Country Director's Message

Dear prospective Volunteers, Returned Volunteers, friends and families,

Welcome to the Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean (EC) webpage and please enjoy exploring the information, advice and resources concerning life as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Whatever brings you here, if you are just browsing, or if you have already applied to our Post, I hope there is a lot you can learn about life in the Eastern Caribbean and the Volunteers’ unique role in it.

This is a great time to join Peace Corps, and to be joining the Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean team of staff and Volunteers is an even better choice to be making. It has been a momentous and gratifying time for us, having seen the return of the Volunteers and the impact they have on their students, colleagues, and communities. Our Host Country partners have responded with enthusiasm and a desire to host more Volunteers as they bring students back to the classroom and a sense of normalcy after two years of the COVID pause. Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean is proud to be part of this and we welcome all the support from new cohorts we can get. So, know that you are very welcome!

I am sure you have already found some of the unique qualities of Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean. Most PC Posts offer opportunities for Volunteers to serve in one country--we offer 4. Our operations span across Dominica, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Grenada--all four being independent windward island nations in the Eastern Caribbean. All four countries are remarkable for their lifestyle, natural beauty, and rich experiences amongst the warm and hospitable nations. They are also renowned tourist destinations, and while this is a mixed blessing to the local economies, it can also create an illusion of life in a small, developing country.

As a Volunteer you will work closely with your partners in communities across one of the islands, and will experience first-hand the authentic culture, as you make strides to positively impact the people you work with. In that sense, it is as true today as it was at the launch of Peace Corps back in 1961, that the Peace Corps experience is truly transformative and has a lasting impact on the individual who accepts Volunteer service overseas. And since strong community bonds and deep personal relationships are formed with the people of their country of service, it’s a win-win.

I hope you do some soul searching to discover what draws you to Volunteer service and stay true to those aspirations. It will not be without challenges. That is why authenticity, and your inner purpose is an anchor to hold on to when things get tough. Our staff is dedicated, well trained, and equipped to support you.

All the important elements are in place: a great host country (four actually), enthusiastic partners eager to embrace working with PC Volunteers, committed staff, and clearly defined opportunities to do good and move the needle on educational success. And along with our focus on building literacy for primary school children, we are committed to addressing the call to support local efforts addressing climate change awareness, mitigating the adverse effects of COVID 19 in education, and working with youth to prepare for life as citizens of tomorrow. Perhaps above all we are committed to engaging with our Caribbean partners to mobilize our communities for action.

PC Eastern Caribbean’s main project is English literacy in the primary school, and it offers wonderous opportunities to help young people grow and learn. Your presence in the community though extends beyond the classroom walls and you will find that each community offers numerous opportunities to serve and support.

Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean is a learning organization that embraces change and is inclusive in nature, welcoming diversity and testing new ideas to meet the needs and demands of changing times. Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean ’s strategy strives for measurable and sustainable development with realistic project goals, objectives and indicators that align with the goals of our host countries. Volunteers work, together with local counterparts, to accomplish these goals and have lasting impact on the people we serve. The success of our Post depends on the commitment and dedication of our Volunteers.

We look for Volunteers who want to contribute and are willing to make a 27-month commitment. We want people to choose Eastern Caribbean because they see the mission of peace and goodwill as part of their values and a worthy investment of their time and effort, and who see growth in the challenges of living and serving overseas. If this is you, if opening yourself to new opportunities, learning new skills, and entering relationships with the communities of the Caribbean peoples has meaning for you, then we in Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean might be the right choice.

Anna Todorova

Country Director, PC Eastern Caribbean

Saint Lucia| Grenada| Saint Vincent & the Grenadines| Dominica