What is Peace Corps and what am I doing here?
What is Peace Corps?
Peace Corps is part of the US Development Policy and designed to be a grassroots, in that we are placed in difficult countries, some in extremely remote areas, and equipped with the barest of resources for 2 years and 3 months. What makes us different that the rest of the US development organizations is that we are apolitical, meaning that we cannot support of political party over another. The same is true with religion.
I am part of the Municipal Development program.
What is a Municipal Development?
Municipal Development, or ´´munis´´, are volunteers that usually live in the municipal center, or the pueblo of a municipality. The muni frame work is overall: to create a better quality of life. From there it divides into concrete objectives such as reinforcing established institutions through modernization, infrastructure, strategic/developmental plans, etc.
Ok fine, but what am I doing here? Good question! Here’s the skinny on what I’m doing.
I am working on several social development programs in site, they are:
* Comité de Transparencia: It’s been a long struggle to get this going, but recently, now under the direction from a governmental organization, we have now established interested parties willing to participate and become involved. The idea of this committee is to encourage citizen participation in politics and to note governmental operations. This way the community decides where the money is spent (ie, prioritization) and the community is aware of how the money is spent.
* Como Planear Mi Vida: The Life Skills curriculum focuses on issues such as self-esteem, leadership, communication, cultural awareness, mental health, etc. I am now teaching several of these issues in the grade school located in the pueblo of my town.
* Grupo de jovenes sobre el tema de Medio Ambiente: With the aid of two city council members, one a teacher in the elementary school and the other in the Office of Health, we have organized a group of students for the purposes of environmental education.
* Día de Adulto Mayor: Short-term project dealing with the recognition of our elders. I am aiding in the coordination of the event, the 30 of January.
* Poetry publishing project: Befriending the resident poet in my site, his work addresses a wide array of topics, from love to politics. I have been searching for an institution that would publish his work. Through the help of the US Embassy, I’m exploring one possible contact.
* Cultural Preservation: With the help of World Vison and city hall, I'm trying to document the ways Salvadoran use natural medicine to provide as means for medical attention. As most Latinos know, it's the first line of defense, then it's the 'vapour roub' for some families (Lord knows my family does it) and then the doctor. With World Vison, we're going to grow the herbs, they're going to show me how to prepare it and then I'm going to write it all down, submitting a copy to Peace Corps and World Vison.
Outside My Site
* Peer Support Group: Still in the initial stages, with the help of other Volunteers, we have put together a committee interesting in starting up this type of program. The idea of a Peer Support Group is to provide a group of trained volunteers to address the stressors of volunteer life.
Eastern Regional Conference: As Warden of the Eastern Region, it’s my job to communicate information from Office of Safety & Security to Volunteers in my region. I am also in charge of bi-annual conferences for the purposes of exchanging ideas, contact info, work ideas, etc. This year I am trying to coordinate an effort with the US Embassy to provide a more academic forum to increase our understanding of the country we serve.
Your Affectionate Volunteer,
SCRUTAPE
Peace Corps is part of the US Development Policy and designed to be a grassroots, in that we are placed in difficult countries, some in extremely remote areas, and equipped with the barest of resources for 2 years and 3 months. What makes us different that the rest of the US development organizations is that we are apolitical, meaning that we cannot support of political party over another. The same is true with religion.
I am part of the Municipal Development program.
What is a Municipal Development?
Municipal Development, or ´´munis´´, are volunteers that usually live in the municipal center, or the pueblo of a municipality. The muni frame work is overall: to create a better quality of life. From there it divides into concrete objectives such as reinforcing established institutions through modernization, infrastructure, strategic/developmental plans, etc.
Ok fine, but what am I doing here? Good question! Here’s the skinny on what I’m doing.
I am working on several social development programs in site, they are:
* Comité de Transparencia: It’s been a long struggle to get this going, but recently, now under the direction from a governmental organization, we have now established interested parties willing to participate and become involved. The idea of this committee is to encourage citizen participation in politics and to note governmental operations. This way the community decides where the money is spent (ie, prioritization) and the community is aware of how the money is spent.
* Como Planear Mi Vida: The Life Skills curriculum focuses on issues such as self-esteem, leadership, communication, cultural awareness, mental health, etc. I am now teaching several of these issues in the grade school located in the pueblo of my town.
* Grupo de jovenes sobre el tema de Medio Ambiente: With the aid of two city council members, one a teacher in the elementary school and the other in the Office of Health, we have organized a group of students for the purposes of environmental education.
* Día de Adulto Mayor: Short-term project dealing with the recognition of our elders. I am aiding in the coordination of the event, the 30 of January.
* Poetry publishing project: Befriending the resident poet in my site, his work addresses a wide array of topics, from love to politics. I have been searching for an institution that would publish his work. Through the help of the US Embassy, I’m exploring one possible contact.
* Cultural Preservation: With the help of World Vison and city hall, I'm trying to document the ways Salvadoran use natural medicine to provide as means for medical attention. As most Latinos know, it's the first line of defense, then it's the 'vapour roub' for some families (Lord knows my family does it) and then the doctor. With World Vison, we're going to grow the herbs, they're going to show me how to prepare it and then I'm going to write it all down, submitting a copy to Peace Corps and World Vison.
Outside My Site
* Peer Support Group: Still in the initial stages, with the help of other Volunteers, we have put together a committee interesting in starting up this type of program. The idea of a Peer Support Group is to provide a group of trained volunteers to address the stressors of volunteer life.
Eastern Regional Conference: As Warden of the Eastern Region, it’s my job to communicate information from Office of Safety & Security to Volunteers in my region. I am also in charge of bi-annual conferences for the purposes of exchanging ideas, contact info, work ideas, etc. This year I am trying to coordinate an effort with the US Embassy to provide a more academic forum to increase our understanding of the country we serve.
Your Affectionate Volunteer,
SCRUTAPE
posted by scrutape | 9:31 AM
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