With an average of 100 Volunteers arriving annually, Peace Corps/Paraguay is not only working in Agriculture, but in Small Business Development, Health, Education, Environment, Urban Youth and Municipal Services Development
Peace Corps
A. PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The government of Paraguay and the Peace Corps signed a joint agreement on November 4, 1966. The first Peace Corps Volunteers, who arrived in early 1967, were agricultural extension agents. Over 30 years later, with an average of 100 Volunteers arriving annually, Peace Corps/Paraguay is not only working in Agriculture, but in Small Business Development, Health, Education, Environment, Urban Youth and Municipal Services Development. The program is one of the largest in the world.
Volunteers have been warmly welcomed throughout Paraguay. Contributing to this receptivity are the efforts which Peace Corps Paraguay has made to foster cultural sensitivity in its Volunteers, to place them at the community level, and to teach them the indigenous language, Guaraní, as well as Spanish.
B. CURRENT SECTORS AND PROJECTS
Note: Peace Corps uses a nomenclature whereby all activities in a general technical area are referred to a being part of a Sector. Each Sector may have several "projects" for which there are specific training and work objectives.
Agriculture Sector:
The focus of Peace Corps/Paraguay’s Agriculture Sector is to increase farm productivity and crop diversification of small-scale farmers and ensure sustained food crop availability for families in rural areas of Paraguay. Peace Corps Paraguay Agricultural Volunteers work in two projects, Crop Extension and Beekeeping. Crop Extension Volunteers assist small-scale farmers in implementing new agricultural practices related to vegetable production, soil conservation, pest management, small animal husbandry and the marketing of new products. Beekeeping Volunteers Beekeeping Volunteers address the issue of crop diversification and promote beekeeping as a viable option for income generation. . Peace Corps' counterpart agency is the Dirección de Extensión Agraria (DEAG) within the Ministry of Agriculture.
Environment Sector:
The PC/Paraguay Environment Sector promotes the conservation and sustainable use of Paraguay's natural resources through its Agroforestry and Environmental Education Projects. The Environmental Education Project assists teachers in integrating environmental education into their regular curricula as well as into community-based projects as mandated by the educational reform. Agroforestry Volunteers help small-scale farmers to implement agroforestry and soil conservation practices and promote farmer-to-farmer interchange as a motivator as well as to diffuse new practices. Peace Corps's counterpart agencies in this sector include the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Ministry of Agriculture and several NGOs.
Health Sector:
The goal of the Peace Corps Paraguay Health Sector is to improve infant, child and maternal health of rural Paraguayans through the work of PCVs in two technical tracks: Rural Health Extension and Environmental Sanitation. Rural health extension Volunteers promote preventive health care and sponsor seminars on maternal-child care for village nurses, parents and community members. Environmental sanitation Volunteers focus on the protection and decontamination of water sources, latrine construction, and the excavation of garbage pits. Volunteers in both projects train local health workers on parasite prevention, teach nutrion, promote gardens, teach dental health care, and facilitate the establishment of small running water systems. Health Sector Volunteers also organize vaccination; provide anti-parasite medications for rural school children, and teach Paraguayan men, women and children about the prevention of HIV/AIDS and other STD’s. Peace Corps's Health Sector counterpart agency is the Ministry of Health and Wellbeing.
Education Sector:
The Education Sector consists of two projects: the Early Elementary Education project, which concentrates efforts on formal education in rural areas; the Urban Youth Development Project, which focuses on non-formal education in urban areas.
The goal of the Early Elementary Education Project is to improve the basic skills (reading, writing, and math) and health of Paraguayan children during their most formative school years - kindergarten, first and second grade - through teacher training and support. Early Elementary Education Volunteers train teachers in improved teaching methods and promote a gender neutral environment. Peace Corps's counterpart agency in this sector is the Ministry of Education and Culture.
The Urban Youth Development project is designed to help at-risk youth build self-esteem, better integrate into their communities, and strengthen their employability skills. Urban youth Volunteers live and work in marginal urban areas. They involve at-risk youth in educational programs and activities related to leadership and job skill development, drug prevention, AIDS prevention, health and nutrition, physical education and communication skills. Counterpart agencies in the area of youth development include the Sub-Secretary of Youth of the Ministry of Education and a number of NGOs.
Business Development Sector:
Paraguay suffers from an alarming rate of unemployment and underemployment. The Peace Corps/Paraguay small enterprise development sector consists of two projects: the cooperative and small business development project and municipal services development. In the cooperative and small business development project, Volunteers provide technical training and assistance to small business owners and rural cooperatives. They work to strengthen local capacities in the areas of management, accounting, marketing, savings and loan services, educational programs, and administrative and organizational functions.
Peace Corps' counterpart agencies in this project are the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Small Farmers' Development Fund (Fondo de Desarrollo Campesino) and the local cooperatives.
The municipal services development project was started in 1999 to address the needs that have arisen due to increased political liberalization as national reforms have paved the way for greater government decentralization. For the first time, local governments have more responsibility, greater fiscal resources, and the potential to improve public services in their communities. As part of this new Peace Corps project, Volunteers work with municipal governments to improve the planning and delivery of services to under-served communities.
C. KEY PEACE CORPS STAFF
Country Director: James Geenen
Programming and Training Officer: Melissa J. McDonald
Associate Peace Corps Director Administration: Juan Carlos Samudio
APCD Agriculture: Antonio Dacak
APCD Education/Youth: Josefina Rios
APCD Health: Pedro Souza
APCD Environment: Kathryn Hunter
APCD Small Business Development: Rubén Rolón
PC Medical Officer: Dr. Raul Avila
PCMO: Julie Heuduck, R.N.
PCMO: Celmira (Edel) de Bay, R.N.
Resource Center Librarian: Marianne Cadle
Training Director (CHP International, Inc.): Edgardo Rothkegel
Note: Training is managed by a contractor that has a center in Guarambaré, and mini-training units in surrounding communities.
October, 2002
