Castro, who immigrated to the United States at age seven with her mother said, "While it has not been an easy road, the people I have met along the way and the opportunities that have been afforded me have made it possible to be where I am today." As a Mexican-American civil engineer, she is, as she says, taking time from her career "to help others and serve a country that has given me so many wonderful opportunities that no one in my family could have imagined."
Olga Yesenia Castro, a Master's International student at at Michigan Technological University and a Peace Corps Volunteer in Benin, works with rural farmers developing a drip irrigation system to help them maintain their living and a healthy diet during the dry season
Peace Corps Celebrates Diversity During Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic American Peace Corps Volunteers Represent America's Diversity While Serving in the Peace Corps
WASHINGTON, D.C., September 15, 2008 - Peace Corps Director Ronald A. Tschetter is pleased to announce the agency's celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. From September 15 to October 15, the Peace Corps will celebrate the significant contributions of the Hispanic Americans who have served as Volunteers in the United States Peace Corps.
Says Director Tschetter, "The Peace Corps proudly recognizes the culture and traditions of our Hispanic American Volunteers. These Volunteers are fulfilling the goals of the Peace Corps through their outstanding contributions each and every day. Their heritage represents the vast diversity in America and enables them to share their unique heritage and culture with the people they serve overseas."
Hispanic American Peace Corps Volunteers who are currently serving hail from 33 states in the U.S. as well as Puerto Rico. Of these Volunteers, approximately 33 percent work in education, 21 percent in health and HIV/AIDS development, and 17 percent in business development. The remaining Volunteers work in environment and agriculture sustainability.
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Peace Corps is highlighting examples of the accomplishments of these currently-serving Hispanic American Volunteers:
[Excerpt]
Olga Yesenia Castro, a Master's International student at at Michigan Technological University and a Peace Corps Volunteer in Benin, works with rural farmers developing a drip irrigation system to help them maintain their living and a healthy diet during the dry season. Castro, who immigrated to the United States at age seven with her mother said, "While it has not been an easy road, the people I have met along the way and the opportunities that have been afforded me have made it possible to be where I am today." As a Mexican-American civil engineer, she is, as she says, taking time from her career "to help others and serve a country that has given me so many wonderful opportunities that no one in my family could have imagined."
Self-identified ethnic minorities comprise 17 percent of the more than 8,000 Peace Corps Volunteers currently serving abroad. Four percent of these Volunteers are of Hispanic heritage. There are ten Hispanic American Volunteers over 50 years of age serving in the Peace Corps, the oldest is 73 years old.
