A fresh cohort of Peace Corps volunteers has officially begun its two-year service in Kenya, reinforcing a partnership that has flourished for more than six decades.
The group of American volunteers was sworn in on Thursday in Kisumu after completing an intensive 11-week program in technical skills, local languages, and cultural integration.
The new arrivals join 37 volunteers already serving in the country and will be deployed to Busia, Bungoma, Kisumu, Siaya, Kakamega, and Homabay counties.
They will work alongside community leaders, teachers, health workers, and families to strengthen health systems, promote education for the Deaf Community, and enhance STEM learning in secondary schools.
Susan Burns, Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Nairobi, commended the Volunteers’ dedication to service.
“I congratulate the newest Volunteers for continuing more than six decades of Peace Corps’ efforts in Kenya to transform lives and improve communities. Their energy, enthusiasm, kindness, and willingness to serve have been a keystone of the strong US-Kenya partnership,” she said.
Over the past 60 years, more than 5,000 Americans, teachers, nurses, engineers, and other professionals have served in the Peace Corps in Kenya, living and working in local communities to support development and foster cross-cultural understanding.
The volunteers will contribute to Kenya’s ongoing health priorities, including efforts to reduce HIV transmission, promote maternal and child health, and expand malaria and TB prevention awareness.
They will also collaborate with community health workers and local facilities to strengthen referrals and improve access to essential care.
In the education sector, they will support the improvement of math and science teaching methods, boost student performance, and help expand access to STEM resources to prepare learners for a competitive global workforce.
Volunteers serving the Deaf Community will focus on enhancing literacy, communication, and life skills, empowering students to achieve independence and participate fully in society.
Director of Public Health at the Ministry of Health, John Ndung’u, lauded the long-standing collaboration between Kenya and the Peace Corps during the swearing-in ceremony.
He emphasised that the Volunteers’ presence at the grassroots level enhances the reach and effectiveness of public health interventions, reaffirming the Ministry’s support for their work.
Hans, an Education for the Deaf Volunteer whose family name was withheld for security reasons, underscored the importance of language and cultural connection.
“Language isn’t just a skill we carry, it’s a gift we give. Because every time we try to speak someone’s language, or sign their name, or share a laugh across cultures, we remind the world that understanding begins with effort,” he said.
The Volunteers will begin reporting to their assigned communities in the coming days, marking the start of a new chapter of partnership, learning, and shared service.
The Peace Corps is a volunteer program run by the US government.
It sends trained American volunteers to partner countries around the world to support development and promote cultural exchange.
