Peace Corps Cameroon

Our team continues to prepare for the arrival of a new cohort of Volunteers in a few days.

This week, our Language and Cross Culture Facilitators (LCF) finetuned and practiced their adult-learner training techniques to ensure they deliver dynamic and participatory learning sessions to the incoming Volunteers.

LCFs play a crucial role in facilitating Volunteers’ acquisition of language, cultural, and technical skills that will allow them to successfully integrate in their communities.

This World Menstrual Hygiene Day, we do a flash back to a project that Returned Volunteers Frances and D’Arcy and a group of sewing teachers led in their community. They held a menstrual hygiene talk and trained 20 female students on how to make . Not only did the girls got further knowledge on proper menstrual hygiene practices, they also learned how to make reusable, cheaper, and environment-friendly pads.

Our staff are getting ready to receive our new cohort of Trainees.

This week, an enlarged team participated in the General Training of Trainers (GTOT) to refresh on training methods, practice facilitation skills, and finalize plans for PST. For This year's GTOT, participants included staff from Cameroon's Ministry of Youth Affairs and Civic Education. They had the opportunity to experience Peace Corps training approach and methodology and gather resources that may enrich their own training package.

On May 20, a delegation from Peace Corps Africa Region joined the Cameroonian Ambassador in the United States to celebrate National Day.

Friday is about hanging out with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCV)!

RPCV Catherine "Kitty" reunites with Program Manager Sylvie almost 20 years later. Kitty served as an English teacher ('94-'97) and, back then, Sylvie was her language trainer.

Have you painted a mural before?

Beyond simply adding beauty to our surroundings, have the power of raising awareness about issues and advocating for positive change. Murals are a tool that Volunteers and their partners often use to educate communities. To reach out to a large audience, they choose visible spots such as hospitals, schools, or marketplaces. Health issues such as HIV and malaria are popular topics tackled through these murals. Check out some examples!

Happy Mother's Day to our Volunteers' moms, the moms who embark on the journey to serve as Volunteers, and the host moms who open their homes and hearts to our Volunteers. You are all amazing!

Are you a mid-career professional looking for a short-term high service impact assignment?
Peace Corps Cameroon is looking for qualified candidates for a National Volunteer Program Technology Advisor position. This exciting, new Peace Corps Response Volunteer position will directly support the Ministry of Youth and Civic Education as it expands its national volunteer program for Cameroonian youth.

Apply now for a chance to depart in September!

👉 https://www.peacecorps.gov/volunteer/peace-corps-response/openings/national-volunteer-program-technology-advisor-8694br/

Happy Labor Day to our staff and partners! Whether they are language and cross-cultural facilitators, logisticians, or medical officers, each of our staff contributes to the success of our program in 🇨🇲 and to the achievement of the Peace Corps mission.

“If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a million.”

Peace Corps Cameroon implemented a five-day training for 34 Peace Corps Volunteers and their community partners in video production methods for health education.

Under supervision and guidance of the US-based organization illuminAid, participants learned to develop, film, and edit short educational videos that they will use for behavior change communication interventions in their communities. They will go on to develop and disseminate original video content that tackle issues specific to their communities.

This , we are dedicated to contributing to the fight against malaria. Our Volunteers and community partners develop and implement creative evidence-based interventions that promote behavior change among community members.

Community Health Volunteer Mason and counterpart Prudence are making a difference. Using the Soccer malaria curriculum, the duo educated 105 students on key prevention methods and appropriate responses to potential cases of malaria.

Are you wearing you Denim today 👖? Peace Corps Cameroon staff stand together to raise awareness about sexual assault, honor and support survivors everywhere 💙.

The Denim Day campaign started 20 years ago after the Italian Supreme Court overturned a r**e conviction because they felt that since the victim was wearing tight jeans on the day of her assault, she must have helped the person who r**ed her remove them, thereby implying consent.

Happy Earth Day! At the , every day is . Our Volunteers work alongside community partners to promote and advance sustainable soil conservation and management practices to ensure a healthy planet for generations to come.

Our Agriculture Volunteers and community counterparts recently attended a 4-day training on how to integrate beekeeping, snails and palm weevil rearing practices in their farm activities. At the end of the training, Volunteers and counterparts received some materials to put into practice all the lessons learned during the training at their various sites.

🎉Congratulations to Mr. Elangwe Victor, on his participation in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) focusing on Volunteerism in the United States: Peace Corps. For three weeks, Mr. Elangwe, along with other national volunteer program coordinators from across the world, explored best practices for volunteer recruitment, retention, and management. He took part in a variety of activities and explored the impact of volunteerism both on the volunteers themselves and the communities they serve. 🇺🇸🤝🇨🇲

Peace Corps service isn’t easy. One way we support our Volunteers is by empowering them to support each other. This week, our Peer Support and Diversity Network was trained to provide emotional support and outreach to their fellow Volunteers.

Community Health Volunteers Lucy and Sesay, their community counterparts, and Peace Corps staff posted in the Adamawa region had the great pleasure to meet with U.S. Ambassador Christopher J. Lamora. Conversations focused on Volunteers’ work and life at sites.
Fun fact: Ambassador Lamora planted a soursop tree 🌴 in the regional office courtyard, adding another fruit variety to the already well-filled garden. We are grateful for the Ambassador's support to our program and Volunteers.

As Women History Month draws to an end, we want to share thoughts from Community Health Volunteer Alex on what celebrating means to her.

Before arriving in Cameroon, Alex thought “Women’s Day was nothing more than a day where people, mostly women, post on social media a few photos and quotes uplifting women”. After celebrating this day for two years with co-workers, friends, and neighbors, it now feels like she is amongst family: “It’s truly a great opportunity to be accepted and loved. The sense of community is the greatest strength of my community and I have no doubt that I will always be welcomed here.”

Today, we take you back to St Patrick's Day celebration by our Volunteers posted in the South region. They came together to cook and share a St.Patrick’s Day meal with their Cameroonian neighbors.

Although it's a legal holiday only in a few states in the United States, St Patrick's Day is widely recognized and celebrated throughout the country. It is primarily celebrated as a recognition of Irish and Irish American culture. Celebrations include prominent displays of the color green, eating and drinking, religious observances, and numerous parades.

During his recent trip to 🇨🇲, the U.S. Global Malaria Coordinator, Dr. David Walton, visited the Peace Corps office to learn more about the work that Volunteers do in supporting the Government of Cameroon in its fight to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality. During this visit, Dr. Walton learned about the Peace Corps program in Cameroon and participated in an activity that Volunteers and their Cameroonian counterparts do in the field to sensitize their communities on malaria prevention.

USAID - US Agency for International Development

"A smiling face is a beautiful face. A smiling heart is a happy heart." - Dr. T.P. Chia

Happy ! Tell us what makes you happy in the comments.

📸: Returned Volunteer Amanda

"It's not the load that breaks you. It's the way you carry it." Happy Monday!

📸: Volunteer Colbert

On , staff gathered to reflect on this year's theme: "Inspire Inclusion". Conversations focused on how each of us can challenge stereotypes and create more inclusive work and social environments through behavior change communication and active engagement.

Are you a mid-career professional looking for a short-term high service impact assignments? Check out these 12-month Response Volunteer openings in 🇨🇲 :
• HIV/AIDS Prevention Coordinator
• Social Media and Marketing Advisor
• Gender-focused Youth Education Advisor

Apply now for a chance to depart in September 2024! 👇

Peace Corps Response Openings Peace Corps Response sends experienced professionals to undertake short-term, high-impact service assignments in communities around the world.