12 Aug 2014

Batswana are generally known for their generosity and magnanimity of even accepting to stay with strangers (Peace Corps) for two months.

Peace Corps country director, Mr Tim Hartman revealed this during the host family and trainees matching ceremony  on August 11.

The 75 Peace Corps dubbed Bots 15, the 15th batch of the Peace Corps to arrive in Botswana, would be in Botswana to inter alia promote world peace, to do their part to help humankind as well as help combat the terrible HIV/AIDS. 

Mr Hartman said that despite the volunteers being of diverse cultures and origins such as Latin americans, afro-americans and Asian Americans, they were raring to start learning some Setswana ways to help them adapt to the environment they will be working in after two months of training.

 They will be accommodated in various homesteads and host families were encouraged to emulate the last treatment their extended to the last batch, Bots 14 who were 58 in total. 

Mr Hartman revealed that many of the volunteers have quit their jobs in order to join the mission while others were retired workers. “Some of these trainees have been waiting for years to get enrolled to Peace Corp mission,” he revealed and added that they had to undergo emotional process of parting with their loved ones to pursue a worthy cause. 

For his part Kgosi Serogola Seretse sent gratitude to the United States of America for their role in helping Botswana combat HIV/AIDs amongst a plethora of assistance the country enjoys from the USA. “We have been seeing a contingent of Peace Corps consistently coming in Botswana,” said Kgosi Seretse who disclosed that Botswana has been benefitting immensely from the US. 

Of these 75 trainees some will be assigned to school to teach life skills while others will work in clinics, health posts and District Health Management Team offices.

There will also be a team which will be assigned to either District Aids Coordination or social community development offices while some will be attached to non-governmental organisations.

Of these trainees who boast university degrees and wealth of experience have the oldest of them all at 70 years while the youngest is a 21 year old. Five are married couples. 

At the end of their training the Peace Corps will be deployed across the country for their two year assignments. 

More than 2200 Peace Corps have served in Botswana from 1966-1997 and 2003 to present. Botswana is currently having 103 volunteers from the US. ENDS