South Africa is rapidly emerging as a regional leader on the African continent, and is developing political, economic, and cultural ties around the world. The country's first democratically elected government, which assumed power in 1994, has achieved significant progress. However, the country continues to struggle with the legacy of apartheid and the challenge of developing its full social and economic development potential. The government has demonstrated significant commitment to strengthening the educational system and has been very supportive of the role of Peace Corps Volunteers, who first arrived in South Africa in January 1997. The Peace Corps has entered into partnership with selected provincial departments of education in a concerted effort to develop a culture of learning, teaching, and service.

Education

Volunteers serve as resources to teachers and principals by providing advice on computer use and technology; classroom management; and English, math, and science lesson plan development. Volunteers also provide guidance on alternative teaching methods, such as team teaching, to their counterparts. Through these activities, Volunteers provide a crucial role that enables educators to connect to South Africa's educational network, exchange ideas on successful educational practices and share limited resources.

Volunteers play an important role in promoting mutual understanding among cultural and ethnic groups in South Africa. This aspect of Volunteer work, while an informal one, represents one of the most important contributions of Peace Corps/South Africa, and serves as a model for other programs.

NGO Development and HIV/AIDS

The South African government has called on all organizations to join the new"Partnership Against AIDS." A second project reinforces the capacity of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) focusing on HIV/AIDS and increases their effectiveness in serving local communities. Volunteers in South Africa are currently incorporating HIV/AIDS education and awareness activities into secondary projects.