The Gambia
Ministry of Health
Qualified candidates will have an expressed interest in working in the health sector 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:
Experience with global health issues, such as maternal, child, and neonatal health; malaria; nutrition; water sanitation and hygiene.
Experience teaching life skills, behavioral changes, or youth-focused programs.
Volunteers live in remote, rural communities with access to public transportation within 3 miles.
None
Health
Yes
The Gambia
15
Yes
PCV
No
Shorter term service
How you and the community will make an impact together:
Train community members on practices that promote maternal, neonatal, and children’s health
Raise awareness on malaria prevention methods
Promote water and sanitation hygiene with the improvement or construction of community water and sanitation systems
Teach ways to prevent non-communicable diseases.
Strengthen youth life skills and awareness of youth-friendly services
You may also work on additional projects that meet the community’s interests and priorities, such as gender-empowerment clubs.
As a Community Health Facilitator, you will be trained to support The Gambia’s goals of ending preventable child and maternal deaths and supporting youths’ healthy transition to adulthood. Peace Corps/The Gambia will teach you Pularr, Mandinka, Wollof, Jola, and Serrahulleh to help you comfortably live in and connect with the community.
After 11 weeks of training, you will move to a rural community where you will collaborate with caregivers, families, healthcare workers, and teachers. You will work together to assess the local needs and develop solutions based on behavioral change principles.
Gain valuable, hands-on experience supporting global health issues
Become a valued part of a host family and community
Experience the rich culture of The Gambia firsthand
Heterosexual and same-sex couples are 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.
