Bianca, an 11th grader, helps fifth graders sound out words in a Dr. Seuss book as part of a project aiming to promote English and reading. The books were donated by friends in the United States. The 5th graders loved the attention from high schoolers and the chance to show of their English skills. The high schoolers loved the break from the routine and the chance to present, on behalf of the American donors, the books. It also helped bond students from different schools.

(Source: peacecorps.gov)

A Mongolian woman, wearing a traditional Mongolian headdress, participates in the Darkhan Nursing College’s beauty pageant.

Every International Women’s Day, the ladies of Burkina celebrate by participating in dances, sports and other festivities. Here, my friends from village make their way to our closest city for the March 8, 2009 activities. Each year, the country produces a new fabric design to celebrate the day and women rush to the textile retailers and tailors to have outfits made in time for the holiday.

Peace Corps Health Volunteer Karla Morrison
Burkina Faso, 2009

In the photo, I was teaching two of my host sisters, Samira and Hafsa, about how in America we make wishes on dandelions. We live in the Sahara desert but near an Oasis. Here the children know every plant, herb and even weed that grows. They always want me to eat some strange seed, or smell a weird plant. Now they know another use for dandelions! Photo taken by fellow Volunteer, Jo Troyer.

Peace Corps Youth Development Volunteer Rachel Rubinski

This photograph was taken during technical training in the small community of La Cumbre, Dominican Republic in 2008. A group of volunteers woke up early to embark on a hike with a host brother through the Dominican forest. This young boy was eating a mango for breakfast in the morning light outside of a traditional “campo” home.

Peace Corps Environment Volunteer Amy Martin

I took this photo in August, 2011, in Moldova, at my Romanian tutor’s home. My tutor, her husband (pictured), and I spent the day in the garden collecting fresh fruits and veggies to prepare for an afternoon feast that we would all help prepare. Gheorghe made me try every vegetable and fruit their garden had to offer. Here, he just tasted a cucumber and was giving it to me for an official taste test. It was delicious!

Peace Corps Education Volunteer Alexandra Chebuhar

An aquaculture extension Volunteer in Zambia shares a photo of her community’s fish pond

Flying a Kite - China, 2011

We received 29 computers from a donor in Australia for the computer lab at one of our primary schools. Woody got a few of them set up in time to have an “impromptu” opening of the new computer lab after school just to allow the kids to check out the computers.

Unfortunately due to a wiring mismatch with the electrical sockets, we only had enough working outlets to be able to get two computers running. But, after letting a few kids into the lab to try out the computers, we soon realized that they were very excited to use the computers. We let them play typing tutor games and demonstrated to them where to hold their fingers on the keyboard.

For some of them, it was their first time even touching a computer.

Peace Corps Education Volunteer Robin Al-haddad