On May 24, the U.S. government through Peace Corps Zambia swore into service 28 new volunteers from the United States following 11 weeks of training in technical skills, language, and inter-cultural understanding.

The volunteers will work with community members in rural areas of Zambia for two years on environmental and aquaculture programs in the Central, Eastern, Luapula, Northern, Muchinga, Northwestern, and Southern provinces.  Twenty of the 28 volunteers will work under the Linking Income, Food and Environment (LIFE) project and eight under the Rural Aquaculture Promotion (RAP) project.  LIFE Volunteers work to improve food and nutrition security, while supporting the livelihood and resilience of rural community members in ways that conserve forest resources. RAP Volunteers transfer new or improved integrated aquaculture-agriculture knowledge and skills directly to smallholder farmers.  In addition to their core responsibilities, all 28 volunteers will provide HIV/AIDS prevention assistance in their communities through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

The Minister of Fisheries and Livestock, Hon. Mukozo Chikote was the guest of honor at the ceremony.  Permanent Secretary Dr. Douty Chibamba from the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment and Chief Chamuka VI of the Lenje people were special guests.  U.S. Ambassador to Zambia Michael Gonzales officially swore in the 28 new volunteers.

Peace Corps works in Zambia at the invitation of the Zambian government.  Since the first Peace Corps Volunteers arrived in Zambia in 1994, over 2,400 volunteers have lived and worked in rural communities throughout the country.  Zambia has traditionally hosted the largest number of Peace Corps Volunteers in the world.