Peace Corps facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Peace Corps

Agency overview
Formed	March 1, 1961 (1961-03-01)
Jurisdiction	United States Government
Headquarters	Washington, D.C.
Annual budget	US$410.5 million (FY 2022)
Agency executives	Carol Spahn, Director David E. White Jr., Deputy Director Lauren Stephens, Chief of Staff

The Peace Corps is a special program of the United States government. It trains and sends American volunteers to help countries around the world. It was started in March 1961 by President John F. Kennedy. Congress officially approved it later that year.

The main goal of the Peace Corps is to help developing countries. Volunteers share their skills in areas like education, health, and community building. Peace Corps volunteers are American citizens, usually with a college degree. They are matched with projects in different countries based on what they know. After three months of training, volunteers usually serve for at least two years. They are encouraged to respect local customs, learn the language, and live simply, like the people they are helping.

When it first started, the Peace Corps had 900 volunteers in 16 countries. By 1966, it grew to over 15,000 volunteers in 52 countries. Even with some ups and downs, by its 50th birthday in 2011, there were over 8,500 volunteers in 77 countries. More than 240,000 Americans have joined the Peace Corps and served in 142 countries since it began.

History of the Peace Corps

How the Idea Started

President John F. Kennedy greets Peace Corps volunteers in 1961.

The idea for the Peace Corps began in the 1950s. Walter Reuther, a union leader, suggested that young Americans could go abroad to help people. He believed that sending young people with "tools of peace" would be better than sending them with "guns and weapons of war."

Many people in the U.S. government also liked the idea. In 1951, John F. Kennedy, who was a Representative at the time, thought college graduates could help people in the Middle East. Senator Hubert Humphrey introduced the first bill to create the Peace Corps in 1957. He later wrote that many people thought it was a "silly and unworkable idea" at first.

The idea gained more attention in 1959 when Congressman Henry S. Reuss proposed a "Point Four Youth Corps." In 1960, a study was approved to see if the idea was possible.

Starting the Peace Corps

In August 1960, Walter Reuther met with John F. Kennedy. He convinced Kennedy to promise to create the Peace Corps. Kennedy announced the idea on October 14, 1960, during a speech at the University of Michigan. He later called it the "Peace Corps."

Some people, like Kennedy's opponent Richard Nixon, didn't think it was a good idea. They worried it would be a place for people to avoid military service. Others wondered if young graduates had enough skills. But many students liked the idea.

On March 1, 1961, President Kennedy officially started the Peace Corps with an executive order. He wanted the Peace Corps to show the world that Americans were helpful, not just powerful. Kennedy chose his brother-in-law, Sargent Shriver, to be the first director. Shriver helped build the organization and set its goals.

The first group of volunteers left for Ghana and Tanganyika (now part of Tanzania) on August 28, 1961. Within two years, over 7,300 volunteers were serving in 44 countries. By 1966, this number grew to 15,000, the most in the Peace Corps' history.

The program faced a challenge in its first year. A volunteer's postcard describing "squalor and absolutely primitive living conditions" in Nigeria caused protests. Nigerian students accused the volunteers of being "spies." This led to discussions and eventually a better understanding between the students and volunteers.

Changes Over Time

In 1971, President Richard Nixon moved the Peace Corps under a larger agency called ACTION. But President Jimmy Carter, whose mother had been a Peace Corps nurse, made it an independent agency again in 1979. This was made official by law in 1981.

In the 1980s, President Ronald Reagan appointed Loret Miller Ruppe as director. She started business-related programs. Funding cuts in the early 1980s reduced the number of volunteers. But funding increased again in 1985, and the number of volunteers grew to 10,000 by 1992.

After the September 11 attacks in 2001, President George W. Bush wanted to double the size of the Peace Corps. President Barack Obama also proposed to double its size in 2008. The Peace Corps has also worked to recruit more diverse volunteers, including older people and different ethnic groups.

In a big change, all Peace Corps volunteers around the world were brought home on March 15, 2020. This happened because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Joining the Peace Corps

A recruitment advertisement for the Peace Corps from 1990.

If you're interested in joining the Peace Corps, here's what you need to know:

• You must be at least 18 years old and a U.S. citizen.
• It's a good idea to apply 6 to 9 months before you want to start.
• You'll have an interview.
• You can apply for one placement each year.

You can choose from six main project areas:

• Agriculture
• Environment
• Community Economic Development
• Health
• Education
• Youth in Development

You can also choose which country or region you'd like to serve in.

Volunteers usually serve for two years in a foreign country. Before that, there are three months of training in that country. This training helps you learn the language and skills for your project.

There is no maximum age limit to join. Married couples can join, but they cannot have children who depend on them. Most positions require a college degree, but this can change based on the specific job. Volunteers don't get a salary, but their travel costs are covered, and they receive money for basic living expenses.

What the Peace Corps Does

Helping Communities with Health

The Peace Corps helps communities learn about different illnesses and how to prevent them from spreading. Volunteers teach people about treatments and ways to stay healthy.

One big effort is fighting malaria in Africa. Since 2011, volunteers have been involved in malaria control programs in 24 African countries.

Protecting the Environment

The Peace Corps has many environmental programs. These programs are designed based on what each country needs. They include:

• Teaching effective farming methods.
• Recycling programs.
• Managing parks and natural areas.
• Teaching about the environment.
• Developing alternative fuel sources.

Volunteers often work in three main areas:

• Protected Areas Management: Volunteers help manage parks and teach people how to protect natural resources. They might work with park staff or organize community programs.
• Environment Education or Awareness: This focuses on communities with environmental problems. Volunteers teach in schools, create environmental groups, and help with things like soil conservation and urban cleanup.
• Forestry: These programs help communities protect natural resources through projects like planting trees, controlling floods, and creating sustainable fuels.

Education and Languages

Peace Corps volunteers often teach in local schools. They also help communities improve their education systems. For example, the Peace Corps works to provide equal education opportunities for girls in countries like Liberia and Ethiopia. In 2015, they teamed up with United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for the "Let Girls Learn" initiative.

The Peace Corps has also created resources to help people learn over 100 languages. These resources include texts, recordings, and lesson plans.

Leadership of the Peace Corps

The Peace Corps is led by a Director. The President of the United States nominates the Director, and the Senate confirms the choice. The current Director is Carol Spahn, who started in January 2023. She was also a Peace Corps volunteer in Romania.

Many of the past directors have also been former Peace Corps volunteers themselves. This means they have first-hand experience of what it's like to serve.

Directors of the Peace Corps

15

No.	Image	Director	Service dates	Appointed by	What they did
1		R. Sargent Shriver	1961–1966	Kennedy	He was the first director. He quickly started programs in 55 countries with over 14,500 volunteers.
2		Jack Vaughn	1966–1969	Johnson	He improved how the Peace Corps worked and supported volunteers. He also encouraged volunteers to work in conservation.
3		Joseph Blatchford	1969–1971	Nixon	He helped volunteers serve in their home communities after their service.
4		Kevin O'Donnell	1971–1972	Nixon	He was the first director who had been a Peace Corps country director. He fought against budget cuts.
5		Donald Hess	1972–1973	Nixon	He started training volunteers in the host country, which made preparation more realistic and saved money.
6		Nicholas Craw	1973–1974	Nixon	He worked to increase the number of volunteers and make the agency's future more stable.
7		John Dellenback	1975–1977	Ford	He improved health care for volunteers and focused on recruiting generalists (people without specific skills) and training them.
8		Carolyn R. Payton	1977–1978	Carter	She was the first female and first African American director. She worked to make the volunteer group more diverse.
9		Richard F. Celeste	1979–1981	Carter	He focused on the role of women in development and increased participation of women and minorities.
10		Loret Miller Ruppe	1981–1989	Reagan	She was the longest-serving director. She started programs focused on business and food systems in Africa.
11		Paul Coverdell	1989–1991	G.H.W. Bush	He started programs like "World Wise Schools" to connect U.S. students with volunteers overseas.
12		Elaine Chao	1991–1992	G.H.W. Bush	She was the first Asian American director. She expanded the Peace Corps into Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
13		Carol Bellamy	1993–1995	Clinton	She was the first director who had been a Peace Corps volunteer (in Guatemala). She improved relations with former volunteers.
14		Mark D. Gearan	1995–1999	Clinton	He created the "Crisis Corps" to help former volunteers assist communities after disasters.
	Mark L. Schneider	1999–2001	Clinton	He was also a former volunteer (in El Salvador). He started an effort to help prevent HIV/AIDS in Africa.
16		Gaddi Vasquez	2002–2006	G.W. Bush	He was the first Hispanic American director. He focused on increasing diversity among volunteers and staff.
17		Ron Tschetter	September 2006 – 2008	G.W. Bush	He was a former volunteer in India. He started an initiative to encourage more people over 50 to join.
18		Aaron S. Williams	August 2009 – September 2012	Obama	He was also a former volunteer. He stepped down for personal reasons.
19		Carrie Hessler-Radelet	September 2012 – 2017	Obama	She was a former volunteer in Western Samoa. She became acting director before being confirmed.
20		Jody Olsen	February 2018 – January 2021	Trump	She had a long history with the Peace Corps, serving in many roles, including as a volunteer in Tunisia.
21		Carol Spahn	January 2023 – present	Biden	She served as a volunteer in Romania and held several leadership roles before becoming director.

Images for kids

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  The former Peace Corps headquarters building in Washington, D.C.

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  Peace Corps trainees becoming volunteers in Madagascar in 2006.

See also

In Spanish: Cuerpo de Paz para niños