Sixteen Americans sworn in as Peace Corps volunteers to Tanzania/Wafanyakazi wapya 16 wa Kujitolea wa Peace Corps waapishwa kuanza huduma yao Tanzania

Dar es Salaam - Sixteen Americans were sworn in as Peace Corps volunteers during a ceremony at the Peace Corps Tanzania Headquarters in Dar es Salaam on Thursday. The swearing in ceremony was presided over by guest of Honor Dr. Edith Rwiza, Director of Human Resources, President’s Office - Regional Administration and Local Government, as well as U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania Michael Battle and Peace Corps Tanzania Country Director Stephanie Joseph de Goes.

 

The sixteen volunteers who were sworn-in are the first Peace Corps Volunteers to serve in Tanzania since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, which forced the repatriation of more than seven thousand volunteers worldwide, including 158 from Tanzania. 

 

For the last 12 weeks, the new volunteers have undergone comprehensive cross-cultural, language, and technical training through the Peace Corps. Following the swearing-in ceremony, the new volunteers will travel to their permanent sites in local communities in Kilimanjaro, Tanga, and Zanzibar regions where they will complete 24 months of service, assisting local communities to address critical development priorities, including education, community health, and sustainable agriculture. 

 

In her remarks, Dr. Rwiza described the Peace Corps Program as a symbol of the close relationship between the U.S. and Tanzania and as a legacy of the friendship between Tanzania’s fist President Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and U.S. President John Kennedy, who founded the Peace Corps. She also called on stakeholders in the areas where volunteers will be serving to support them and help them to flourish.

 

In his address before administering the oath to the new Volunteers, Ambassador Battle told them that they would be the face of the United States for many people that they encounter. “People will remember you, because you walk alongside them, teaching and learning together . . . You represent the best of America, and you have the opportunity to experience the best of Tanzania.”  

 

For her part, Peace Corps Tanzania Country Director Stephanie Joseph de Goes expressed gratitude to the Government of Tanzania, Korogwe Teachers' College, and host families who partnered with and supported Peace Corps to successfully welcome the new volunteers and train them in Swahili language and culture. She reinforced the commitment of the Peace Corps to working with Tanzania in the spirit of collaboration, humility, and respect.

 

About the Peace Corps:  The Peace Corps is an international service network of volunteers, community members, host country partners and staff who are driven by the agency’s mission of world peace and friendship. At the invitation of governments around the world, Peace Corps volunteers work alongside community members on locally prioritized projects in the areas of education, health, environment, agriculture, community economic development and youth development. Through service, members of the Peace Corps network develop transferable skills and hone intercultural competencies that position them to be the next generation of global leaders. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 240,000 Americans have served in 142 countries worldwide. Over 3200 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in Tanzania since the program was launched in 1961, working in education, agriculture, and health sectors to address critical development priorities while promoting world peace and friendship.

Sixteen Americans were sworn in as Peace Corps volunteers during a ceremony at the Peace Corps Tanzania Headquarters in Dar es Salaam on Thursday. The swearing in ceremony was presided over by guest of Honor Dr. Edith Rwiza, Director of Human Resources, President’s Office - Regional Administration and Local Government, as well as U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania Michael Battle and Peace Corps Tanzania Country Director Stephanie Joseph de Goes.

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Leo, katika hafla fupi iliyofanyika katika makao makuu ya Peace Corps Tanzania, Wamarekani 16 wameapishwa kuwa Wafanyakazi wa Kujitolea wa Peace Corps. Hafla hiyo iliongozwa na Balozi Michael Battle na kuhudhuriwa na mgeni rasmi Dr Edith Rwiza, Mkurugenzi wa Rasilimali Watu wa Ofisi ya Rais – Tawala za Mikoa na Serikali za Mitaa na Mkurugenzi Mkazi wa Peace Corps Tanzania Stephanie Joseph de Goes.

Dar es Salaam – Leo, katika hafla fupi iliyofanyika katika makao makuu ya Peace Corps Tanzania, Wamarekani 16 wameapishwa kuwa Wafanyakazi wa Kujitolea wa Peace Corps. Hafla hiyo iliongozwa na Balozi Michael Battle na kuhudhuriwa na mgeni rasmi Dr Edith Rwiza, Mkurugenzi wa Rasilimali Watu wa Ofisi ya Rais – Tawala za Mikoa na Serikali za Mitaa na Mkurugenzi Mkazi wa Peace Corps Tanzania Stephanie Joseph de Goes.

 

Wafanyakazi wa kujitolea 16 walioapishwa leo ni kundi la kwanza la wafanyakazi wa kujitolea wa Peace Corps kuhudumu nchini Tanzania toka kuanza kwa janga la UVIKO-19 hapo Machi 2020 ambalo lililosababisha kurudishwa nyumbani kwa zaidi ya wafanyakazi wa kujitolea 7,000 kutoka duniani kote ikiwemo 158 kutoka Tanzania. 

 

Kwa wiki 12 zilizopita, wafanyakazi hawa wapya wa kujitolea wamekuwa wakipata mafunzo ya kina ya utamaduni wa Kitanzania, lugha ya Kiswahili na ujuzi mahsusi kulingana na sekta watakazozitumikia. Baada ya kula kiapo, wafanyakazi hawa watakwenda kufanya kazi na kuishi na jamii za Kitanzania katika mikoa ya Kilimanjaro, Tanga na Zanzibar ambako watahudumu kwa miezi 24 wakizisaidia jamii kushughulikia vipaumbele muhimu vya maendeleo, ikiwa ni pamoja na elimu, afya ya jamii na kilimo endelevu.  

 

Katika hotuba yake, Dk. Rwiza aliielezea Programu ya Peace Corps kama kielelezo cha uhusiano wa karibu kati ya Marekani na Tanzania na kama urithi wa urafiki kati ya Rais wa Kwanza wa Tanzania Mwalimu Julius Nyerere na Rais wa Marekani John Kennedy, ambaye ndiye muasisi wa Peace Corps. Alitoa wito kwa wadau wote katika maeneo ambapo wafanyakazi hawa wa kujitolea watahudumu kuwapa msaada wa hali na mali ili kuwasaidia kushamiri katika utendaji kazi wao.

 

Akihutubia kabla ya kusimamia kiapo kwa wafanyakazi wapya wa kujitolea, Balozi Battle aliwaeleza wafanyakazi hao kuwa wap ndio watakuwa sura ya Marekani kwa watu wengi watakaokutana nao. “Watu watawakumbuka ninyi, kwa sababu mlitembea miongoni mwao, mlifundisha na kujifunza pamoja nao… ninyi mnawakilisha kile kilicho bora kabisa kuhusu Marekani, na mna fursa ya kuishi na kujionea kile kilicho bora kabisa kuhusu Tanzania.”  

 

Kwa upande wake, Mkurugenzi Mkazi wa Peace Corps Tanzania Country Stephanie Joseph de Goes alitoa shukrani kwa Serikali ya Tanzania, Chuo cha Ualimu Korogwe na familia zilizoishi na wafanyakazi wa kujitolea kwa kuisaidia Peace Corps kuwapokea na kutoa mafunzo ya Kiswahili na utamaduni wa Kitanzania kwa wafanyakazi wapya wa kujitolea kwa mafanikio makubwa. Alisisitiza dhamira ya dhati ya Peace Corps kufanya kazi na Tanzania kwa moyo wa ushirikiano, unyenyekevu na heshima.

 

Kuhusu Peace Corps:  Peace Corps ni mtandao kimataifa wa wafanyakazi wa kujitolea, wanajamii, wabia wa nchi zinazowapokea wafanyakazi hao na wafanyakazi wanaosukumwa na dhima ya shirika ya kuwa na dunia yenye amani na urafiki. Kwa mwaliko wa serikali mbalimbali duniani kote, wafanyakazi wa Kujitolea wa Peace Corps hufanya kazi na wanajamii wa jamii husika katika miradi yao ya kipaumbele katika maeneo ya elimu, afya, mazingira, kilimo, maendeleo ya kiuchumi ya jamii na maendeleo ya vijana. Kupitia huduma hii, wafanyakazi wa kujitolea na wale wote walio katika mtandao wa Peace Corps hujenga stadi mbalimbali wanazoweza kuzitumia mahali pengine na ujuzi wa kufanya kazi na watu wa tamaduni tofauti tofauti hivyo kuwaweka katika nafasi nzuri ya kuwa kizazi kijacho cha viongozi wa kimataifa. Toka Rais John F. Kennedy alipoanzisha Peace Corps mwaka 1961, zaidi ya Wamarekani 240,000 wamehudumu katika nchi 142 duniani kote. Zaidi ya Wafanyakazi wa Kujitolea wa Peace Corpos 3200 wamehudumu nchini Tanzania toka programu hii ilipoanza mwaka 1961, wakifanya kazi katika sekta za elimu, kilimo na afya wakishughulikia vipaumbele muhimu vya maendeleo na wakati huo huo wakikuza amani na urafiki duniani.