Peace Corps Returns To Rwanda



Thirty-two Americans will soon take their posts helping with aid programs in the Rwanda countryside, as the U.S. Peace Corps staffs up there for the first time since the genocide that devastated the country 15 years ago. The recent swearing-in of the new volunteers is part of a strong U.S. commitment to Rwanda in its economic and social rebuilding.

Peace Corps Returns To Rwanda

The Peace Corps Returns To Rwanda

17 April 2009

Caption: Peace Corps Volunteers in a group photo immediately following their swearing-in ceremony in at the residence of U.S. Ambassador W. Stuart Symington in the capital city of Kigali, Rwanda.

Thirty-two Americans will soon take their posts helping with aid programs in the Rwanda countryside, as the U.S. Peace Corps staffs up there for the first time since the genocide that devastated the country 15 years ago. The recent swearing-in of the new volunteers is part of a strong U.S. commitment to Rwanda in its economic and social rebuilding.

More than 100 Peace Corps volunteers have served in the central African nation since the program was established in 1975. The U.S. withdrew during the political instability that tore Rwanda apart in 1994 and was invited back last year by President Paul Kagame.

After intensive pre-assignment training, including lessons in French and the Kinyarwanda language, the volunteers will serve for 2 years and work at the community level in areas of education, health and development. Some will collaborate with other U.S. government initiatives in the country, such as the anti-AIDS PEPFAR program.

As the Peace Corps approaches its 50th anniversary, its mission to promote peace and international friendship remains firm. The appeal of its legacy of service also remains strong among young Americans. The number of applications to join increased 16 percent in the last year, the largest boost in the last 5 years. Historically, over 195,000 volunteers have served, promoting a better understanding between Americans and the people of the 139 nations in which they have worked, including Rwanda.

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: April, 2009; Peace Corps Rwanda; Directory of Rwanda RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Rwanda RPCVs; Expansion

When this story was posted in April 2009, this was on the front page of PCOL:




Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

---

March 22, 2009: Special Envoy Holbrooke is Special Envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan 26 Feb Peace Corps Madagascar Program Suspended 16 Mar Peace Corps Volunteer Murdered in Benin 12 Mar Joseph Acaba Makes First Spacewalk 21 Mar Michael O'Hanlon: Can Obama win in Afghanistan? 20 Mar Dodd faces Rebellion in Connecticut 19 Mar Mike Honda writes: Request for Internet Ideas 19 Mar Laurence Leamer writes: Tragedy of the Peace Corps 16 Mar Gaddi Vasquez at Annenberg Foundation Trust 16 Mar White House defends appointment of Chris Hill 14 Mar Ted Kennedy promotes national service bill 10 Mar John Dunlop helps Iraq recover 8 Mar Want a better safer world? Volunteer. 6 Mar Guy Consolmagno writes: The Search for Earth-like Planets 5 Mar Charles Murray to receive AEI Award 5 Mar Sam Goldman started D.light to replace kerosene lamps 4 Mar RPCVs apply Ideas To Hometown In Need 3 Mar Senator Bond: Peace Corps and Smart Power 26 Feb Bob Shacochis writes: Rebuild the Peace Corps 24 Feb Stephen Andersen promotes Kenyan artisans 24 Feb Francis Koster writes: A shard of glass 24 Feb Read more stories from February 2009 and March.

---

PCOL's Candidate for Peace Corps Director Honduras RPCV Jon Carson, 33, presided over thousands of workers as national field director for the Obama campaign and said the biggest challenge -- and surprise -- was the volume of volunteer help, including more than 15,000 "super volunteers," who were a big part of what made Obama's campaign so successful. PCOL endorses Jon Carson as the man who can revitalize the Peace Corps, bring it into the internet age, and meet Obama's goal of doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011.

---

Director Ron Tschetter: The PCOL Interview Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter sat down for an in-depth interview to discuss the evacuation from Bolivia, political appointees at Peace Corps headquarters, the five year rule, the Peace Corps Foundation, the internet and the Peace Corps, how the transition is going, and what the prospects are for doubling the size of the Peace Corps by 2011. Read the interview and you are sure to learn something new about the Peace Corps. PCOL previously did an interview with Director Gaddi Vasquez.

Read the stories and leave your comments.