DILI, 22 january 2023 ( TATOLI) – Timor-Leste – U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Zema Semunegus and Peace Corps Country Director Jamie Fouss welcomed 19 American Peace Corps volunteers to Timor-Leste, where they will serve alongside community members across the country for two years.
Through press release which TATOLI accessed saying that at the request of the Government of Timor-Leste, the volunteers will co-teach alongside English teachers and work with partners in community economic development sectors in Bobonaro, Ermera, Liquica, and Manatuto.
Through secondary projects, the volunteers will also support President José Ramos-Horta’s initiatives to improve nutrition and address stunting. The arrival of Peace Corps volunteers marks the return of Peace Corps volunteers in Timor-Leste since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are so excited to welcome back volunteers to Timor-Leste,” said Peace Corps Country Director Jamie Fouss. “Peace Corps is proud of our long history of partnership in Timor-Leste, dating back to 2002 when American volunteers first arrived in Timor-Leste to support the development of Timorese communities. Since then, Peace Corps volunteers have helped thousands of Timorese people across the country develop entrepreneurship, employability, and English abilities – skills that are essential to advancing Timor-Leste’s economic prosperity.”
Since the global evacuation of Peace Corps volunteers in March 2020, Peace Corps Timor-Leste has worked side-by-side with the Government of Timor-Leste and local partners to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Peace Corps staff translated World Health Organization COVID-19 mitigation informational materials into local languages, loaned a driver and vehicle to Ministry of Health vaccination teams, and medical staff administered vaccinations to thousands of school children. Peace Corps also supported English training through workshops in multiple municipalities and project design and management workshops for local NGOs, local government, and youth groups.
The Peace Corps is an international service network of volunteers, community members, host country partners, and staff driven by the agency’s mission of world peace and friendship. At the invitation of governments around the world, Peace Corps volunteers work alongside community members on locally-prioritized projects in education, health, the environment, agriculture, community economic development, and youth development. Through service, members of the Peace Corps network develop transferable skills and hone intercultural competencies that position them as the next generation of global leaders. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 240,000 Americans have served in 142 countries.
Journalist: Camilio de Sousa
Editor: Nelia B.
