President Mogae To Address Peace Corps Volunteers At Graduation Ceremony In Molepolole
President Mogae To Address Peace Corps Volunteers At Graduation Ceremony In Molepolole
May 18, 2004
On May 25, 2004, His Excellency President Festus G. Mogae will deliver the keynote address at a graduation ceremony for 37 Peace Corps Volunteers at the Kgari Sechele II Senior Secondary School in Molepolole.
For the past ten weeks, the Volunteers have been in training, learning Setswana, getting to know more about the Batswana culture and learning about the HIV/AIDS epidemic. They have been living with Batswana families in Molepolole.
"Americans are just like us, said one of the "homestay mothers" who hosted one of the Volunteers during the training period. "They want what we want. You can treat them like your own children. Another host Mother said, In my lifetime I never thought I would sleep, eat and live with an American in my house, but this is what happened, and I have had the experience of my life.
The Peace Corps Volunteers, the second group to arrive in Botswana since 1995, will be sworn in by U.S. Ambassador to Botswana Joseph Huggins. Following the ceremony, the Volunteers will be sent to large and small villages throughout the country. Fourteen Volunteers will be assigned to assist the District AIDS Coordinators (DACs) and the District Multi-Sectoral Committees, nine Volunteers will be working with the Department of Social Services in Home Based Care and Orphan Care, and fourteen Volunteers will be working in the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) program. PMTCT is a program being implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government, the Ministry of Health and BOTUSA (a collaboration of the Government of Botswana and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
Members of the press are invited to attend the graduation ceremony in Molepolole. Please arrive at the school no later than 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 25. As places are limited, you must RSVP by noon on Friday, May 21, to Ms. Maleta Mogwe-Lock at 395-3982, ext. 5419, or Mogwe-LockM@state.gov .
