Ortega Hails Peace Corps Volunteers

EFE January 25, 2008

MANAGUA – President Daniel Ortega last week met with Ronald A. Tschetter, world director of the Peace Corps, and eulogized the work of the U.S. aid volunteers here and in other parts of the world.

Ortega received Tschetter in his government headquarters Jan. 17 to learn more about the work of the 160 U.S.

Peace Corps volunteers currently in Nicaragua. Peace Corps volunteers, stationed here for two years at a time, are assigned to work in communities identified by the Nicaraguan government as being most in need in areas of community health, agriculture, environment, small-business development and English lessons.

Subsequently, many of the Peace Corps volunteers are stationed in the north of the country.

Ortega, a former revolutionary, noted similarities between his cause and that of Tschetter, a former volunteer in India.

“We are both dedicated to the social causes and we continue in the same battlefield, because these [Peace Corps] programs are priorities to combat poverty,” Ortega said. “I want to say that we are very content and place a great value on this attitude of thousands of young North Americans who participate in these programs in 74 countries.”

Ortega said that in Nicaragua, Peace Corps volunteers can be assured that they have the support and recognition of his government, and that he hopes to meet some of them in the communities this year.

Tschetter, for his part, gave President Ortega a coin commemorating 47 years of Peace Corps activity around the world.