FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, August 08, 2003
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Peace Corps
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Phone 202.692.2230
Fax 202.692.2201
Email pressoffice@peacecorps.gov |
Crisis Corps Volunteers to Help Rebuild Island State of Chuuk |
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WASHINGTON, D.C., August 8, 2003 -- The Peace Corps is proud to announce
that a group of 10 Crisis Corps volunteers have been assigned to the Island
of Chuuk, located in the Federated States of Micronesia, this August. These
volunteers will assist the people of Chuuk in rebuilding efforts following
Tropical Storm Chat’an, which struck the island earlier this year.
While in Chuuk, the volunteers will focus their assignment on two specific
initiatives. One group of volunteers will concentrate their efforts on
reforestation and soil stabilization to help prevent landslides using
barriers and simple bioengineering. Another group will be working with the
communities on designing, building, and managing water sanitation facilities.
Crisis Corps is an innovative Peace Corps program that utilizes returned
Peace Corps volunteers to provide short-term assistance in disaster relief
and humanitarian response efforts. The program was established in 1996. To
date, more than 500 Crisis Corps volunteers have served in 31 countries.
Currently, Crisis Corps has volunteers working in six African countries in
the areas of drought relief, HIV/AIDS education, and assistance to refugees
and internally displaced persons.
Click here for more information about Crisis Corps’ most recent projects and
how to apply.
In addition to the Crisis Corps volunteers, more than 3,978 Americans have
volunteered with the Peace Corps in the Federated States of Micronesia and
the Republic of Palau since 1966. Volunteers work to improve the quality of
education and enhance opportunities for the community through library
development, reading projects, and information technology training. Health
volunteers assist in establishing a decentralized primary health care and
health education program, while conservation volunteers work with government
agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), coastal communities, and
school children to locally manage resource-based economic projects such as
clam, soft coral, and sponge farming.
Since 1961, more than 170,000 volunteers have served in the Peace Corps,
working in such diverse fields as education, health and HIV/AIDS education
and awareness, information technology, business development, the
environment, and agriculture. Peace Corps volunteers must be U.S.citizens
and at least 18 years of age. Peace Corps service is a two-year commitment.
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