FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Nearly 240 Peace Corps Volunteers Sworn-In over the Holidays

WASHINGTON, D.C., December 20, 2011 From Dec. 15 to Jan. 4, nearly 240 Americans will be sworn in as Peace Corps volunteers in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Jordan, Rwanda and Ukraine. The new Peace Corps volunteers will share the holidays with their local communities and Peace Corps volunteers and staff members.

For approximately two months, the new volunteers have undergone comprehensive cross-cultural, language, and technical training through the Peace Corps. After they are sworn-in, the new volunteers will travel to their permanent site in a local community, where they will live and work for the remaining two years of their Peace Corps service. There is no deadline to apply to serve with the Peace Corps. The agency is recruiting, placing, and training Americans for service in 75 host countries throughout the year.

The following list summarizes Peace Corps swearing-in ceremonies scheduled to occur from Dec. 15, 2011 to Jan. 4, 2012:

Burkina Faso:
Twenty-two Americans were sworn in as Peace Corps volunteers by U.S. Ambassador to Burkina Faso Thomas Dougherty at his residence Dec. 15. They will work as community health and small business volunteers. Minister of Agriculture Laurent Sedego, representatives from other ministries and international nongovernmental organizations, and Peace Corps staff attended the swearing-in ceremony. Peace Corps volunteers will celebrate the holidays in their new sites with community members.

Ghana:
Twenty-three natural resource management Peace Corps volunteers were sworn into service Dec. 15 by U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Donald Teitelbaum in Anyinasin, Ghana. The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Regional Minister of Eastern Region Ebenezer Terlabi, Municipal Chief Executive Simon Asirifi, local dignitaries, and host families. Following the ceremony, the volunteers traveled to their Peace Corps sites to share the holidays with their local communities.

Ethiopia:
Dec. 16, 20 Americans were sworn into service as environment Peace Corps volunteers on the U.S. Embassy to Ethiopias complex by U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia Donald Booth. Three volunteers gave speeches at the event in Oromiffa, Tigrinya and Amharic. The new volunteers will work in natural resources management, reforestation, eco-tourism and food security. They will celebrate Ethiopian Christmas, known as Ganna, with their host families Jan. 7.

Jordan:
Thirty-eight Americans will be sworn in as Peace Corps volunteers Jan. 3 by U.S. Ambassador to Jordan Stuart Jones at Al al Bayt University in Mafraq Governorate. The new volunteers will work in youth development, special education and as English teachers in Jordan. Peace Corps volunteers and staff will get together for a holiday lunch Dec. 24.

Rwanda:
The sixth group of Americans was sworn in as Peace Corps volunteers by U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda Donald Koran Dec. 15 at the U.S. Embassy Chief of Mission Residence in Kigali, Rwanda. The 36 volunteers will serve as English teachers, teacher trainers, and information communications technology teachers in Rwandas secondary schools. They will spend the holidays in their new homes in rural districts around Rwanda.

Ukraine:
Ninety-six Americans were sworn in as English teaching volunteers Dec. 15 in Prolisok outside of Kyiv by Eric Johnson, a public affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy to Ukraine. Returned Peace Corps volunteers living in Ukraine, Peace Corps staff and host families attended the event. The newly sworn-in volunteers departed for their communities immediately after the ceremony to spend the holidays in with people from their communities.

About the Peace Corps: President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps on March 1, 1961, by executive order. Throughout 2011, Peace Corps is commemorating 50 years of promoting peace and friendship around the world. Historically, more than 200,000 Americans have served with the Peace Corps to promote a better understanding between Americans and the people of 139 host countries. Today, 9,095 volunteers are working with local communities in 75 host countries. Peace Corps volunteers must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a 27-month commitment. Visit www.peacecorps.gov for more information.

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