KAMPALA – U.S. Ambassador to Uganda Deborah R. Malac on January 19 presided over the swearing-in ceremony for the newest group of U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers in Uganda. These 32 Volunteers will specialize in educational activities, specifically with the objective of promoting reading and literacy.
Volunteers serve in Ugandan communities for two years, working hand-in-hand with local partners to help improve the lives of people in the communities where they live and work. Prior to the swearing-in ceremony, the Volunteers spent nearly three months in-country to sharpen their skills and immerse themselves in Ugandan culture. They spent four weeks with host families to learn local language and culture, allowing them to connect and interact with the residents they are to serve, and to share their own experiences about America with their hosts. The Volunteers also received technical school-based training at Shimoni Core Primary Teachers’ College and Kira Town Council Primary School, respectively. They later traveled to work sites throughout Uganda.
In her remarks at the ceremony, Ambassador Malac lauded the spirit of friendship and cooperation between the people of Uganda and America that has characterized the Peace Corps program over the years. “The support and cooperation of all the supervisors and members of the Ugandan community exemplify the warmth and hospitality that truly make Uganda the Pearl of Africa. We entrust our Volunteers to you with the highest confidence that they will be welcomed into your communities, and are convinced that the mutually supportive engagement will make their experience in your country productive, memorable and life-changing.”
The latest cohort brings the number of Peace Corps Education Volunteers serving in Uganda to 69 and the total number of Peace Corps Volunteers in-country to 168. The sectors covered include public health, agribusiness, and primary education. More than 1,600 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in Ugandan since the program was established in the country in 1964.
