Paul Willis of Thornton heard the call to action and, "on a lark," served in the late 1960s in northern Nigeria. He worked for the ministry of agriculture, organizing a Young Farmer's Club and providing training in agriculture, rural development, education and health. "I'll have to say, every day you got up in the morning you had no idea what was going to happen," Willis said. "It was probably the most life-changing experience for me and a lot of people will tell you that. I think the Peace Corps has really contributed to a cross-cultural understanding and awareness. I think it's still valid today."
Richard Johnson writes: Peace Corps - 50 years of life-changing experiences
Richard Johnson column: Peace Corps - 50 years of life-changing experiences
By Richard Johnson, richard.johnson@globegazette.com North Iowa Media Group |
Posted: Sunday, February 27, 2011 11:43 pm
At 29, Margaret Smith was a fairly experienced agronomist when someone suggested her training could be utilized beyond corn-rich Iowa.
She was adventurous and idealistic - the perfect combination for a Peace Corps volunteer.
Hello, Swaziland!
Smith, now a value-added agriculture specialist with the Iowa State University Extension in Franklin County, helped farmers improve their yields in the mid-1980s in the southeast African nation.
"You just feel like, ‘Here I am. I'm not married. If I want to try to do something, now's the time to do it," she said. "It's a self-challenge to pick yourself up and go all across the world. No family, no friends. It was probably even more so that way than I even expected. It's another culture, another place, and nobody knows you."
President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps by executive order on March 1, 1961.
Congress passed the Peace Corps Act on Sept. 22, 1961, to promote world peace and friendship, help people of other countries meet their needs and promote global understanding (www.peacecorps.gov).
Paul Willis of Thornton heard the call to action and, "on a lark," served in the late 1960s in northern Nigeria.
He worked for the ministry of agriculture, organizing a Young Farmer's Club and providing training in agriculture, rural development, education and health.
"I'll have to say, every day you got up in the morning you had no idea what was going to happen," Willis said. "It was probably the most life-changing experience for me and a lot of people will tell you that. I think the Peace Corps has really contributed to a cross-cultural understanding and awareness. I think it's still valid today."
Smith developed a crop research project and researched onions, cabbages and tomatoes to increase yields in Swaziland.
She danced to the beat of drums during the ceremonial installation of a new king.
"It was quite striking," she said.
Peace Corps volunteers still help with agriculture but they also focus on HIV prevention, overall health, and small-business development.
Smith will go in March to Uganda to help female farmers increase yields.
"You are called to share your experience the rest of your life," she said.
Chuck and Nancy Sweetman of Mason City served from 1967-70 in Panama, he in community development and agriculture, she in home economics and community development.
"We certainly got more than we gave," Chuck said. "I think it really helped us appreciate what we have more and how other countries treat people who are different. We were really accepted and treated specially. They're so much more accepting of diversity than it seems we have been at times."
"It was a wonderful experience for us and we hope we did some good," Nancy said, "because we got a lot of benefit out of it."
Richard Johnson writes about people, places and things in the Globe Gazette. For comments or column ideas, call 641-421-0556.
