimer says Laura Vanderkam's prescriptions are a bit simplistic

Mission stays relevant

I'll be the first one to admit change is needed in the way the Peace Corps fulfills its mission. As a returned volunteer and former contract employee of the Peace Corps, I've seen ineffective practices on the volunteer and administrative sides.

For the most part, though, living and working in a developing country is a messy situation that naturally lends itself to inefficiencies. Laura Vanderkam's prescriptions are, therefore, a bit simplistic.

Whether they're living in a mud hut in the African bush or in an apartment in an Eastern European city, Peace Corps volunteers struggle with the question of their work's sustainability. Vanderkam urges quicker "development" by attracting a cadre of highly skilled volunteers who are encouraged to meet specific goals through the use of technology, collaborative teams and a pay-as-you-go system for impoverished stakeholders. Sounds like a textbook plan for corporate restructuring! This line of thought (which often fails in the best of situations) totally misses the mark in the developing world.

Instead, let's reinvigorate the Peace Corps' mission with today's realities:

• Its mission remains as relevant today as in its founding years — perhaps even more so. Let's preserve the genius of real cross-culture exchange, where you live, work, sleep, eat and play alongside populations that often have skewed views of Americans.

• Let's find a way to incorporate the democratic communications of the Internet to supplement the slow but steady development volunteers help initiate. It can help change the outcome when volunteers leave.

• Finally, you don't necessarily need the world's most qualified professionals to help in the world of development. I'd take one extremely motivated, liberal arts graduate over 10 experienced, unmotivated professionals any day. The Peace Corps needs to provide GI-Bill style opportunities for kids who want the adventure of overseas work and need financial assistance for a college education.

Every organization needs to understand the external environment in which it operates; the Peace Corps is no different. The genius of its mission is that each year, it sends thousands of highly motivated, sometimes idealistic adults to the corners of the globe to promote peace, understanding and development.

George A. Hofheimer, Madison, Wis.

When this story was posted in November 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

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Peace Corps at highest Census in 30 years Congratulations to the Peace Corps for the highest number of volunteers in 30 years with 7,810 volunteers serving in 71 posts across the globe. Of course, the President's proposal to double the Peace Corps to 15,000 volunteers made in his State of the Union Address in 2002 is now a long forgotten dream. With deficits in federal spending stretching far off into the future, any substantive increase in the number of volunteers will have to wait for new approaches to funding and for a new administration. Choose your candidate and start working for him or her now.

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Military Option sparks concerns The U.S. military is allowing recruits to meet part of their reserve military obligations after active duty by serving in the Peace Corps. Read why there is opposition to the program among RPCVs. Director Vasquez says the agency has a long history of accepting qualified applicants who are in inactive military status. John Coyne says "Not only no, but hell no!" and RPCV Chris Matthews leads the debate on "Hardball." Avi Spiegel says Peace Corps is not the place for soldiers while Coleman McCarthy says to Welcome Soldiers to the Peace Corps. Read the results of our poll among RPCVs. Latest: Congressman John Kline introduces legislation to alter the program to remove the Peace Corps as an option for completing an individual’s military enlistment requirement.

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Why blurring the lines puts PCVs in danger When the National Call to Service legislation was amended to include Peace Corps in December of 2002, this country had not yet invaded Iraq and was not in prolonged military engagement in the Middle East, as it is now. Read the story of how one volunteer spent three years in captivity from 1976 to 1980 as the hostage of a insurrection group in Colombia in Joanne Marie Roll's op-ed on why this legislation may put soldier/PCVs in the same kind of danger. Latest: Read the ongoing dialog on the subject.

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'Celebration of Service' a major success The Peace Corps Fund's 'Celebration of Service' on September 29 in New York City was a major success raising approximately $100,000 for third goal activities. In the photo are Maureen Orth (Colombia); John Coyne (Ethiopia) Co-founder of the Peace Corps Fund; Caroline Kennedy; Barbara Anne Ferris (Morocco) Co-founder; Former Senator Harris Wofford, member of the Advisory Board. Read the story here.

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PC apologizes for the "Kasama incident" The District Commissioner for the Kasama District in Zambia issued a statement banning Peace Corps activities for ‘grave’ social misconduct and unruly behavior for an incident that occurred on September 24 involving 13 PCVs. Peace Corps said that some of the information put out about the incident was "inflammatory and false." On October 12, Country Director Davy Morris met with community leaders and apologized for the incident. All PCVs involved have been reprimanded, three are returning home, and a ban in the district has since been lifted.

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Top Stories: October 10, 2005 Carl Pope says the looting of America has only begun 2 Oct Report of PCV Misconduct in Zambia 7 Oct Chic Dambach speaks in Oklahoma 6 Oct Murphy to give papers to Heinz museum 6 Oct Mike Honda speaks out on Katrina 5 Oct Kinky Friedman could be the next governor of Texas 5 Oct Peter McPherson urges new nuclear weapon designs 5 Oct Doyle and Green in dead heat for Wisconsin Governor 5 Oct NPCA Membership Directory ready in late November 5 Oct GOP hopefuls avoiding Taft 4 Oct Ask not 4 Oct Russell Carollo wins journalism prize for "The Toll of War" 4 Oct Mark Gearan says provision was a mistake 4 Oct Mike Tidwell says Bayou has been sinking for years 3 Oct Carl Pope writes: Preparing for Global Warming 3 Oct Director Vasquez Meets with Volunteers in Gulf Coast 3 Oct John McCain's call to service 3 Oct Joshua Berman wins Lowell Thomas Travel Writing Award 2 Oct Operation Offset proposes freeze in Peace Corps Funding 1 Oct

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Returned Volunteers respond to Hurricane Katrina First and foremost, Give. Then volunteer with the Crisis Corps. Carol Bellamy says "In situations such as this one, money is needed the most" and added that Hurricane Katrina's impact on New Orleans is comparable to last year's tsunami. Thailand RPCV Thomas Tighe's Direct Relief International has committed an initial $250,000 in cash to assist hurricane victims. Mayor Tom Murphy (RPCV Paraguay) says Pittsburgh is ready to embrace refugees from devastated areas. Brazil RPCV Robert Backus is among the first Vermont doctors to volunteer to travel to Louisiana to treat victims. Latest: FEMA requests RPCVs to assist in recovery efforts through the Crisis Corps and the Peace Corps hopes to send 400 RPCVs to the Gulf Coast for short term assignments to assist victims with their applications for federal aid.

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The Peace Corps Library Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 30,000 index entries in 500 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related stories in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can find hundreds of stories about what RPCVs with your same interests or from your Country of Service are doing today. If you have a web site, support the "Peace Corps Library" and link to it today.

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Friends of the Peace Corps 170,000 strong 170,000 is a very special number for the RPCV community - it's the number of Volunteers who have served in the Peace Corps since 1961. It's also a number that is very special to us because March is the first month since our founding in January, 2001 that our readership has exceeded 170,000. And while we know that not everyone who comes to this site is an RPCV, they are all "Friends of the Peace Corps." Thanks everybody for making PCOL your source of news for the Returned Volunteer community.

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