In 1967, after experiencing a difficult year and a devastating cyclone, Samoa invited the first group of Peace Corps Volunteers to the country. These first Volunteers arrived to work for the Health Department in rural villages in health and hygiene projects. These groups are well known for the introduction of water seal toilets, or the fale pisikoa.
Also in the first groups were civil engineers and architects who served in the Public Works Department. One early Volunteer was the architect and supervisor of construction of the present parliament building at Mulinu'u and all the supporting offices of the legislative assembly.
There were volunteers who did work that had a significant impact on infrastructure development, such as the Faleolo International Airport terminal and school buildings such as Paul VI, Saint Mary's, and Lelumoengafou College. Some took up prominent and executive positions in the various government departments, such as the acting director of Public Works.
During the 35 years that the Peace Corps has been in Samoa, Volunteers have served in the Prime Minister's department and in the agriculture sector, but most Peace Corps Volunteers have served in the Department of Education. Volunteers have taught Samoan students in a variety of subject areas but most recently in science, business, mathematics, and computer studies.
HISTORY AND FUTURE OF PEACE CORPS PROGRAMMING IN SAMOA
Over the past 35 years, Peace Corps Volunteers have been involved in the education of thousands of Samoan children. Volunteers teachers have been needed due to a shortage of secondary school teachers. Volunteers are requested to serve not only as classroom teachers in government and mission schools, but also a replacements for Samoan teachers to allow them to undertake further studies at the National University of Samoa.
Although many Samoan professionals have returned fro advanced training abroad to take management positions in government, many more are needed. Until recently, Volunteers have been asked to serve in a number of critical professional areas such as accounting, data processing, statistics, economic planning, and architecture. In health care, Volunteers have served as researchers in filariasis control (filariasis is a parasitic disease caused by a blood nematode). Other health professionals worked at the National Hospital in Apia as nutrition educators and dieticians. Some have worked as small business advisors and as youth development workers. There have been well over 1,700 Volunteers that have served in Samoa to date.
The Peace Corps began two new projects in 2001: the village-based development project and the capacity building project. These projects will form the core of the Peace Corps development assistance in Samoa for the next 7 years. In the village-based project, Volunteers are working to help villages to better organize and carry out small-scale projects in numerous sectors, including health, agriculture, youth development, and income generation. The capacity building project is working in information technology, teacher training (special needs and early childhood education), and technical and professional mentoring (environment, agricultural, and health).
(courtesy The Peace Corps Welccomes you to Samoa)
