Press Release

Newest U.S. Peace Corps Volunteers Take Oath of Service

On Friday, April 17, 2009, the 29th group of Peace Corps Volunteers assigned to Namibia took their oath of service.  U.S. Ambassador Dennise Mathieu administered their oath of service at 10:00 a.m. at the National Institute for Educational Development (NIED) in Okahandja. 

These 21 Volunteers come from all parts of the United States and reflect America’s rich ethnic diversity.  They bring with them professional experience in education, health and community service.

The new Volunteers were selected through a rigorous, year-long nationwide process.  Since arriving in Namibia in February 2009, they have participated in an intensive eight week training program in Okahandja to improve their knowledge of Namibia, including extended study of local languages, culture and society, and the proud history of Namibia and the Namibian people.  They have also studied the professional and technical aspects of the positions to which they will be assigned while in Namibia.

Each of the 21 Volunteers has committed themselves to two years of service in Namibia.  They will be assigned to the Caprivi, Hardhap, Kavango, Khomas, Omaheke, Kunene, Otjozondjupa, Oshana, ,Oshikoto and Omusati regions and live among the local Namibian population.  The Volunteers will be placed in positions through the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture, Catholic AIDS Action, Evangelical Lutheran Church AIDS Program, Catholic Health Services, Lutheran Medical Services, Social Marketing Association, KAYEC, Oonte OVC, Joint Compassion Keepers, FAWENA and Hope for the Hopeless. Volunteers are committed to work with their Namibian counterparts to help strengthen the programmatic and organizational capacity of these organizations. They will also incorporate life skills training and HIV/AIDS information in innovative activities and community projects.  These efforts represent an important component of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which will total over $US 100 million in Namibia for 2009.

The Peace Corps operation in Namibia continues to be a vibrant and dynamic program.  With the swearing in of the 29th current group, there will be a total of 128 Peace Corps volunteers assigned to Namibia, serving all 13 regions of the country.  

This year, the United States Peace Corps celebrated its 19th anniversary of service in the Republic of Namibia.  One of the first international organizations to work in Namibia after independence, the Peace Corps first arrived in Namibia in September 1990.  Their initial focus was educational reform and they worked closely with the Government of the Republic of Namibia to develop a truly national and inclusive educational program open to all Namibians. In 2004, the Community Health and HIV/AIDS project was officially launched to work closely with the Namibian Government and other agencies to improve the lives of those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS and other health issues.

For further information, please contact Ray Castillo, Public Affairs Officer, 081-128-0816, or Roger Lyners, Information Assistant, at the U.S. Embassy Windhoek, telephone 061-229-801.