"I am finally stepping into my long held goal of living, working and serving in a third world country," Autumn said in a press release issued by the Seattle office of the Peace Corps. During the first three months of her service, Autumn will live with a host family in Botswana to become fully immersed in the country's language and culture. After acquiring the language and cultural skills necessary, she will serve for two years in Botswana, living in a manner similar to the people of her host country.
Autumn Preble will serve in the Peace Corps in Botswana
Former Langleyite in Botswana with Peace Corps
Chobe River in Botswana
The Chobe River in Botswana, Africa. Photograph by Sue Frause.
Autumn Preble, who lived in Langley for many years, has been accepted into the Peace Corps.
The 57-year-old departed for Botswana on April 14 to begin pre-service training as a district AIDS Peace Corps Volunteer. Upon graduation from Volunteer training in July, she will be working in the district office of an AIDS coordination program. The program helps the Botswana government meet its goals and objectives stated in the National Strategic AIDS plan.
Autumn is the daughter of Bob Preble and the mother of Brendan. A graduate of Aberdeen High School in Washington state, she earned a BA in Psychology from Stanford University in 1974. Autumn worked in Uganda in 2006-2007, coordinating creativity camps for teens living with HIV/AIDS and working with Bead for Life, a poverty eradication project in Kampala.
"I am finally stepping into my long held goal of living, working and serving in a third world country," Autumn said in a press release issued by the Seattle office of the Peace Corps.
During the first three months of her service, Autumn will live with a host family in Botswana to become fully immersed in the country's language and culture. After acquiring the language and cultural skills necessary, she will serve for two years in Botswana, living in a manner similar to the people of her host country.
Autumn is among the 363 Washington residents currently serving in the Peace Corps. More than 7,911 Washington residents have served in the Peace Corps since 1961.
Botswana, located in southern Africa, has hosted nearly 2,000 Peace Corps Volunteers since it was initially established in 1966. In 1997, the Peace Corps halted its program and re-entered the nation in 2003 with an exclusive focus on HIV/AIDS. Today, Volunteers train community members in HIV/AIDS prevention, initiate prevention programs, motivate support for AIDS orphans and assist in planning, organizing, and conducting prevention-related activities. Autumn is one of 76 Volunteers in Botswana.
The Peace Corps is celebrating a 47-year legacy of service at home and abroad. Currently there are 8,000 Volunteers abroad, a 37-year high for Volunteers in the field. Since 1961, more than 190,000 Volunteers have helped promote a better understanding between Americans and the people of the 139 countries where Volunteers have served. Peace Corps Volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a 27-month commitment.
