NAIROBI, Kenya — Thirty-one new Peace Corps Volunteers have officially begun their two-year service in Kenya after completing an intensive 11-week training programme in Kisumu, marking the latest chapter in the six-decade partnership between the United States and Kenya.
The new cohort, sworn in on Thursday, will be deployed across Busia, Bungoma, Kisumu, Siaya, Kakamega, and Homabay counties, where they will work alongside local leaders, teachers, health professionals, and families to strengthen health systems and expand access to education, including specialised support for the Deaf community.
Susan Burns, Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi, welcomed the new Volunteers, describing them as part of a strong legacy of cooperation between the two nations.
“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 has been a keystone of the strong U.S.-Kenya partnership,” she said during the ceremony.
The group joins 37 Peace Corps Volunteers already serving in Kenya. Since the programme’s inception, more than 5,000 Americans have volunteered in the country, contributing in diverse sectors including education, health, engineering, and community development.
Under the health portfolio, the new Volunteers will support efforts to reduce HIV transmission, promote maternal and child health, and advance malaria and tuberculosis prevention.
They are expected to collaborate closely with community health workers, assist in referrals to local health facilities, and participate in public health outreach programmes.
In the education sector, Volunteers will work with secondary schools to enhance STEM learning, improve teaching methods, and increase student performance in mathematics and sciences.
Those specialising in Deaf education will support students in acquiring literacy and life skills, empowering them to thrive academically and develop greater independence.
Speaking at the ceremony, John Ndung’u, the Director of Public Health at the Ministry of Health, praised the longstanding partnership between Kenya and the Peace Corps.
He highlighted the Volunteers’ role in extending the reach of public health interventions at the community level and reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to supporting their work.
In a reflection on the importance of cultural and linguistic integration, one Education for the Deaf Volunteer, identified only as Hans for security reasons, underscored the significance of communication in building trust.
“Language isn’t just a skill we carry, it’s a gift we give,” he said. “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.”
The new Volunteers begin their assignments immediately, continuing a partnership that has shaped community-level development across Kenya for generations.
