83 peace corps trainees for Jamaica 50th anniversary

Wednesday March 14, 2012 marked a historical occasion for Peace Corps Jamaica. Not only was it the day of arrival of the 83rd group of Peace Corps Trainees to Jamaica, but their presence on the island underscores fifty years of the Peace Corps’ commitment and ongoing service to Jamaica.

Country Director Dr. Carla Ellis, staff members and currently serving Volunteers were on hand at the Norman Manley International airport to greet the 36 member group. A Welcome Reception was later held at the Peace Corps’ headquarters to celebrate the arrival.

In attendance were representatives of the Government of Jamaica, and the Opposition, U.S. Embassy officials and current and former Peace Corps Volunteers. In her welcome, Dr. Ellis, a former Volunteer, affirmed, “Peace Corps is about partnership, Peace Corps is about friendship, Peace Corps is promoting world peace.” Following Ellis’ presentation, Isiah Parnell, Deputy Chief of Mission, U.S. Embassy Kingston, asserted, that ‘long after many diplomats are gone and people forget about treaties and memoranda that have been signed, people will always remember the work that Peace Corps Volunteers do, the one on one, individual, caring service’. The Hon. Arnoldo Brown, Minister of State, in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade spoke of the Peace Corps as an enduring legacy of President JF Kennedy. He articulated that the partnership between the Peace Corps and the Jamaican people has existed over the course of Jamaica’s independence and the Jamaican government looks forward to a continued relationship. Host agency partner, Mrs. Beverly Jobson Grant, challenged the Trainees to “build monuments in people’s hearts,’ as those who do, “result in lasting relationships.” The evening ended with cultural presentations from the Nexus Group for the Performing Arts.

For the Trainees, this is the beginning of approximately nine weeks of Pre-Service Training designed to prepare them for their two-year service. Their training sites will be in the communities of Hellshire, Ewarton, Stony Hill and Woodford. Training will include technical and cross cultural competencies and will also involve classroom sessions, participating at practicum sites, going on field trips and observe the work of currently serving Volunteer at their sites.

The Trainees (who will become volunteers after they are sworn in by U.S. Ambassador Pamela Bridgewater on May 18), will work in three sectors: Environment, Education and Youth Development. For Environment, the group will work with schools, communities, environmental groups and farmers, to design and execute environmental awareness programs and promote sustainable agricultural practices. The Education Group will work one on one or in small groups in schools located in deep rural Jamaica, to raise the reading and mathematical skills of children operating below grade level. The Youth Development Group will work with organizations and persons on life skills in an attempt to effect meaningful behavior change within the target group.

To date over 3,800 Volunteers have served on island, working with a wide cross section of schools, communities, government and non-government sector organizations and entrepreneurs.

The U.S. Peace Corps was established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy and involves American men and women of all ages and ethnic groups who volunteer to spend two years providing assistance to nations around the world. Jamaica was the seventh country to receive volunteers soon after independence in August 1962. The Peace Corps’ mission has three simple goals:

•Helping the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
•Helping promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
•Helping promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.

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