February 28, 2006: Headlines: COS - Belize: Channel 5 Belize: What’s next for Peace Corps in Belize?
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February 28, 2006: Headlines: COS - Belize: Channel 5 Belize: What’s next for Peace Corps in Belize?
What’s next for Peace Corps in Belize?
“Well, to continue doing the good work that we’ve been doing. We don’t usually toot our horns or clang our bells, but in many crooks and crannies of this country, volunteers are doing everything that they can to assist small communities, organisations, schools, the government of Belize, as well as individuals in progress, development, and helping them to move ahead.”
What’s next for Peace Corps in Belize?
This week the United States Peace Corps, created by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, is celebrating forty-five years of service. Just one year after its establishment, the organization's first volunteers arrived in Belize to teach in our schools. As part of their anniversary celebrations, today the more than sixty men and women working in Belize gathered in the old capital to share their experiences and plan for the future. According to Associate Director Austin Arzu, the Peace Corps has played an important role in Belize's development, especially in the area of education.
Austin Arzu, Associate Director, Peace Corps Belize
“The first Peace Corps volunteers arrived in this country in June of 1962, and currently we do have sixty-two Peace Corps volunteers throughout the length and breadth of the country.”
Janelle Chanona
“What’s next for Peace Corps in Belize?”
Austin Arzu
“Well, to continue doing the good work that we’ve been doing. We don’t usually toot our horns or clang our bells, but in many crooks and crannies of this country, volunteers are doing everything that they can to assist small communities, organisations, schools, the government of Belize, as well as individuals in progress, development, and helping them to move ahead.”
“Currently we have teacher trainers who are assisting in the reading programme in collaboration with U.W.I. and the University of Belize. This is a pilot project right now where we are training teachers in the teaching of reading at the infant one to standard two levels and this is really working out.”
“One of the things that we know about Peace Corps volunteers and the communities that they work in, is that they establish lasting relationships and many volunteers either marry in Belize, come back to live in Belize, or come back every year to vacation and see their friends.”
After five years in Belize, Peace Corps Belize Country Director Bill Barbieri has handed over operations here to Don Douglas. Also joining the administrative team is Anna Tonnes who will be working with Arzu as an associate director.
When this story was posted in March 2006, this was on the front page of PCOL:
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
| March 1, 1961: Keeping Kennedy's Promise On March 1, 1961, President John F. Kennedy issues Executive Order #10924, establishing the Peace Corps as a new agency: "Life in the Peace Corps will not be easy. There will be no salary and allowances will be at a level sufficient only to maintain health and meet basic needs. Men and women will be expected to work and live alongside the nationals of the country in which they are stationed--doing the same work, eating the same food, talking the same language. But if the life will not be easy, it will be rich and satisfying. For every young American who participates in the Peace Corps--who works in a foreign land--will know that he or she is sharing in the great common task of bringing to man that decent way of life which is the foundation of freedom and a condition of peace. " |
| The Peace Corps Library The Peace Corps Library is now available online with over 40,000 index entries in 500 categories. Looking for a Returned Volunteer? Check our RPCV Directory. New: Sign up to receive PCOL Magazine, our free Monthly Magazine by email. Like to keep up with Peace Corps news as it happens? Sign up to recieve a daily summary of Peace Corps stories from around the world. |
| Paid Vacations in the Third World? Retired diplomat Peter Rice has written a letter to the Wall Street Journal stating that Peace Corps "is really just a U.S. government program for paid vacations in the Third World." Director Vasquez has responded that "the small stipend volunteers receive during their two years of service is more than returned in the understanding fostered in communities throughout the world and here at home." What do RPCVs think? |
| RPCV admits to abuse while in Peace Corps Timothy Ronald Obert has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a minor in Costa Rica while serving there as a Peace Corps volunteer. "The Peace Corps has a zero tolerance policy for misconduct that violates the law or standards of conduct established by the Peace Corps," said Peace Corps Director Gaddi H. Vasquez. Could inadequate screening have been partly to blame? Mr. Obert's resume, which he had submitted to the Peace Corps in support of his application to become a Peace Corps Volunteer, showed that he had repeatedly sought and obtained positions working with underprivileged children. Read what RPCVs have to say about this case. |
| Why blurring the lines puts PCVs in danger When the National Call to Service legislation was amended to include Peace Corps in December of 2002, this country had not yet invaded Iraq and was not in prolonged military engagement in the Middle East, as it is now. Read the story of how one volunteer spent three years in captivity from 1976 to 1980 as the hostage of a insurrection group in Colombia in Joanne Marie Roll's op-ed on why this legislation may put soldier/PCVs in the same kind of danger. Latest: Read the ongoing dialog on the subject. |
| PC establishes awards for top Volunteers Gaddi H. Vasquez has established the Kennedy Service Awards to honor the hard work and service of two current Peace Corps Volunteers, two returned Peace Corps Volunteers, and two Peace Corps staff members. The award to currently serving volunteers will be based on a demonstration of impact, sustainability, creativity, and catalytic effect. Submit your nominations by December 9. |
| Friends of the Peace Corps 170,000 strong 170,000 is a very special number for the RPCV community - it's the number of Volunteers who have served in the Peace Corps since 1961. It's also a number that is very special to us because March is the first month since our founding in January, 2001 that our readership has exceeded 170,000. And while we know that not everyone who comes to this site is an RPCV, they are all "Friends of the Peace Corps." Thanks everybody for making PCOL your source of news for the Returned Volunteer community. |
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Story Source: Channel 5 Belize
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Belize
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