February 9, 2006: Headlines: Directors - Vasquez: Criticism: Wall Street Journal: Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez responds to Peter Rice: Peace Corps Work Effects a Wide Cultural Impact
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February 9, 2006: Headlines: Directors - Vasquez: Criticism: Wall Street Journal: Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez responds to Peter Rice: Peace Corps Work Effects a Wide Cultural Impact
| Paid Vacations in the Third World? Retired diplomat Peter Rice has written a letter to the Wall Street Journal stating that Peace Corps "is really just a U.S. government program for paid vacations in the Third World." Director Vasquez has responded that "the small stipend volunteers receive during their two years of service is more than returned in the understanding fostered in communities throughout the world and here at home." What do RPCVs think? |
Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez responds to Peter Rice: Peace Corps Work Effects a Wide Cultural Impact
"Monetary aid is very different from working side by side with an American. In many communities where Peace Corps volunteers work, local partners have often never met another American -- strong friendships emerge. And the experience does not end after two years. Volunteers return to America, and then continue to stay close to, and give back to, their volunteer communities, through such endeavors as scholarships, libraries and school equipment. They have also shared their experiences in classrooms and community centers throughout the U.S., encouraging others to engage globally."
Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez responds to Peter Rice: Peace Corps Work Effects a Wide Cultural Impact
Peace Corps Work Effects a Wide Cultural Impact
February 9, 2006; Page A13
While I agree that sending monetary support to countries is admirable, Peter Rice ("Third World Aid: Send Money, Not Your Kids," Letters to the Editor, Jan. 26) fails to recognize the often greater impact of sending people through organizations like the Peace Corps.
The Peace Corps today works in tandem with local and national governments to ensure that volunteer projects augment, and not replace, the work of local citizens. For example, in education programs, volunteers can be teachers of teachers, demonstrating innovative approaches that local educators then use in their classrooms. In small business development, volunteers assist local entrepreneurs as they start their own shop or they teach and demonstrate new marketing techniques. Peace Corps volunteers serve for two years, often in remote areas, following three months of immersion language and culture training.
Monetary aid is very different from working side by side with an American. In many communities where Peace Corps volunteers work, local partners have often never met another American -- strong friendships emerge. And the experience does not end after two years. Volunteers return to America, and then continue to stay close to, and give back to, their volunteer communities, through such endeavors as scholarships, libraries and school equipment. They have also shared their experiences in classrooms and community centers throughout the U.S., encouraging others to engage globally.
The small stipend volunteers receive during their two years of service is more than returned in the understanding fostered in communities throughout the world and here at home.
Gaddi H. Vasquez
Director, Peace Corps
Washington
When this story was posted in February 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
| RPCV admits to abuse while in Peace Corps Timothy Ronald Obert has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor in Costa Rica while serving there as a Peace Corps volunteer. "The Peace Corps has a zero tolerance policy for misconduct that violates the law or standards of conduct established by the Peace Corps," said Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez. Could inadequate screening have been partly to blame? Mr. Obert's resume, which he had submitted to the Peace Corps in support of his application to become a Peace Corps Volunteer, showed that he had repeatedly sought and obtained positions working with underprivileged children. Read what RPCVs have to say about this case. |
| 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. |
| PC establishes awards for top Volunteers Gaddi H. Vasquez has established the Kennedy Service Awards to honor the hard work and service of two current Peace Corps Volunteers, two returned Peace Corps Volunteers, and two Peace Corps staff members. The award to currently serving volunteers will be based on a demonstration of impact, sustainability, creativity, and catalytic effect. Submit your nominations by December 9. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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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Story Source: Wall Street Journal
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Directors - Vasquez; Criticism
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By Voter Fraud (ca07-ch01-bl12.va-ashburn0.sa.earthlink.net - 207.69.138.144) on Saturday, March 04, 2006 - 11:57 pm: Edit Post |
I can't believe I agree with the Club Med director. Though you never served, you said the right thing to counter your republican friend's ignorance.
Now, work on the victims of violence in Peace Corps service and get them there rights back. You are ignorant on these issues, not only because you didn't serve but because you listen to the staffers who did not have hard assignments or were kiss asses during service.
There is some truth for you.
How many countries have you visited on the tax payers money while many former volunteers are back home wrongfully separated because they served and were attacked as a US citizen and Peace Corps? Oh, Cover up is convient.
I bet you endorse Katherine Harris like Mr. Dub Rice.
Why? because the election was fraudulent and you are taking trips on our money because of it.
By Cathleenpomponio (66-193-147-225.static.twtelecom.net - 66.193.147.225) on Wednesday, April 18, 2007 - 6:08 pm: Edit Post |
Whenever I read messages that try to equate the Peace Corps to some secret spy group, I get mad. I get mad because I know that those comments will jeapordize the safety of a volunteer somewhere in the world. There is a certain 'glamor' appeal to trying to make those kinds of connections in our minds, but refraining from that kind of link is a higher thought. I say this because organizations like the CIA or NSA have actual Web sites that everyone is welcome to visit and submit an application to. People are welcome at any time to send a resume with cover letter to either of those groups and they have their own staff to do their own work without using young college kids and old ladies as a sort of cover for so-called 'covert' operations. Having lived through two coups without coming to any harm whatsoever; and having seen the spontaneous surprised and competely paranoid shock on our country directors face 20 years ago, I can tell you in all honesty without hesitation, there is no way that that fumblebrain Van Richards [rest in peace - he passed away later on from the shock of it all] or Mims Austin [also rest in peace as the lady passed away many years ago, of exhaustion] that either one of those two could have managed the kinds of jobs that you all describe. I wish the CIA would keep a lower profile, and give the rest of the American Public a break with their crap.