Written
by Ben Kangwa
On
21st October, 2011, the President of the
Republic of Zambia, Mr. Michael C Sata swore in thirty five Americans as
Peace Corps environment volunteers at State House. The event was also witnessed
by the American Ambassador to Zambia, Mr. Mark C Storella.
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President of the Republic
of Zambia,
Mr. Michael C Sata
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At
the ceremony, President Sata praised the volunteers for what he called
“exemplary work” and expressed thanks to the Zambians who he said had hosted
the volunteers in their communities. The swearing in ceremony coincided with
the 50th Anniversary of the work of the Peace Corps in the world.
The
new volunteers underwent several weeks of comprehensive cross-cultural language
and technical training through Peace Corps. They have been trained and
communicate in Bemba, Chisoli, Kaonde, Lunda, Luvale, Mambwe, Nyanja, Nsenga,
Tonga and Tumbuka where they will
complete 27 months of service.
Peace
Corps activities are more vital than ever in a country like Zambia. They work in emerging and essential areas such as education,
youth and community development, business development, environmental and
agricultural conservation, health and HIV/AIDS awareness, animal and wildlife
preservation, water sanitation and wildlife preservation and information
technology.
In
Washington DC, Peace Corps Director Mr. Aaron Williams and United States
Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Ms. Judith McHale
early this year hosted a reception in celebration of the 50th
Anniversary of the Peace Corps at the Department of State.
Zambian
Ambassador to the United States of America, Mrs. Sheila Siwela attended the
function and was among ambassadors from 139 countries that have hosted Peace
Corps volunteers. Others were returned Peace Corps volunteers and members of
Congress.
At
the event, Secretary of State Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton delivered a video
message, thanking those who have served in the Peace Corps and honoring the
mission of the Peace Corps that is “ to
promote world peace and friendship.”
Fifty
years ago, then Presidential candidate, Mr. John F. Kennedy challenged a crowd
of students at the University of Michigan
and asked, “How many of you who are going to be doctors are willing to
spend your days in Ghana?
“Technicians
or engineers – how many of you are
willing to work in the Foreign Service and spend your lives traveling around
the world?”
The
students answered that call with an unexpected enthusiasm, and many credit
those students in 1960 with helping to convince Kennedy to develop what would
become the Peace Corps.
The
three goals of Peace Corps are one, to help the people of interested countries
meet their needs for trained men and women. Two, helping promote a better
understanding of Americans on the part of the people served. And lastly,
helping to promote a better understanding of other people on the part of
Americans.
BACKGROUND OF THE PEACE
CORPS IN ZAMBIA
In
Zambia, the background of the Peace
Corps dates back to 1991, when
the Government of the Republic of Zambia requested Peace Corps assistance.
A
country assessment in early 1992 found that the majority of people had no
access to safe drinking water, proper sanitation facilities and adequate
nutrition inputs.
With
this background, a country agreement was signed on September 14, 1993 and plans
for a water and sanitation project were developed.
The
first twelve water and sanitation trainees arrived in February of 1994. Since
then, the program has grown quickly to include projects in community health and
rural aquaculture, expanded again in 2001 to encompass an income, food and
environment project.
The
Peace Corps in Zambia is the largest post in Africa and receives approximately
80 new Volunteers each year. In the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008, the Peace Corps in
Zambia received more than US$3.8 million from the President’s Emergency Plan
for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to support a new stand alone project hosted by the
Ministry of Health.
The
first group of PEPFAR-funded Volunteers arrived in May 2005 and worked with
Neighborhood Health Committees to mobilize communities in the fight against
HIV/AIDS. PEPFAR-funded Volunteers have continuously been requested to serve in
Zambia since then.
Apart
from being one of Africa’s largest Peace Corps post, it is also one the
Region’s planned highest growth posts. For instance, in the FY 2011, the Peace
Corps in Zambia’s request for Volunteers increased by 36 per cent and in FY
2012 the request for Volunteers increased by 70 per cent.
Since
the first Peace Corps Volunteers arrived in Zambia in 1994, more than 1,000
Volunteers have served in Zambia, making the country one of the larger Peace
Corps programs in Africa. At present, a total number of 241 Volunteers are
working in rural areas.
Currently,
the Peace Corps in Zambia is involved in the following projects:
- Rural Aquaculture promotion (RAP)
- Rural Education Development (RED)
- Linking Income, Food and the
Environment (LIFE)
- Health and HIV/AIDS
RURAL AQUACULTURE PROMOTION
(RAP)
In
the Rural Aquaculture Promotion (RAP) Project, volunteers help the Department
of Fisheries in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries to develop
rural fish-farming projects that would improve livelihoods in rural
communities.
After
determining rural farmers’ needs and resources, the Volunteers provide
technical assistance in establishing dams, furrows, fishponds and integrated
agriculture. In addition, to providing an excellent source of nutrition for
rural families. Surplus fish and
agricultural products are sold to provide substantial supplementary income.
Volunteers
also provide training in small agribusiness skills to assist farmers in
applying a business orientation toward their farming activities. Additionally,
they help build the organizational development capacity of fish farming
activities.
Since
the arrival of the first RAP Volunteers in November 1996, this collaboration
has been so successful that the Department of Fisheries invited the Peace Corps
to assume the leading role in aquaculture development in the country.
LINKING INCOME, FOOD AND
ENVIRONMENT (LIFE)
In
2004, the Zambia Wildlife Authority through the Forestry Department invited
Peace Corps/Zambia to join a new environmental initiative to help communities
living near protected forests gain an economic stake and a voice in managing
protected areas under the Linking Income Food and Environment (LIFE) Project.
Environment
Volunteers also help community members develop group decision- making skills
and educate them about environmental and conservation issues. They work with
communities to improve natural resource management techniques, improve food
security, establish environmental education initiatives and seek to create
links in the community between education and natural resource management.
RURAL EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT
(RED)
In
education, the Rural Education Development (RED) Volunteers work in six
provinces to support the Ministry of Education staff to improve the quality of,
and access to, education in all types of schools. Together with their
counterparts, Volunteers assist in implementing educational initiatives such as
the “Learning at Taonga Market” interactive radio instruction program. “Taonga
Market” also enhances teacher trainings and other continuing professional
development opportunities as well as school monitoring visits, community
literacy classes, school clubs for HIV/AIDS, girls empowerment and
environmental awareness.
The
Volunteers also engage with interested rural communities to develop and support
their education infrastructure through sensitization and training of parent
community school committees.
HEALTH
In
2008, the Peace Corps in Zambia combined the Community Action for Health
Project and the HIV/AIDS Project (HAP) to form a new comprehensive rural health
project.
Being
a rural based project, Volunteers work to facilitate the formation and training
of community based organizations that spear-head the planning, implementation and sustainable
management of community led intervention in malaria, maternal health, child
health and nutrition, HIV/AIDS mitigation and management.
VOLUNTEER LEADERS
In
all these activities, Volunteer Leaders who are typically third and fourth year
University students coordinate Peace Corps efforts at the Provincial level in
Mansa, Kasama, Chipata, Serenje, Kalomo and Solwezi.
They
are critical to the smooth operation of Peace Corps in Zambia and most
importantly, post’s ability to provide a safe and secure environment for
Volunteers and play an essential role in Volunteer support and site
development.
CONCLUSION
After
28 years of service in Zambia, the Peace corps is still more vital than ever
and still growing. From John F. Kennedy’s inspiration there is still an urgency
devoted to world peace and friendship and volunteers who continue to help
individuals build a better life for themselves, their children, their community
and their country.
The
author is Press Secretary at the Embassy of the Republic of Zambia in
Washington DC.
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