"I started to become a believer in the Peace Corps' grassroots approach to sustainable development," Coes stated in an e-mail interview from Morocco. "Peace Corps believes ... facilitating the capacity of individuals, organizations, and government to manifest the changes they want to see is best. So do I." Coes is working with the Ministry of Health in rural areas outside the imperial cities of Fez and Meknes. His primary purpose is to promote community support for primary health care and governmental control measures. His projects include water and sanitation infrastructure, and the improvement of communication channels among health care agencies, providers, and recipients. In addition, he is involved with health education on a plethora of topics, including preventative health care practices, early disease recognition and nutrition. "If there was ever a time for dialogue, understanding and the opportunities for exchange that the U.S. Peace Corps encourages, it is certainly now.," Coes wrote. "Most conversations I get into with Moroccans about the current state of world affairs focus on the common ground we share, including our values, priorities, and religions of peace." Coes thinks it is important to listen to what other countries have to say about the United States. "I have yet to find someone just looking to berate or hassle me about the United States. I get more hassle for being unmarried and trying to do my own laundry. Its hilarious and wonderful. I love it here."
Casey Coes first felt the pull of the Peace Corps almost three years ago on a trip to South America
Newfields native has two-year stint in Morocco with Peace Corps
By Lara Bricker
newsletter@seacoastonline.com
June 10, 2008 6:00 AM
Caption: Casey Coes of Newfields is spending two years in Morocco doing work with the Peace Corps. Coes is working with the Ministry of Health in rural areas of Morocco.Lara Bricker photo
NEWFIELDS — Casey Coes first felt the pull of the Peace Corps almost three years ago on a trip to South America.
A Peace Corps volunteer he met just outside of La Paz, Bolivia, made an impression on the Newfields native. So much so, that when Coes returned to college at American University after the trip, he began studying politics with a focus on American international development institutions.
This spring, after more than a year of preparation, Coes left to work for the Peace Corps in Morocco, where he will remain until May of 2010. He feels his own philosophy and ideas are similar to the Peace Corps' mission and approach.
"I started to become a believer in the Peace Corps' grassroots approach to sustainable development," Coes stated in an e-mail interview from Morocco. "Peace Corps believes ... facilitating the capacity of individuals, organizations, and government to manifest the changes they want to see is best. So do I."
Coes is working with the Ministry of Health in rural areas outside the imperial cities of Fez and Meknes. His primary purpose is to promote community support for primary health care and governmental control measures. His projects include water and sanitation infrastructure, and the improvement of communication channels among health care agencies, providers, and recipients. In addition, he is involved with health education on a plethora of topics, including preventative health care practices, early disease recognition and nutrition.
The issue of preventative medicine is a huge one, as many people in the area where he is are reluctant to go to a medical clinic for an everyday problem.
"Little problems are ignored and they get bigger," Coes wrote. "The area I live in has a massive problem with prenatal care and birthing. Community members estimate two-thirds of babies have been lost during, or shortly after birth in the last year."
The area has manpower, funding and government initiatives to help with this work, but connecting with the people can be tough.
"The real challenges are trying to achieve educational goals while being sensitive and inclusive of religious and cultural traditions," Coes wrote. "The keys are learning the language and doing everything you can to integrate into the community to build trust and functional networks."
Coes speaks the Tamazight language, which is a language of the Berber people. Those people have experienced a surge of ethnic pride in recent times and call themselves the "free people," Coes explained.
"I have had interactions with Berber people where they have expressed to me how much it means to them that an American is speaking their language, and taking the time to learn their culture and live in their country," Coes wrote. "When that happens I tell them about New Hampshire's state motto 'Live Free or Die.' They love it, and it is a wonderful and meaningful exchange to be a part of."
While Coes is now fully immersed in his efforts in Morocco, his journey to the Peace Corps was a long one. He first applied in January 2007 and had to go through a grueling approval process before he got his assignment to Morocco in November. Peace Corps volunteers are assigned to a country for a period of no less than 27 months and start with 11 weeks of training. During the training, he was flown to Morocco where he and the other volunteers were given specific training on learning the language.
They started with Moroccan Arabic and Coes then learned Tamazight. He spent about a month learning the language, along with details of Moroccan life, the economy, culture and most importantly, religion.
"Morocco is a strict Muslim country with a strong tradition of conservatism," Coes wrote. "Being knowledgeable and sensitive to Islamic values and beliefs is essential to effectiveness here."
His living conditions in Morocco are more advanced than in other parts of Africa, in terms of beds, bathrooms and food, though it is far from luxurious. He is looking forward to dispelling myths about Morocco, Islam, terrorism and the United States.
"If there was ever a time for dialogue, understanding and the opportunities for exchange that the U.S. Peace Corps encourages, it is certainly now.," Coes wrote.
"Most conversations I get into with Moroccans about the current state of world affairs focus on the common ground we share, including our values, priorities, and religions of peace."
Coes thinks it is important to listen to what other countries have to say about the United States.
"I have yet to find someone just looking to berate or hassle me about the United States. I get more hassle for being unmarried and trying to do my own laundry. Its hilarious and wonderful. I love it here."
