Beyond Good Intentions: Do Peace Corps Volunteers Help?

Beyond Good Intentions is an organization committed to uncovering more innovative and effective approaches to international aid worldwide. Through their film series and educational programs they are working to catalyze a much-needed dialogue about aid effectiveness in hopes of transforming the current system.
 
The Beyond Good Intentions film series follows the round-the-world journey of first-time filmmaker, Tori Hogan, as she investigates how international aid can be more effective. Shot on location in eight different countries, the ten-episode series takes viewers along for the ride as Tori meets with countless aid workers and recipients to uncover more innovative approaches to helping communities in need.

Episode 6 features the Peace Corps.  Here's the description:

"Do Peace Corps Volunteers really help? Join Tori on an overland journey through Madagascar as she meets with Peace Corps Volunteers working to assist local communities. 

Comments

[Raymond P. Bilodeau]

Right, Amy. One would think the Peace Corps would have long ago started a longitudinal study in several countries to learn what the long-term effects of having a volunteer in a location are. There are no such studies for Americrps/VISTA either. Yet the stateside program gets huge funding, while the Peace Corps looks at negative growth.

When I replaced a volunteer in Chad (1969-70)who had been found hiding under his kitchen table after a rebel attack< can only imagine what the locals thought about Americans. I was pulled out to the capital after two other attacks, then fought to get back, which was eventually allowed. It would have been nice to know what effect that had on local ideas about American bravery.

The people in the Education Ministry were impressed enough with my proposed national exam question, taken from a Chadian author's book, to use it. What if any long-term effect did that have? Who knew an American did that? Did the Peace Corps even know?

[Amy Potthast]

Thanks for posting this! The episode kind of annoyed me because it just takes a look at a few Volunteers in a single country program. It's a big question to ask -- do Peace Corps Volunteers help? The agency is almost 50 years old, close to 200K Volunteers have served, and each Volunteer's experience is different, and dependent on their own disposition, attitudes, breaks. To answer the big question takes more than a few minutes and some interviews with current Volunteers at different places in their service term. The filmmaker didn't feature an interview with a single host country national, she offered no statistics, no perspective or context for Peace Corps's role in Madagascar. Peace Corps service is tough -- in the beginning (year one) it can be intimidating and uncomfortable -- and true, you don't always see the fruits of your labor in the short term. I would have expected more from the film asking such an important question. Anyway I do appreciate your posting this. I am interested in learning more about the organization. And I realize her intentions in making the film were good.