36 American Peace Corps volunteers who will be working in the education sector, were, yesterday sworn-in by the US Ambassador to Rwanda, Donald Koran, at his residence in Kacyiru, Gasabo District. The volunteers, who are joining the 140 others in the country, completed a three-month pre-service training in Kamonyi District mainly learning Kinyarwanda, technical and cross-cultural studies.
36 American Peace Corps volunteers who will be working in the education sector, were, yesterday sworn-in by the US Ambassador to Rwanda, Donald Koran, at his residence in Kacyiru, Gasabo District.
The volunteers, who are joining the 140 others in the country, completed a three-month pre-service training in Kamonyi District mainly learning Kinyarwanda, technical and cross-cultural studies.
They will teach English and ICT in Rwandan secondary schools for the next two years. They will also serve in the Nine Years Basic Education schools, and local and central government institutions in various districts countrywide.
Sarah Josephine Noceda, who will be teaching English in Musanze District, said that she now has the tools needed to be an effective volunteer, making sure that she served the interests of Rwandans.
"Being a Peace Corp volunteer has been my dream for the past 20 years”.
"We will endeavor to play our part as English and ICT teachers and teacher trainers as we receive a continual cultural education, in turn,” Lyla Fujiwara, another volunteer, who will be teaching computer science in Bugesera District, told The New Times.
This is the 6th group of Peace Corps group to serve in Rwanda since the programme, which had been interrupted by the Genocide in 1994, was reopened in 2008 on the invitation of President Paul Kagame.
Koran urged the volunteers to continue efforts of supporting Rwanda’s shift to English as the language of instruction in schools.
"I know you will give generously of your knowledge, your skills, and of yourselves to the Rwandans who will share your lives over the next two years,” said the US envoy.
"You are all ambassadors to Rwanda and the bridges you will build between Rwanda and America are as important as – if not more important than – anything I can accomplish”.
Johnson Ntagaramba, a representative of the Rwanda Education Board (REB), commended the work done by the Peace Corps volunteers, saying that it is contributing to the quality of education and development in the country.
The Peace Corps is an organisation founded by former US President John F. Kennedy in 1961.