Kathmandu, Dec 21: The Peace Corps’ 1962 bilateral agreement has been amended. Ministry of Finance Secretary Shree Krishna Nepal on behalf of the Government of Nepal and the Peace Corps Country Directory Troy Kofroth completed the amendment amid a function here.
The amendment renews and updates the long-standing collaboration between the Government of Nepal and the Peace Corps, and modernises several aspects of the programme. Since then US President John F Kennedy created the Peace Corps in 1962, the governments of Nepal and United States signed a bilateral agreement to authorise the Peace Corps’ operation in Nepal.
Following this, under this programme, the first batch of 77 volunteers comprising teachers and agriculture specialists reached Kathmandu to live in and partner with Nepali communities. Since its inspection in 1962, nearly 4000 US citizens have arrived in Nepal to serve as volunteers for two years.
These volunteers lived in Nepali communities across the country and worked in multiple sectors including education and food security. The volunteers are currently living and working in five districts in Nepal. Education volunteers work in government schools where they help uplift English standards of English language teachers while helping them learn new skills.
Similarly, food security volunteers work with farmers in their bid to improve agricultural output and produce high-value cash crops to increase family income.
