Africa-Press – Botswana. A cohort of seven US Peace Corps volunteers has arrived in Botswana.
The expert volunteers will be placed in different areas across the country after a three-week induction programme, according to the Peace Corps Office director of programming and training Ms Amy Patanasinth.
She said the volunteers would be in the country for one year instead of the usual two because they had come to share their expertise.
“They come here with experiences and they are seasoned in their fields of operation as opposed to fresh volunteers from school,” she said.
Ms Patanasinth said the volunteers would collaborate with their host communities on locally prioritised projects among them the Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe (DREAMS) project.
About the induction, she said it involved learning about traditional structures and Setswana culture for seamless integration into host families and communities.
It also included learning how to care for oneself while in Botswana the technical areas where they would be serving.
Speaking at the commencement of the induction programme in Ramotswa recently, Kgosi Mosadi Seboko said the volunteers helped to build strong bonds between Batswana and Americans through cross-culture interactions.
She expressed appreciation for the Peace Corps programme saying it continued to impart knowledge and provide relevant skills to Botswana.
Kgosi Mosadi said she was not only appreciative of the volunteers’ contribution but also for the enormity of the sacrifices they made, leaving their families and friends behind.
She assured the volunteers that Botswana was a safe place to live in.
“Please treat them well and be Botswana’s ambassadors,” she told the host families.
Kgosi Mosadi gave the volunteers a brief lecture on Botswana culture including some basics on Batswana’s way of life.
Speaking on behalf of the volunteers, Mr Damon Coldwell said they were grateful for the instructors who made their arrival and stay in Botswana smooth.
“We are here to learn from you and share skills with you. Hopefully you will also visit us in America,” he said.
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