20 Oct 2014

Peace Corps trainees, who were sworn-in to become volunteers, have been implored to abstain from self-serving demeanours, but strive for creation of a lasting legacy in the communities they will be serving. 

Speaking during the swearing-in ceremony of the 72 Peace Corps trainees dubbed Bots 15 (the 15th batch of Peace Corps volunteers) in Serowe on October 15, Kgosi Mokhutshwane Sekgoma appealed to the Peace Corps to be agents of change. 

“It is our expectation that you will be some shining examples at the communities you will be serving,” Kgosi Sekgoma said to the trainees who had just completed their 10 weeks of training on culture and other aspects to prepare them for a fruitful stay in the country.

Kgosi Sekgoma heaped some expectations on the trainees premised on his belief that they were well equipped to serve the various communities they would be dispatched to. 

This is so because many of them have university qualifications while other quit their jobs to take up voluntary work. 

Kgosi Sekgoma also expressed his gratitude to the Americans for their continued support of Batswana and further urged the volunteers not to confine themselves to the areas of their operations, but to interact with virtually everyone in their communities for an informed picture and appreciation.

Charge d’ affaires at the American embassy, Mr Michael Murphy, who led the swearing-in of volunteers, painted a picture of what to expect.

“I can only imagine what some of you must be feeling right now as you prepare to embark on your new journey to places like Bobonong, Sowa, D’kar, Tsabong, Etsha 6 and Shakawe,” he said.

“There must be a mix of pride and nervousness boiling up inside you- kind of when you tried mophane worms for the first time,” he added. 

For the volunteers to realise their intended targets, Mr Murphy advised that they talk to as many former Peace Corps volunteers and currently serving volunteers as they could saying they were more likely to impact their communities in small ways than large and that two years are both a long and short time.

Peace Corps volunteers were warned of the possibilities of missing major and critical calendar events back home and making their two years stay seem longer. 

However, their inability to complete tasks and meet their set target would make the two years look shorter and hence Mr Murphy’s observation that those two years could be longer and shorter. 

The charge d’ affaires said almost all the volunteers he met related a rich experience derived from the exercise. 

He thanked Batswana for strong partnerships that they continually offer to Peace Corps. 

“You are the guides and the supervisors for these new volunteers, and you have a crucial role in placing them in viable assignments and giving them the tools and support they need to succeed,” he said. 

For his part, Peace Corps Botswana country director, Mr Tim Hartman praised the 72 volunteers for having providing their services to Batswana without expecting any financial gain. 

Mr Hartman stated that some volunteers had left their families; quit their jobs to volunteer their services at places far away from their homes to provide world peace and friendship inter alia.

He observed that the over 2 483 Peace Corps volunteers who had come to Botswana since independence had brought tangible benefits to Batswana with some Batswana having learnt life skills. 

Mr Hartman warned volunteers that some of them would be staying in places where there would be no running water or electricity, but was optimistic the experience would be worthwhile. 

He cited an example of one of the volunteers who chose to stay without cooking gas for three months after it exhausted, saying he wanted to eat, sleep and live the life of the inhabitants for a vivid experience. ENDS