Peace Corps Director applauds volunteerism while in Botswana



Peace Corps Director applauds volunteerism while in Botswana

Director applauds volunteerism

27 August, 2004

GABORONE - The US Director of Peace Corps has applauded the HIV/AIDS volunteers for their meaningful contribution in fighting the pandemic.

Gaddi Vasquez said this when he paid a courtesy call on President Mogae at the Office of the President recently.

Vasquez, was in Botswana to meet with the Peace Corps volunteers and assessing some of their projects as well as meeting government officials.

He said that the volunteers were important because whatever they did was targeted at meeting the needs of the country.

"Every person should have a dream to persevere in life. But HIV /AIDS denies people the right to live, they have the right to have a full life though," Vasquez said.

He said that he would appreciate it if the level of awareness of AIDS in Botswana changed and if people could realise their responsibility to fight the disease.

Vasquez added that for a society to live, it should survive with healthy individuals, hence there is need to reduce poverty.

When this story was prepared, here was the front page of PCOL magazine:

This Month's Issue: August 2004 Teresa Heinz Kerry celebrates the Peace Corps Volunteer as one of the best faces America has ever projected in a speech to the Democratic Convention. The National Review disagreed and said that Heinz's celebration of the PCV was "truly offensive." What's your opinion and who can come up with the funniest caption for our Current Events Funny? Exclusive: Director Vasquez speaks out in an op-ed published exclusively on the web by Peace Corps Online saying the Dayton Daily News' portrayal of Peace Corps "doesn't jibe with facts." In other news, the NPCA makes the case for improving governance and explains the challenges facing the organization, RPCV Bob Shaconis says Peace Corps has been a "sacred cow", RPCV Shaun McNally picks up support for his Aug 10 primary and has a plan to win in Connecticut, and the movie "Open Water" based on the negligent deaths of two RPCVs in Australia opens August 6. Op-ed's by RPCVs: Cops of the World is not a good goal and Peace Corps must emphasize community development.

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