On Tuesday, July 11, Peace Corps Samoa celebrated the arrival of its second group of volunteer trainees since the global evacuation in 2020 due to COVID-19. The 11 trainees, who arrived in Samoa on Monday, were warmly greeted with a traditional ava ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Education, Sports, and Culture (MESC). These Peace Corps Volunteers will be working in primary schools across Samoa to support English literacy, in collaboration with MESC. The ava ceremony was attended by U.S. Charge d’Affaires Noriko Horiuchi and the Minister of Education, Sports, and Culture, Honorable Seuula Ioane.
Established by President John F. Kennedy on March 1, 1961, the Peace Corps promotes global peace, friendship, and cross-cultural understanding. Throughout its history, the Peace Corps has sent over 240,000 American volunteers to 142 countries around the world, with the aim of building relationships, creating opportunities, and fostering bonds among nations.
The Samoan government extended an invitation to Peace Corps Volunteers in October 1967, nearly 56 years ago. Since then, more than 2,000 Volunteers have served in Samoa, working alongside local partners to bring about positive change. The immersive experience of living and working within the Samoan culture has been instrumental in the success of volunteer projects over the years. The dedication, enthusiasm, and passion of the Volunteers form the foundation of these transformative experiences.
Country Director of Peace Corps Samoa, Gini Wilderson, expressed excitement about welcoming the second cohort of English Literacy Volunteers this year. These new arrivals, along with the group that arrived in February, will address important reading and writing challenges for primary school students across Samoa. The increased number of Volunteers this year, following the global evacuation three years ago, allows the program to reach its pre-COVID capacity.
The core values that have guided the Peace Corps throughout its history—respect for other cultures, collaboration, acceptance, diversity, equity, and inclusion—are more significant than ever, both domestically and internationally. The 11 Peace Corps trainees will now embark on an 11-week community-based training program focused on literacy, culture, intercultural diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and the Samoan language. Following the training, they will be sworn in as Peace Corps Volunteers and assigned to various sites across the country to begin their two-year service, increasing the total number of Peace Corps Volunteers currently serving in Samoa to 18.
