2011.01.18: January 18, 2011: Peace Corps Volunteer "Ko Ko Ko! Life in Benin as a PCV" writes: On January 14th, there was a 20/20 exposé on the Peace Corps focusing on Kate Puzey, the PCV who was murdered in Benin almost two years ago
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2011.01.14: January 14, 2011: Report by ABC News 20/20: Parents of Slain Volunteer Kate Puzey Say Peace Corps Error Led to Murder:
2010.01.11: January 11, 2010: ABC to air Program on Kate Puzey Murder on January 14 :
2011.01.18: January 18, 2011: Peace Corps Volunteer "Ko Ko Ko! Life in Benin as a PCV" writes: On January 14th, there was a 20/20 exposé on the Peace Corps focusing on Kate Puzey, the PCV who was murdered in Benin almost two years ago
Peace Corps Volunteer "Ko Ko Ko! Life in Benin as a PCV" writes: On January 14th, there was a 20/20 exposé on the Peace Corps focusing on Kate Puzey, the PCV who was murdered in Benin almost two years ago
"My group arrived in Benin in July 2009, shortly after this horrible incident took place. Many of us had questions about what had happened, and the older volunteers (some who served with Kate) were very frank and told us exactly what was mentioned above. Of course, whenever we asked any of the admin staff about it, they couldn't comment. They would neither agree with nor refute the stories that were told to us. And of course, this infuriated us because we didn't know what to believe. And then admin would reply, "You shouldn't start rumors and gossip as this will impede the investigation." And at the same time we were thinking, "Well, what else can we do but speculate? You won't tell us a damn thing!" And two years later, we're exactly where we started. Quite frankly, I'm glad the exposé was aired. The people have a right to know what happened, especially since PC can't or won't provide any answers."
Peace Corps Volunteer "Ko Ko Ko! Life in Benin as a PCV" writes: On January 14th, there was a 20/20 exposé on the Peace Corps focusing on Kate Puzey, the PCV who was murdered in Benin almost two years ago
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
20/20
On January 14th, there was a 20/20 exposé on the Peace Corps focusing on Kate Puzey, the PCV who was murdered in Benin almost two years ago. Although the information may have been shocking to viewers back home, it contained information that many PCVs in Benin knew already. The sentiments felt by the Puzeys were felt by many of us as well, in terms of the Peace Corps keeping us in the dark and refusing to admit that, hey, they royally fucked up with how things were handled. I can understand them wanting to uphold their reputation and keeping things on the D/L, but whenever asked about the investigation, the token response was always, "We can't comment. It's on going. It's out of our hands. The Beninese government is doing all that they can."
A long story short, Kate was a TEFL volunteer in the village of Badjoudé. She had discovered that one of her Beninese coworkers, who also happened to be employed with the PC, was sleeping with his students. Some even ended up pregnant and had to quit school. She wrote a letter to the country director outlining these problems and asked to remain anonymous, but somehow, the email got circulated to another member of the admin staff, the brother of the guy in Kate's village (also employed by PC). She was found dead the next morning, by her students nonetheless. They compared her murder to slaughtering a goat.
My group arrived in Benin in July 2009, shortly after this horrible incident took place. Many of us had questions about what had happened, and the older volunteers (some who served with Kate) were very frank and told us exactly what was mentioned above. Of course, whenever we asked any of the admin staff about it, they couldn't comment. They would neither agree with nor refute the stories that were told to us. And of course, this infuriated us because we didn't know what to believe. And then admin would reply, "You shouldn't start rumors and gossip as this will impede the investigation." And at the same time we were thinking, "Well, what else can we do but speculate? You won't tell us a damn thing!" And two years later, we're exactly where we started. Quite frankly, I'm glad the exposé was aired. The people have a right to know what happened, especially since PC can't or won't provide any answers.
Links to Related Topics (Tags):
Headlines: January, 2011; Peace Corps Benin; Directory of Benin RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Benin RPCVs; Safety and Security of Volunteers; Crime; Murder; Blogs - Benin
When this story was posted in January 2011, this was on the front page of PCOL:
Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
| How Volunteers Remember Sarge As the Peace Corps' Founding Director Sargent Shriver laid the foundations for the most lasting accomplishment of the Kennedy presidency. Shriver spoke to returned volunteers at the Peace Vigil at Lincoln Memorial in September, 2001 for the Peace Corps 40th. "The challenge I believe is simple - simple to express but difficult to fulfill. That challenge is expressed in these words: PCV's - stay as you are. Be servants of peace. Work at home as you have worked abroad. Humbly, persistently, intelligently. Weep with those who are sorrowful, Care for those who are sick. Serve your wives, serve your husbands, serve your families, serve your neighbors, serve your cities, serve the poor, join others who also serve," said Shriver. "Serve, Serve, Serve. That's the answer, that's the objective, that's the challenge." |
| Support Independent Funding for the Third Goal The Peace Corps has always neglected the third goal, allocating less than 1% of their resources to "bringing the world back home." Senator Dodd addressed this issue in the "Peace Corps for the 21st Century" bill passed by the US Senate and Peace Corps Director Ron Tschetter proposed a "Peace Corps Foundation" at no cost to the US government. Both are good approaches but the recent "Comprehensive Assessment Report" didn't address the issue of independent funding for the third goal at all. |
| Memo to Incoming Director Williams PCOL has asked five prominent RPCVs and Staff to write a memo on the most important issues facing the Peace Corps today. Issues raised include the independence of the Peace Corps, political appointments at the agency, revitalizing the five-year rule, lowering the ET rate, empowering volunteers, removing financial barriers to service, increasing the agency's budget, reducing costs, and making the Peace Corps bureaucracy more efficient and responsive. Latest: Greetings from Director Williams |
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This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Benin; Safety; Crime; Murder; Blogs - Benin
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