KATHMANDU: The US Ambassador to Nepal Randy Berry interacted with the new Peace Corps trainees in Bhaktapur.

On the occasion, the new 53 trainees shared their stories with Ambassador Berry. This is the 207th group of Peace Corps Volunteers in Nepal.

Envoy Berry said he was hoping to meet again with these groups when they joined their communities.

The Peace Corps is a service opportunity for motivated changemakers to immerse themselves in a community abroad, working side by side with local leaders to tackle the most pressing challenges of our generation.

The Peace Corps is a volunteer program run by the United States government. Its official mission is to provide social and economic development abroad through technical assistance while promoting mutual understanding between Americans and populations served.

Peace Corps Volunteers are American citizens, typically with a college degree, who work abroad for a period of two years after three months of training.

The purpose of the Peace Corps is to assist other countries in their development efforts by providing skilled workers in the fields of education, agriculture, health, trade, technology, environmental protection, women’s economic empowerment, and community development.

In Nepal, Peace Corps volunteers work with their communities on agriculture and education projects. During their service in Nepal, volunteers learn to speak Nepali. So far, 3880 volunteers have already served in Nepal while 82 are currently volunteering in Nepal.

Peace Corps volunteers are assigned to specific projects on the basis of their skills, education, and experience. Once abroad, the volunteer is expected to function for two years as a good neighbor in the host country, to speak its language, and to live on a level comparable to that of the volunteer’s counterparts there.

Volunteers work with governments, schools, non-profit organizations, non-government organizations, and entrepreneurs in education, youth development, community health, business, information technology, agriculture, and the environment. After 24 months of service, volunteers can request an extension of service.

Since its inception, more than 235,000 Americans have joined the Peace Corps and served in 141 countries.