More
than thirty Peace Corps volunteers were sworn-in at a ceremony held at the US
Ambassador’s residence in Fajara on Thursday.
The
volunteers were sworn-in after completing an 8-week training on the cultures
and local languages of the various communities they will be deployed.
They
will serve for twenty-four months, working directly with communities to build
capacities and promote sustainable development.
Jennifer
Goette, Peace Corps country director, said since inception in 1961, Peace
Corps’ mission has been to promote world peace and friendship and that remains
unchanged in a changing world.
She
said Peace Corps volunteers are united under the principle that development is
achievable through common appreciation, respect and by the celebration of
cultural qualities that mutually exist among Americans and other people in the
world.
Mrs
Goette congratulated and hailed the volunteers for their bravery to venture
into the live of the unknown
“I
congratulate each one of you as it takes a brave and adventurous soul to venture
into a live of the unknown,” she said.
She
further called on the volunteers to be patient, culturally sensitive and apply
a careful balance of idealism and pragmatism while serving as Peace Corps
ambassadors.
“Please
take advantage of this opportunity to engage, to develop lasting relationships
with host families, with counterparts, with communities and embrace the
unknown,” Peace Corps director told the volunteers.
The
US Ambassador, Carolyn Patricia Alsup, said 220,000 Americans have served in
the Peace Corp bringing international development and citizen diplomacy in 140
countries around the world.
More
than 1,745 Peace Corps volunteers have served in The Gambia throughout all the
six geographic regions of the country.
The
ambassador said volunteer work has always been the lifeblood of Americans
helping to improve people’s lives, unite communities and strengthen democracy.
In
1960, John F. Kennedy challenged American college students to leave the comfort
of their homes and communities to devote two years of their lives to help
people in the developing world.
Soon
after he was elected president of the US in March 1961, President Kennedy
established the Peace Corps under the simple principle that one person can make
a difference in the world and that people to people approach is best to promote
world peace, understanding and friendship.
The
Peace Corps was created to promote world peace and friendship by helping the
people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women,
helping to promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the
people served and promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part
of Americans.
Falalo
Touray, director general of the Department of Agriculture, said the Peace Corps
volunteers would greatly contribute towards capacity building in both the
agricultural and health sector of the country.
Rehan
Khan, one of the new volunteers, speaking on behalf of his colleagues, said
joining the Peace Corp meant something unique and different to each one of
them.
“At
the same time we have been brought together in no small part by a shared desire
to serve,” he said.
He
affirmed that they are not in The Gambia to inflict change but merely to be
agents of change.