News
In Honor of the Fallen: A Memorial Day Reflection on Peace Corps Volunteers
Since 1961, more than 240,000 Americans have served in the Peace Corps. Among them, 309 made the ultimate sacrifice—losing their lives while serving in countries far from home. This Memorial Day, we pause to honor the men and women in uniform and remember those who wore no military badge, carried no weapon, and yet gave their lives in service to peace. These fallen Peace Corps Volunteers were teachers, health workers, environmentalists, and friends. They believed that lasting peace begins with understanding, and they crossed oceans and borders with open hearts. In remote villages, bustling towns, and coastal communities, they worked...
Town Hall Summaries and an NPCA Call to Action!
Town Hall Summaries and an NPCA Call to Action! Over 700 people attended two National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) virtual town hall meetings on May 15th, following news of significant staffing cuts planned for the Peace Corps. After providing updates on the current status and future of the agency, NPCA issued a call for nationwide, positive public actions in support of the Peace Corps and its current and future Volunteers. An outline of targeted action dates was shared, spanning the next four months. [While NPCA has worked to verify the following information, it does not speak on behalf of the...
35 Senators Sign Peace Corps Funding Letter
With a quick turnaround, we needed swift, steady action to urge your Senators to sign the annual Peace Corps funding letter. You delivered. We had less than a week. But in that time, well over 6,000 messages were sent to members of the United States Senate, asking them to sign the annual Peace Corps Funding letter, which was authored this year by Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ). On the afternoon of May 22, Senator Booker submitted the letter – addressed to leaders of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee for State/Foreign Operations – requesting $479 million for the Peace Corps in Fiscal Year 2026—an...
Pictures Worth a Thousand Words
During my Peace Corps service, I took 4,807 photos. Photos of friends, family, places, moments, and people I never want to forget. By Jade Johnson-Pittman In almost every Timorese household, framed photos capture times and celebrations, so they are never forgotten. Memories are easy to bring forth and reminisce about. My host family’s house has pictures of graduations, events, and family ties that my younger host brother and sister would ask about repeatedly. Sometimes they would look at pictures on my phone of my younger brothers and sisters in the US and ask the same questions, wanting to hear the...
5 Job Interview Questions Peace Corps Will Help You Ace
For Returned Peace Corps Volunteers navigating the current job market, this article is a must read. The Peace Corps provides volunteers with an incredible opportunity to learn more about different cultures and develop practical experience. This Peace Corps article lists five common job interview questions and helps Returned Peace Corps Volunteers use their practical skills developed in the Peace Corps to stand out in the workforce. With the current state of the job market and the increasingly high standards for employees, being able to make an impression in an interview is crucial. The memorable stories that volunteers gain from their...
We Invite You to a Town Hall Discussion
How Do We Respond to Peace Corps Staff Cuts? Join NPCA Town Halls on May 15. The Peace Corps community has important questions following recent reports of staff cuts at the agency. These changes could have serious implications for volunteer recruitment, training, and in-service support. National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) invites you to a Virtual Town Hall Discussion📅 Date: Thursday, May 15🕚 Time Options: 11:00 AM or 7:00 PM (Eastern Time)📍 Location: Online (Zoom link provided upon registration) We’ll discuss: What the staff cuts mean for the future of the Peace Corps How they may affect the agency’s capacity to...
Peace Corps to Close Country Program in Mozambique
The Peace Corps is closing its program in Mozambique. Due to ongoing security and operational challenges, Volunteers will not return in the foreseeable future. At present, there are no currently serving Volunteers. Since 1998, over 1,400 Americans served in Health and Education—leaving a legacy of friendship that will endure. Read more from the Peace Corps Press Release below. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, May 9, 2025 Peace Corps to Close Country Program in Mozambique The Peace Corps has announced that the agency will close its country program in Mozambique. After nearly three decades of close partnership with the people and...
126 Sign Annual House Peace Corps Funding Letter
This year, the annual House Peace Corps funding letter was more important than ever. With news of significant restructuring and staff reductions planned at the Peace Corps, RPCV Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA) and Delegate Amata Radewagen (R-American Samoa) urged their colleagues to sign a letter to the leaders of the House Appropriations Committee, requesting $479 million for the Peace Corps in Fiscal Year 2026—an increase from the current funding level of $430.5 million. May 14th was the last day of this action. Thanks to your efforts, we secured 126 signatures this year...14 above last year's letter. Visit the National Peace...
TAKE ACTION: Peace Corps Staffing Cuts Coming
Peace Corps Delivers for America. Now We Must Deliver for Peace Corps. News is emerging today that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is ordering a weakening of Peace Corps staff and operations that puts at risk the national service program’s ability to adequately support the thousands of Americans currently serving as Peace Corps Volunteers in 60 nations worldwide. The National Peace Corps Association is alarmed at initial reports that DOGE is demanding a drastic removal of Peace Corps staff vital to the recruitment and preparation of Peace Corps volunteers, and to supporting them as they work in often remote...
From Island Dreams to Global Impact: How Peace Corps Transformed One Village Student’s Future
Peace Corps spirit connects people not just across borders, but across lifetimes. By Amota Ataneka Merang and Humans of Kiribati When Peace Corps Volunteers step into classrooms around the world, they may never see the full ripple effect of their service. But for Amota Ataneka Merang, a young student from the remote island of Nikunau in Kiribati, those ripples carried him across oceans—and eventually into a Ph.D. program in Educational Studies at the University of Cincinnati. As a boy, Amota dreamed of following his older brothers to senior secondary school in Tarawa. With little money for tuition, he set his...