On May 14 the U.S. Postal Service eliminated International Surface Mail (M-Bag). This is the method used extensively by NPCA affiliate groups, returned Peace Corps volunteers and friends/family of currently serving Peace Corps volunteers in supporting grassroots efforts in many rural schools and communities in our countries of service.
USPS now offers airmail service only, which in most cases has tripled (or even quadrupled) the cost of shipping items overseas. This has shut down many projects not only with RPCVs but other non-profits, church groups and school groups. (Click here to read the USPS press release.)
Several groups (Friends of Malawi, African Library Project, One World Childrens Fund, among others) are compiling a list of non-profits and other groups who are protesting the elimination of International Surface Mail. This list will be sent to the Board of Governors of USPS as well as to Henry Waxman, the Chairman of the Oversight and Govt. Reform Committee which oversees USPS.
If you are interested in adding your name or your group’s name to this list, e-mail Shannon Brown, Book Project Coordinator for the Friends of Malawi and let her know your Peace Corps connection. She is hoping to have a list with hundreds of names of affected groups and projects, to emphasize the scope of damage this change has caused. An online petition may also be in the works, so stay tuned.
(Photo courtesy of the African Library Project.)
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