20 Peace Corps volunteer trainees from the US to conduct community engagement in Naitasiri

20 Peace Corps Volunteer trainees the United States of America have arrived into the country and will be conducting their community engagement in five communities in the Naitasiri Province for the next 10-weeks where they will live and learn with the community.

The volunteers were welcomed this morning with a traditional kava ceremony at the Peace Corps Headquarters in Suva.

Patrick Hodson, who is part of the 20 trainees, says he chose Fiji to serve in a peace corp because of the wonderful people, the wonderful opportunities and the wonderful culture it has.

Hodson says he is looking forward to learning the Fijian culture and kava when he is with the community.

USA Ambassador to Fiji Marie Damour congratulated the 20 trainees on choosing Fiji as their place to carry out their community work.

Damour says their work in the Peace Corps is an important part of community building and urges the trainees to take in all the experiences they will go through.

The US Ambassador also told the trainees that they would encounter new things in Fiji, and it would be an experience they have never had before.

Peace Corps Country Director/Fiji Kury Cobham says they will be sheltered in 20 families and work with the community.

Cobham says they are grateful that the Peace Corps volunteers will return to Vanua Levu this year as there had been no volunteers since 2020.