Lesotho: The Mountain Kingdom the World Should Know
By Annabelle Vanderwerf, RPCV (Lesotho, 2019-2020) From September 2019 until the global Peace Corps evacuation in March 2020, I had the privilege of working as an education volunteer in a small Basotho village. From the moment I arrived, I was embraced by a community that welcomed me as one of their own. My host mom during training had a way of making every day an experience—whether it was waking me up by yelling “hlatsoa!” (“wash!”) or dancing with me to Christmas music in the kitchen. My permanent site host mom knew exactly how to lift my spirits, frying up makoenya...
Life Beyond the Walls: A TEDx Talk, Book Discussion and Performance with Grace James on her recent publishing, The Longest Wait: An Asylum Journey
In Honor of International Women's Day 2025! Life Beyond the Walls: A TEDx Talk, Book Discussion and Performance with Grace James on her recent publishing: March 15, 1-3 PM Eastern View the Live Stream Here The Longest Wait explores the emotional and physical toll of waiting—whether for asylum, stability, or a place to call home. Through her deeply personal narrative, she illuminates the resilience of Asylum Seekers like herself who navigate uncertainty, displacement, and systemic barriers. Event Program Author Discussion: Grace James shares insights into The Longest Wait and the stories that shaped the book. Audience Q&A: Attendees engage in...
Making an Impact: NPCA Board Member highlights Service and Advocacy at Columbus Peace Corps Day
NPCA Board member Mike Roman highlighted Peace Corps advocacy and the impact of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) during a public viewing of the documentary A Towering Task, organized by the Central Ohio RPCV Association at Columbus Peace Corps Day. by Michael Roman (RPCV Kiribati 2000–02, NPCA Board Member) Columbus, OH — As Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, community leaders, and local officials gathered to celebrate Columbus Peace Corps Day, I had the honor of representing the National Peace Corps Association as a guest speaker alongside the city's mayor. The event was filled with energy, warmth, and a profound sense of...
Beyond Borders: Women of the Peace Corps
Beyond Borders: Women of the Peace Corps "We need [...] to mobilize all women to establish a new and peaceful world for the 21st Century. It can be done. Young, intelligent, hard-working politicians can do it." Sargent Shriver | Potomac, MD | May 5, 1998 The letter arrived in a thin, white envelope—just a few sheets of paper that would change everything. It carried an invitation, a challenge, and the promise of a journey. For decades, women have answered this call, leaving behind the familiar to step into the unknown, carrying only a willingness to serve and the strength to...
Peace Corps Week by the Numbers
Thanks to YOU, our NPCA community, we saw an incredible response in celebrating Peace Corps Week! Your enthusiasm, stories, and support made this week unforgettable. Let’s keep the momentum going. 🕊️🕊️ Our Highlights: ✅ 138,000+ interactions with our newsletters ✅ 78,000+ total interactions on social media to celebrate Peace Corps Week ✅ 3,000+ social media shares celebrating Peace Corps Week ✅ 35,000+ interactions on our website ✅ 2,500+ messages sent to Congress over the past three weeks ✅ Over 25 meaningful stories shared on our website ✅ Over 20 published letters to the editor—and newspaper/television interviews appeared in a dozen states, reaching...
What I saw in the Peace Corps
This Washington Post article brings together firsthand accounts from former Peace Corps volunteers who have witnessed the incredible impact of U.S. foreign aid programs in countries around the world. From the resilience of Ukrainians facing Russia's aggression to the life-saving efforts of USAID's PEPFAR program in Africa, these stories are a testament to the importance of humanitarian work. One volunteer recalls their time in Ukraine, where they formed deep bonds with locals and saw firsthand the power of community in times of crisis. Their words ring even more true today, as we see the U.S. shift its stance on Ukraine....
Peace Corps & NPCA Updates: February 2025
02/13/2025 NPCA National Call-In Day to Congress—through March 1! 📢 On February 13, the first of two nationwide call-in actions to Congress will take place in anticipation of Peace Corps Day on March 1st, urging lawmakers to show their support for the Peace Corps. To get involved, visit our call-in page for all the information you need, including step-by-step instructions, resources, and links to help you take action. Learn more here. 02/12/2025 NPCA launches Stand Up For Service campaign NPCA unifies the Returned Peace Corps Volunteer community and its allies. In response to community concerns, we’ve launched the Stand Up for Service campaign. Our...
A Personal Reflection on Foreign Assistance and USAID
My experiences have taught me that while U.S. foreign assistance is often criticized and complicated by political motives, it can also be a powerful catalyst for positive change when implemented with genuine community engagement and respect for local cultures. By Dan Baker Many discover during Peace Corps service a calling toward a career in international relations, policy, humanitarian assistance, and relief work. Indeed, Peace Corps has produced thousands, if not tens of thousands, of foreign service officers and development practitioners, whose work is enhanced by hard skills gained from Peace Corps, including language and intercultural skills, project management, resource identification,...
RPCV on The Human Faces of the USAID Shutdown
I WORK IN GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT, A FIELD that has suddenly become the focus of intense political controversy—even though most Americans still don’t know the basics of what it is, how it is conducted, or why it matters. When we talk about global development or foreign aid, here—at the risk of oversimplifying—is what we mean: the strengthening of capacities in economic development, health, education, energy, food security and safety, and governance, by means of humanitarian and technical assistance, with respect for human rights, and in ways that are congruent with the cultures and traditions of host cultures. Putting it more simply,...
Former RPCV Details Cuts to National Park Service
When unemployed marine biologist Lanny Flaherty poked his head into the ranger's station at the Wallowa Whitman National Forest in the Pacific Northwest and asked to be a volunteer, he said it put him on a 13-year career path with the U.S. Forest Service that included stints as a botanist, a wildfire resource adviser and a range ecologist. When he wasn't researching the effects of vegetation on fire behavior or identifying fungi on national forest land, the 40-year-old Flaherty said he was a "red-card" carrying certified firefighter, helping battle some of the biggest wildland fires in the nation. In 2016,...