Peace+Corp

The Peace Corps is an government organization dedicated to the aid of developing and nations in need. The idea was proposed by John F. Kennedy as a campaign promise while he was running for president of the United States. He first proposed the idea to students at the University of Michigan who received the idea with much enthusiasm. When JFK was elected he set right to work on the establishment of the program. Although it was his idea, president Kennedy was not really involved in the real formation of the Peace Corps, his brother in law Sergeant Shriver was the most active in the development of the program.
 * History ** [[image:http://www.saukvalley.com/articles/2009/11/30/42997901/peace-corps1.jpg width="193" height="180" align="right"]]

In order for the Peace Corps to become a government program, the Peace Corps Act needed to be passed. Kennedy urged the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives to pass the bill. The act was passed on March 1, 1961 marking the official establishment of the Peace Corps program. The Peace Corps was founded on the principal "ask not what your country can do for you; ask what can you do for your country." 1 Kennedy said that the purpose of the program was to "promote world peace and friendship" 2 by: helping developing countries meet their needs for trained workers, furthering a better understanding of the American people on the part of the people served, and increasing America's understanding of other people. Once the program was officially established the hard work of attracting and recruiting volunteers began. President Kennedy attracted many students just out of college by visiting colleges and universities across the country by enticing them with promises of new rewarding experiences and adventure.media type="youtube" key="yOQ85OEZhWg" height="330" width="409" align="right"

In the Kennedy era people began to feel the need to become involved with their country again. They wanted to become actively with something other than war--peace. This was the beginning of new ideas regarding international relations. "We realized that Kennedy was telling us we had something to offer. The world was changing and we were needed. We could make a difference." 3 This is something that many recent college graduates in the early 60's would have said. Many of the young volunteers had no idea what they were really volunteering for; most taught school children English, Math, and Science in villages with poor living conditions. These jobs were sometimes frustrating and boring, many of the early volunteers quit before their two year commitment was up. Back in the United States as supporters rallied around the Peace Corps, people began to attack the agency as well. Some people did not understand how the Peace Corps was effective or helpful. Some Americans did not agree with giving tax money for foreign aid so that young Americans could go overseas. A critic of the Peace Corps said: "Who but the very young themselves can really believe that in Africa, aflame with violence will have its fires quenched because some Harvard boy or Vassar girl lives in a mud hut and speaks Swahili?" 4 There were people with these same views all over the country who thought the whole idea was a farce.

In addition to skeptics at home, there were skeptics abroad. The Peace Corps was "born in the midst of the Cold War" 5. The communists of the Soviet Union spread propaganda to developing countries like Africa, Asia, and Latin America telling them that Peace Corps volunteers were spies. The Russians nicknamed the Peace Corps the "Spy Corps" and said that it was "an instrument of American imperialism" 6. As skepticism spread it became important for the Peace Corps' name not to become synonymous with the US government. Even officials working within the Peace Corps knew that this was true as a source on the topic said: // “Because much of the program's success has always depended on how it is perceived by developing nations, it was important that the Peace Corps remain independent. When they are abroad, volunteers are considered individuals—not an arm of U.S. foreign policy. The response of the nation's youth to the Peace Corps program demonstrated that idealism still flourished.” 7 // After the collapse of the Iron Curtain in 1989, former Russian satellite countries were eager for the economic and educational aid that Peace Corps volunteers could offer. These countries were greatly disadvantaged because Russia would not let them benefit from the Marshall Plan. Volunteers in Eastern Europe mostly worked trying to teach people English since Russian was very widespread in the years of the Soviet Union. The leaders of these countries wanted nationals to run their countries, but they needed an organization like the Peace Corps to train and teach their peoples. ** The Peace Corps is still in operation today operating as a government aid program. As defined by the U.S. Congress, the **Peace Corps** has three goals: Their mission statement is: "To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women. To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served. To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans." 8 Peace Corps volunteers make no money and have only a modest living allowance. Over 120,00 people inquire about the Peace Corps every year but many choose not to finish the application and review process because it can take over a year. There is a highly selective application process, which consists of a six-page application, multiple interviews, and exceptional educational credentials. This is to ensure that volunteers are well qualified for the work that they are sent to do. Peace Corps volunteers live among the people that they are working with, so that they can get the same experience without any special privileges. A volunteer serves for one term, which consists of two years. Volunteers can choose to continue their service in the country they began in, or they can choose to apply for a different trip. Peace Corps volunteers are people of varying ages, religions, and races. Many of them however, are recent college graduates or recently retired citizens. When a person applies to the Peace Corps they choose their areas of interest or specialty however that may not be the project they are assigned to. The main focuses of Peace Corps volunteers are education, small business development, health and nutrition, agriculture, forestry, and water and sanitation. In Africa many volunteers focus on HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention. In Asia volunteers are sent to Cambodia, China, Mongolia, Philippines, Thailand, and Indonesia where they “ play important roles in helping people address changing and complex needs in the areas of education, business, the environment, and health.”  9 Volunteers working in Central America and Mexico “have the opportunity to experience the rich cultural heritage and geographic diversity that make any one of these Central American nations a challenging and rewarding country of service.” 10 These volunteers work in Belize, Honduras, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Mexico.
 * Peace Corps Today
 * to help people in underdeveloped countries by supplying trained personnel
 * to generate among the people being served a better understanding of Americans
 * to give Americans a better understanding of people of other cultures. media type="youtube" key="PBsrsk42wZE" height="328" width="407" align="right"

In Africa “Peace Corps Volunteers respond to various needs that impact Africa's development. These include the importance of HIV/AIDS prevention and education, girls' education, the increasing pressures of environmental degradation, advances in information technology, and the democratization process that some countries are committed to supporting. Peace Corps have continued to develop a strong partnership with the people of Africa. Volunteers currently work in the areas of education, health and HIV/AIDS, business development, agriculture, and the environment.” 11 People who volunteer in Africa will work in Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Ethiopia, The Gamba, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Lethoso, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leon, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, and Zambia

People who volunteer to work in Eastern Europe and Central Asia will “ work to strengthen the capacity of local communities to address changing and complex needs in education, health, business, agriculture, and the environment. Volunteers share important technical expertise, promote civic responsibility, and make significant contributions to creating a better understanding of Americans in nations long isolated from democracy.” 12 These people will be working in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, and Turkmenistan.

The Middle Eastern and Northern African countries that the Peace Corps sends volunteers to are Jordan, and Morocco. Volunteers in these two countries “ work on a wide range of vital assignments in North Africa and the Middle East.” 13 Volunteers in the Caribbean “have the opportunity to experience the rich cultural and geographic diversity that make any one of these Caribbean nations a challenging and rewarding country of service” 14 when they travel to Eastern Caribbean, Dominican Republic, or Jamaica.

In South America volunteers will go to Bolivia, Ecuador, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, or Colombia. While there they will “ have the opportunity to experience the rich cultural and linguistic heritage that is increasingly relevant to life back in the United States, and make any one of these South American nations a challenging and rewarding country of service.” 15 Volunteers who work in the Pacific Islands will travel to Fiji, Micronesia and Palau, Samoa, Tonga, or Vanuatu. “The types of programs and specific Volunteer activities vary considerably across this vast and diverse region. The majority of Volunteers work in health, the environment, and education, with large numbers also engaged in small business development and agriculture. Volunteer activities in most countries also target women and youth-at-risk.” 16 Working as a Peace Corps volunteer is rewarding for the volunteer as well as for the people receiving aid.

A Peace Corps volunteer will gain the experience of learning a new language, meeting amazing people, and getting to travel to places that you might not have gone to otherwise. Everything you learn in the Peace Corps will stay with you for the rest of your life and leave you with lifelong memories. " The Peace Corps isn't simply something great. It's the beginning of something great." 17 media type="youtube" key="ybi7OhGLUy4" height="372" width="461" Click here for more videos! http://www.youtube.com/user/peacecorps

Click here for photo galleries! http://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=learn.whatlike.insidersview

1 "'U.S. Peace Corps.' World History: The Modern Era." ABC-CLIO eBook Collection. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May 2010. . 2 Ashabranner, Brent. A New Fronteir: The Peace Corps in Eastern Europe. New York, NY: Cobblehill Books, 1994. Print. 3 Schwarz, Karen. What You Can Do For Your Country: Inside the Peace Corps A Thirty-Year History. New York, NY: Doubleday, 1991. Print. 4 Schwarz, Karen. What You Can Do For Your Country: Inside the Peace Corps A Thirty-Year History. New York, NY: Doubleday, 1991. Print 5 Ashabranner, Brent. A New Fronteir: The Peace Corps in Eastern Europe. New York, NY: Cobblehill Books, 1994. Print. 6 Ashabranner, Brent. A New Fronteir: The Peace Corps in Eastern Europe. New York, NY: Cobblehill Books, 1994. Print. 7 "'U.S. Peace Corps.' World History: The Modern Era." ABC-CLIO eBook Collection. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 May 2010. . 8 Banerjee, Dillon. So You Want to Join the Peace Corps... What to Know Before You Go. Berkeley, CA: Ten Speed Press, 2000. Print. 9 "http://www.peacecorps.gov/." Peace Corps. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010. 10 "http://www.peacecorps.gov/." Peace Corps. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010. 11 "http://www.peacecorps.gov/." Peace Corps. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010. 12 "http://www.peacecorps.gov/." Peace Corps. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010. 13 "http://www.peacecorps.gov/." Peace Corps. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010. 14 "http://www.peacecorps.gov/." Peace Corps. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010. 15 "http://www.peacecorps.gov/." Peace Corps. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010. 16 "http://www.peacecorps.gov/." Peace Corps. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010. 17 "http://www.peacecorps.gov/." Peace Corps. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2010.

Amanda R. Price