Nepal
Community forest groups, secondary schools
Qualified candidates will have an expressed interest in promoting environmental awareness in schools and communities, and one or more of the following criteria:
•Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any field
OR
•5 years' professional work experience
All candidates who meet the required skills are encouraged to apply. Additional skills that may make you a more competitive candidate include:
• At least 3 years of full-time experience in tree propagation, nursery management, forest-based income generation, ecotourism, solid waste management, energy efficient stoves, or environmental education.
• Experience or coursework in environmental science, environmental education and/or advocacy, natural resource management, forestry, nursery work, solid waste management, environmental camps or clubs, outdoor education, tree planting, forest fire-line construction and management, or selective harvesting and cultivation.
Volunteers will live in the Bagmati and Gandaki provinces with a host family but can expect a private a room. Volunteers usually walk several miles every day on hilly terrain to work in both hot and cold weather, and during the monsoon season from June through September.
None
Environment
Yes
Nepal
24
Yes
PCV
No
Support primary and secondary teachers in teaching environmental education.
Plan and facilitate environment-focused clubs or camps for youth.
Support schools and communities to adopt improved solid waste management practices.
Assist community forest user groups on best practices to rehabilitate, conserve, and sustainably manage natural woodlands.
Train families on constructing and using energy-efficient cookstoves.
Support community forest user groups to develop forest-based income generating activities and improve basic business skills.
You may also work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as establishing book club or cultivating mushrooms and fruit trees.
As a Community Forest and Environment Advocate, you will be trained to support government supervisors and multiple community counterparts to contribute to improving the environmental situation of people in rural communities. Peace Corps/Nepal will teach you Nepali to help you comfortably live in and connect with the community. You will also receive language resources to learn key phrases in a local language used in your assigned area.
After 10 weeks of training, you will move to a rural or peri-urban community where you will collaborate with secondary schools and community forest user groups to assess the local needs and develop solutions that sustainably manage natural resources and increase the environmental resilience of people in rural communities.
Gain hands-on experience in the sustainable management of natural resources and intercultural communication.
Learn Nepali language skills from dedicated Language and Cross-Cultural Facilitators.
Enjoy living in the Himalayan mountains and the colorful traditions of 125 ethnic groups who call Nepal home.
Only heterosexual couples can be accepted for this program.
Each person must apply separately and must qualify for a position in either the same or a different sector than their partner.
Couples will live together during training but may separate occasionally for field-based activities.
Couples who are selected for the same sector will live together but work with different local partners, which may be in the same community or in neighboring communities (not more than 30 minutes apart)., Cohabitating couples are highly encouraged to present themselves as married throughout service due to cultural expectations.
As the preeminent international service organization of the United States, the Peace Corps sends Americans with a passion for service abroad to work with communities and create lasting change. Volunteers develop sustainable solutions to address challenges in Education, Health, Economic Development, Agriculture, Environment and Youth Development. Through their Peace Corps experiences, Volunteers gain a unique cultural understanding and a lifelong commitment to service that positions them to succeed in today's global economy. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 240,000 Americans of all ages have served in 142 countries worldwide.
