US envoy swears in 56 new Peace Corps volunteers

By Vision Reporter

THE U.S. Ambassador to Uganda Scott H. DeLisi has sworn in a new group of 55 Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) who will serve in the areas of health and agriculture.

This newest group brings the total number of PCVs currently serving in Uganda to 175, according to a statement issued by the US embassy in Kampala.

The statement said the swearing-in ceremony followed nine weeks of training for the 45 Volunteers in the areas of health and agriculture and three weeks for the 11 Global Health Service Partnership (GHSP) volunteers.

The new health trainees will work at health Centers 1 to IV and at the grassroots level to train and empower village health teams and community health promoters.

Together, they will educate the public and create access to health care services for HIV/AIDS, malaria, hygiene, and nutrition.

The Agribusiness trainees will contribute to the Feed the Future Initiative and focus on farm-to-market value chain development, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and improved child nutrition.

Trainees in the GHSP sector will see doctors and nurses trained in institutions through Peace Corps Response. GHSP Volunteers serve for one year as adjunct faculty at medical universities providing hands-on training for quality healthcare service to build the capacity of medical students and nurses.

Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony, Ambassador Scott H. DeLisi noted, “You will be role, models. You will inspire. You will help broaden horizons and, for those who emulate you, you will change their understanding of the world. And, in doing so, I hope that as Americans, you will reflect the values that underlie our nation’s engagement in the world. Values that emphasize respect for the rights of all, values that underscore our conviction that societies are stronger and richer when we cherish a diversity of voices and opinions rather than fear them, and values that reflect our core belief that no matter our culture, our faith, our gender, our color, or ethnicity, we all share a common humanity and should be given the chance to live lives of dignity and productivity.”