Peace Corps Polyglot

Niger RPCV Helps Create Dedicated Fund for Microfinance Investments in Peace Corps Countries

As we noted in the Summer issue of WorldView magazine, microcredit/microfinance is a “hot” field of interest for many returned Peace Corps Volunteers. Among them, Jason Hahn (Niger 99-01), who recently spent time as a marketing intern at MicroPlace. Hahn writes:

As a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger, I was struck by the way a little bit of money went such a long way in changing the lives of the people who lived in my village, Senago Kwara. (Though I was also often struck by how quickly my monthly stipend ran out – it was probably due though to my taste in orange Fanta – an addiction for many West African PCVs) I quickly discovered the power that access to credit for the women of Senago Kwara when I worked with them to set-up a group led savings bank. These aspiring bankers contributed equally to their bank, decided on loans and investment projects, collected interest, and earned a return. They did this all with a weekly contribution of 50 CFA or 11 cents. They were economically empowered!

I didn’t know at the time that what we were doing was called microfinance. In the intervening 9 years I learned more about microfinance, and when I started my MBA at the University of Washington my thoughts returned to these women and how I could get involved in empowering them.

I had the good fortune to meet Tracy Turner, the founder of MicroPlace, part of the eBay family. MicroPlace allows people to invest in microfinance institutions in amounts much smaller (as little as $20) than the big funders require. As I began working as a marketing intern at MicroPlace, and saw the number of different funds that they offer, I thought that surely there was a place for a fund dedicated to funding microfinance institutions (and micro-entrepreneurs) in Peace Corps countries.

Hahn worked with the MicroPlace team and approached the NPCA to create an “NPCA Investment” on MicroPlace. He explains:

The Calvert Foundation, a well-known institutional investor in microfinance institutions, manages the NPCA Investment. When you make an investment, MicroPlace transfers that money to Calvert, which then invests it in microfinance institutions in countries with a current or past Peace Corps presence. People can invest directly in the fund by following this link.  People can also give gift certificates for other MicroPlace investments to friends or family by following this link. 

I think this is a fantastic gift for this holiday season as it allows us to give something unique and meaningful that empowers people like those we worked with when we were Peace Corps volunteers.

NPCA Awarded Grant to Launch "Global Connections"

 The National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) is pleased to partner with The Globalist to launch a new program to promote global literacy. The program, “Global Connections,” will combine The Globalist’s online research and publication expertise with the NPCA’s expansive network of global educators, Global TeachNet.

Global Connections is designed to promote the global skills of high school students in the United States and to help them prepare for the globally competitive job market of the 21st century.

Global Connections provides teachers and students with access to informative, engaging and interactive features on the countries, issues and people shaping the global agenda. By exposing students to new ways of looking at the world and current events, Global Connections is an ideal supplement to traditional classroom materials.

The UPS Foundation has provided initial funding for the multi-year program. Starting this summer, the NPCA will recruit teachers and schools to use Global Connections’ materials in their classrooms. Over the course of the academic year, participating educators will begin to develop frameworks for infusing materials into high school classrooms and communities for broader dissemination around the United States.

Interested educators should contact NPCA at [email protected]. Participating teachers will receive a free subscription to Global Connections (http://www.theglobalist.com/globalconnections/).

"Twin Towers" -- Play by Peace Corps Writer -- Set to Debut

Returned Peace Corps volunteers are nothing if not multi-talented.  Exhibit A:  Damian Wampler. 

Wampler served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Kyrgyz Republic from 1999 to 2001, teaching English. Following his service he earned his Master's degree and was a Fulbright researcher in the Kyrgyz Republic, before returning to New York City to work as a Peace Corps recruiter.  He is currently a professional photographer and full time graduate student of the School of Visual Arts, earning a Master’s degree in digital photography.  For the past few months he's been helping with the MorePeaceCorps campaign.  This fall he will enter the Foreign Service.

Oh, and he's written a play.

Twin Towers, an original play by Damian Wampler and directed by Angela Astle, will premiere at The Planet Connections Theater Festivity on Friday, June 12th through Sunday, June 28th for six  performances only at the Robert Moss Theater at 440 Studios, 440 Lafayette, in New York’s East Village.

Set in the Bush Era, Twin Towers "explores the struggle between natural law and positive law - what we know in our hearts to be right versus what society and our government tell us."  Trevor and Jamal, the "Twin Towers" of the title, were once inseparable schoolyard buddies. Now, years later, Trevor has returned from Iraq a war hero, while Jamal has returned from years of overseas work in the Peace Corps searching for purpose. "The two clash as the fantasy of their childhood innocence fades to reveal the truth of their character."

The play benefits the New York based non-profit ENACT, which uses professional teaching artists to inspire and education urban youth using drama therapy techniques. “ENACT really embodies what the play Twin Towers is all about,” says Suzanne Lee, the play’s liaison at ENACT and a returned Peace Corps volunteer herself.  “ENACT shows that everyone has the power to make change in the world, as long as they recognize that the skills they have are valuable. It might take creativity, collaboration and patience, but everyone can do their part to improve the lives of others."

You can learn more about the play at the Twin Towers website:  http://www.twintowersplay.com
You can see a video clip on the Twin Towers YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/TwinTowersPlay.

SHOW TIMES: Friday, June 12th, 5:30pm, Sunday, June 14th, 9:0pm, Wednesday, June 17th, 4:00pm, Thursday, June 18th, 4:00pm, Friday, June 19th, 7:30pm, Sunday, June 28th, 1:00pm. 

Robert Moss Theater at 440 Studios
440 Lafayette, 3rd floor
TICKETS: $18 adult 212 352-3101 or www.planetconnectionsfestivity.com

RPCVs Join UNITE to fund Togo Summer Camp

RPCVs are looking for support from the Peace Corps community to help with a new fundraising campaign for a camp for Togolese youth.

Founded in 2001 by the Peace Corps and staffed by Peace Corps Volunteers, Camp UNITE (Unification de la Nation: Initiative, Travail, et Education) is a series of weeklong summer camps for motivated Togolese students and apprentices from villages and cities throughout the country.

Summer camps focus on such themes as self-confidence, HIV/AIDS awareness, teamwork, sex/health education, goal-setting, life skills, leadership, empowerment and behavioral change.

In addition to educating and empowering youth, the camp helps to heal ethnic divisions of Togo by having all regions of the country represented. Camp UNITE also allows participants to make friends and contacts throughout Togo for future collaboration.

Former Peace Corps Volunteers who worked at Camp UNITE are partnering with the UNITE foundation to launch the "8 by 8" fundraising campaign. The campaign is asking Americans for an $8 donation to help the camp raise $8,000 in eight weeks. The money will help to support the camp's eighth year.

Camp UNITE 2009 will mark the 8th year of camp for female students, 7th year for male students, 6th year for female apprentices (learning trades such as hairdressing and tailoring), and the 3rd year of camp for male apprentices (learning trades such as masonry and mechanics). Past participants have not only shown remarkable personal accomplishments (such as continuing their education through college and opening their own businesses), but have led their communities in development through trainings, peer educator groups, and educational sessions.

April 24-26 Global Youth Service Day

Global Youth Service Day, a weekend in April designed to focus the world's attention on the contributions of young people, will be April 24-26th.

GYSD is a world wide event that brings together millions of young people in service projects all over the world. Last year, in Washington D.C., youth from various faith communities partnered with Habitat for Humanity to build housing around the Anacostia River, while 40 youth in Tarija, Bolivia held a workshop on how to disinfect drinking water. This year's many events include beach cleanup in Santa Monica, CA, an orphanage visit in Accra, Ghana, and malaria education in Jakarta, Indonesia.

The weekend's events are organized by Youth Serve America, the National Youth Leadership Council, and the Global Action Youth Council. The day is being promoted by Miley Cyrus, and the website lists hundreds of events going on in communities all over the world.

Check out a map of events

Post your event

CNFA Farmer-to-Farmer Program: Looking for a Few Good RPCVs

NPCA has partnered with the CNFA Farmer-to-Farmer Program (FTF) to offer NPCA members--specifically farmers, agricultural, ag-finance, microfinance, and commodity value chain professionals--an opportunity to exercise their expertise during assignments overseas.  FTF provides voluntary technical assistance to farmers, farm groups, and agribusinesses in developing and transitional countries to promote sustainable improvements in food processing, production, and marketing.

Typically, volunteers spend three weeks overseas working directly with recipients in the host country.  CNFA arranges, and pays, for all travel, accommodation, visas, and other logistical issues for volunteers. 
This program affords a unique opportunity to use your abilities to improve the livelihoods of people in some of the world's most impoverished areas. 

Volunteering with the CNFA FTF Program has led to concrete benefits for people in developing countries such as: increased efficiency, sales and wages through new technologies, techniques and strategies, and personal satisfaction for volunteers.  Core countries in which volunteers will be working now include Angola, Georgia, Kenya, Malawi, Moldova, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Uganda; others include the Central Asian countries of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, and Belarus in Europe.

In order to register your interest in such an assignment, please visit the National Peace Corps Association/CNFA Farmer-to-Farmer website.

Please Vote: Peace Care for Global Health

Last month we informed you of RPCV Andrew Dykens’ ([Mauritania 97-99) new initiative geared towards improving global health, aptly called Peace Care. Peace Care is a proposed collaboration between the Peace Corps, US Primary Care Residency Programs and US Schools of Public Health with hopes to improve the health of global communities. He let us know that he is working closely with the Peace Corps Masters International Program to develop a pilot project, and had entered the project in Google's Project 10 ^100 competition.

Well Andrew is nothing if not entreprenerial!  He also entered his project in Change.org's "Ideas for Change in America" competition--and placed 1st out of 95 competing Global Health ideas in the first round of voting. It is now in the final round and he needs your support. Take a look here.

So...

Vote now on “Ideas for Change in America” (no voting allowed after January 15, 2009).

Vote later on Project 10 ^100, (starting January 27, 2009).

Truly a situation to "vote early and often."

PeaceCorpsConnect: Be a Beta Tester

We are still on track for a late January launch of the new PeaceCorpsConnect, the first online networking site connecting, informing and engaging Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) and Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs), and people around the world--powered  by the NPCA.  

Created by us and for us, PeaceCorpsConnect is an inspiring and easy way for PCVs, RPCVs, or any individual or organization sharing the values of Peace Corps to connect with one another. Share your stories, photos, information, projects, and best practices. 

Are you interested in participating in the invitation-only beta?  If so, please e-mail [email protected] with "Peace Corps Connect Beta" in the subject line by January 5th.    

Third Annual Peace Corps and NPCA Information and Communications Technology Contest

Peace Corps and the National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) are calling for submissions from around the globe for the third annual Peace Corps and NPCA ICT Story Contest.

The contest will recognize outstanding activities designed by serving Peace Corps Volunteers and their counterparts and communities in the use of information and communications technology (ICT) including cell phones, computer, Internet, radio, video, and other technology.

The goal of this contest is to see how technology is being effectively used -- not to compare or contrast the quality of specific media products.

The submitted stories must show how Volunteers assisted counterparts and/or community members to develop an ICT activity based on community needs. Stories should show how communities leveraged the power of ICTs to create fresh opportunities and address development challenges in areas such as agriculture, education, environment, gender, HIV/AIDS, health, small enterprise development, youth, and/or other areas important to social and economic development. 

The winning submissions will be recognized in a variety of formats, including being featured in Peace Corps ICT-related news and publications.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, January 9th, 2009 (by 12:00 p.m. EST). The winners will be announced in February 2009.

Click here for Terms and Conditions, Judging Criteria, and Submission Form.

RPCV Organizing Cruise to the Inauguration

In light of the scarcity of Inauguration weekend accommodations in Washington, DC, we are passing on an offer by NPCA member Ulysses Hudson (Ecuador 88-91), Vice President of Yes We Can Cruise, Inc. http://www.yeswecan2009cruise.com/.

Ulysses has organized a 6-day round-trip cruise from Ft. Lauderdale, FL to Baltimore, MD with transportation into Washington, DC for inaugural events.  Writes Ulysses:

I have secured discounted pricing for the Peace Corps community to book passage on this cruise for a limited time.  This offer is good until December 22, 2008.  After that a limited number of discounted rates may still be available, but only on a first come, first served basis.

For now this cruise special is offered to RPCV’s for prices starting at $1,100.00 per person.  After 12/22/08 the prices will start at $1,999.00 per person – which is still a good deal.  So please get on board quickly, because this cruise will most likely sell out fast.

If you are interested in learning full details, you can contact Ulysses at 954-926-2355 or via e-mail.