Renewal of Peace Corps Program in Peru
Renewal of Peace Corps Program in Peru
(Peace Corps to be re-established in Peru after 27-year hiatus)
The White House issued a fact sheet on March 23, with details about the upcoming re-establishment of a Peace Corps program in Peru. The Peace Corps will be returning to Peru at the request of Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo.
Following is the text of the fact sheet:
"America needs citizens to extend the compassion of our country to every part of the world. So we will renew the promise of the Peace Corps, and double its volunteers over the next five years." -- President George W. Bush, State of the Union Address, January 29, 2002
President Bush is pleased to announce the re-establishment of the Peace Corps program in Peru, after a 27-year hiatus. Peruvian President Toledo, who requested the program's return in December 2001, has a special connection to Peace Corps: Peace Corps volunteers helped him win a scholarship to study in the United States.
Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez and Peruvian Foreign Minister Diego Garcia-Sayan will formalize the agreement in a signing ceremony during the President's visit to Peru on March 23.
The Peace Corps will open the program with an initial group of approximately ten volunteers who will transfer to Peru from Spanish-speaking posts in mid-August. An additional ten volunteers will arrive in Lima in November to begin their training.
These volunteers will work on health projects, focusing on preventive health care and nutrition practices, and on agriculture projects to improve small farmer incomes through market linkages, developing village banks, and strengthening farmer association management and accounting practices. As Peru enjoys a high level of Internet access, the Peace Corps will also explore integrating information technology activities in the agriculture project.
To date, over 165,000 Americans have served overseas as Peace Corps volunteers in 135 countries. Today more than 7,000 volunteers serve in over 70 countries and work in programs to address needs in business development, health, nutrition and HIV/AIDS, environment, education, agriculture, and information technology.
