43 Peace Corps Trainees Arrive in Ghana

A new group of Peace Corps Trainees have arrived in Accra to undertake a rigorous nine-week training program in either Agona Swedru or Bolgatanga before taking up their assignments across the country.

The group of 43 trainees - 19 men and 24 women – ranges in age from 21 to 51 years. Fourteen of the Trainees will focus on small enterprise/business development activities, such as promoting non-traditional exports and developing ecotourism sites that have potential tourist attractions. Small Enterprise Development Volunteers work with rural communities and producer groups in accessing potential markets for their products.

Peace Corps/Ghana is also incorporating capacity building of micro-finance institutions and information technology skills into its Small Enterprise Development project. As a result, Peace Corps/Ghana will be placing some Volunteers with agencies who are extending credit to micro and small businesses, and with agencies who are using the Internet to establish external markets for Ghanaian products.

Sixteen of the Trainees will be working with governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and communities to help arrest environmental degradation and the drying up of water bodies.

Thirteen of the Trainees will be involved in health/hygiene education and water and sanitation delivery activities in deprived rural communities. The overall goal of this Water and Sanitation program is to empower communities to improve upon their health and general well being. Peace Corps/Ghana is currently integrating HIV/AIDS Education and Prevention into all its programs, therefore the trainees will be trained in HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care. Peace Corps/Ghana is also designing activities targeted at People Living with HIV/AIDS. Peace Corps Volunteers are integrating HIV/AIDS issues into their activities through collaboration with other sectors.

Ghana's President Kwame Nkrumah was among the first Heads of State to request for Peace Corps Volunteers and Ghana was the first country in the world to receive Peace Corps Volunteers in 1961. To date, over 3,650 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in Ghana.