PEACE CORPS SAMOA WELCOMES SECOND GROUP OF VOLUNTEER TRAINEES, RESUMING SERVICE AMIDST COVID-19 CHALLENGES
Second group of volunteer trainees were welcomed with an Ava Ceremony (Photo: Supplied)
Peace Corps Samoa is delighted to announce the arrival of its second group of volunteer trainees since the global evacuation in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On Monday, a group of 11 trainees arrived in Samoa, ready to embark on a transformative journey of service. The Ministry of Education, Sports, and Culture (MESC) extended a warm welcome to the trainees through a traditional ava ceremony, a significant cultural gesture in Samoa.
Peace Corps Volunteers in Samoa collaborate closely with MESC to support English literacy initiatives in primary schools across the country. The ava ceremony, attended by esteemed guests including the U.S. Charge d’Affaires, Noriko Horiuchi, and the Minister of Education, Sports, and Culture, Honorable Seuula Ioane, highlighted the partnership between Peace Corps Samoa and the Samoan government in advancing educational opportunities.
President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps on March 1, 1961, with a vision of promoting global peace, friendship, and understanding. It aimed to foster relationships, provide opportunities, and strengthen ties among nations. Since its inception, over 240,000 Americans have dedicated their service to 142 countries worldwide, embodying the ideals of world peace through friendship.
Nearly 56 years ago, in October 1967, the Samoan government invited Peace Corps Volunteers to Samoa. Since then, more than 2,000 Volunteers have lived and worked alongside local partners, catalyzing positive change and embracing the country's rich culture. This immersive approach to development has been pivotal to the success of volunteer projects over the years. The Volunteers' unwavering energy, enthusiasm, and dedication serve as the foundation for these transformative experiences.
Gini Wilderson, Peace Corps Samoa's Country Director, expressed her enthusiasm, stating, "Peace Corps Samoa is thrilled to welcome its second cohort of English Literacy Volunteers this year. These latest arrivals will join the group that arrived in February to address critical reading and writing challenges for primary school students across Samoa. We are grateful for the increased presence of Volunteers this year, following the global evacuation three years ago, and we look forward to reaching our pre-COVID program capacity."
In today's world, the core values that underpin the Peace Corps' work—respect for other cultures, collaboration, acceptance, diversity celebration, and the promotion of equity and inclusion—are more crucial than ever, both within communities overseas and at home.
The 11 Peace Corps trainees will commence an intensive 11-week community-based training program, focusing on literacy, cultural immersion, intercultural diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and learning the Samoan language. Following their training, they will take an oath to become Peace Corps Volunteers and disperse to various sites across the country to begin their two-year service commitment. With the addition of these trainees, the current number of Peace Corps Volunteers actively serving in Samoa will reach 18.
As Peace Corps Samoa resumes its operations in the midst of ongoing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization remains committed to its mission of fostering understanding, friendship, and positive change. The dedication of the trainees, in partnership with local communities and government institutions, promises to create lasting impacts and contribute to the educational development of Samoa.
