Tag Archives: Environmental Education

Combatting Malaria in Thailand

During the 1970s, Jonathan Green worked with a malaria control program in South Central Thailand’s Control Zone 3.  Accompanied by a crew, Green ventured into the jungle to spray local villagers’ homes with DDT.  If individuals suspected they might have malaria, the organization administered a blood test and provided medication for those who tested positive.

Here, Green wears his khaki uniform, like other Thai civil servant officials. According to Green, his boss suggested this type of uniform because villagers would be more trusting and recognize him as an official.

Green’s work took him into the jungle to visit local villages.

Green traveling by boat. Rain often made traveling on dirt roads impossible.

Members of the spray team walk along the trail carrying their equipment. Jonathan Green wrote, “Each sprayman carries a canvas bag containing several plastic bags of powdered DDT, his sprayer, and a bucket in which to mix the DDT with water. Powdered DDT is not soluble in water, so it is hard to mix. But then the whole idea is to spray a suspension on the interior walls of homes, so the water will evaporate and leave the powder adhering to the walls to kill mosquitoes who like to rest there.”

Spraying DDT underneath a dwelling’s eaves.

“Mr. Winai, the malaria control sector chief for Tongphum and Snagkhlaburi districts, examining a blood sample under the microscope.”

Jonathan Green’s collection is the only one currently in the Peace Corps Community Archive documenting a volunteer’s experience in Thailand.  Green wrote detailed captions explaining each image and elaborating on his Peace Corps service.

To view more photos, visit Jonathan Green’s Facebook page.

Agricultural Extension Work in Paraguay

Peace Corps work in Paraguay began in January 1968.  The majority of volunteers in Paraguay I worked as agricultural extension agents.  It was their job to help local farmers improve the efficiency and output of small, rural farms.

“P-I Volunteer Rich Stockton and interim PC Paraguay Director Mike Doyle.”

In addition to assisting farmers, PCVs helped to establish and promote the 4-C clubs—an equivalent of 4-H in the US—among Paraguay’s youth.

“P-I PCV Rick Mines with ag. extension agent Ojeda doing grafting demonstration with a 4-C club in Pedro Juan Caballero.”

 

“4-C garden in Cheiro-Cue.”

Peace Corps Volunteer Robert Meade served in multiple locations throughout Paraguay promoting public health and agriculture.  According to Meade, PCVs played an instrumental role in encouraging local farmers to plant new crops and experiment with diverse agricultural projects visible in the images below.     

“Two Paraguayan farmers (“campesinos”) showing off melons grown in their gardens. PCVs were instrumental in getting farmers to try new crops for the market. Eusebio Ayala.”

 

“An ag. Extension agent with a local farmer with a tank to grow tilapia, another project started by Peace Corps Paraguay, Eusebio Ayala.”

 

“Raising rabbits for food and fur, another 4-C program backed by Peace Corps.”

All image captions above were written by Robert Meade.

These are only a few of the fascinating images documenting the work and experiences of PCVs in Paraguay.  To view more images, visit the Archives and Special Collections.

The Benefits of Peace Corps Service

Ever wonder what a Peace Corps volunteer actually gains from their experience abroad?  What new insights do they leave with?  What did volunteers learn about themselves?

Randal Participants 2002

Summer Program Participants, Cristo Rey Village, 2002

“I’ve survived the challenge of Peace Corps and found that I really like working with little kids.  I also found that I like to write and edit,” reflected Alanna Randall in an email to family and friends in the United States.  As a volunteer in San Ignacio, Belize, Randall worked as an Environmental Education Coordinator.  It makes sense that you might not love every aspect of the job you are assigned to do.  Yet, the Peace Corps environment provided many young individuals a chance to work in positions they might not originally choose.  Randall reflected on her own experience, “I’ve learned quite a bit about our environment, but I still don’t really feel qualified to be an ‘environmental educator.”

Volunteers like Randall left the Peace Corps with a deeper understanding of areas they were interested in pursuing post-Peace Corps, as well as those they unquestionably felt were not for them.

Randall Children 2002

Alanna Randall with Summer Program Participants, 2002

Jerry Estruth in Colombia

Jerry Estruth

Country of Service: Colombia
Place of Service: Antioquia
Service Type: Agriculture
Dates in Service: 1967
Keywords:  Agriculture, Community Development, Education, Environment

Accession Date: April 2005; Friends of Colombia Archive
Access: No restrictions
Collection Size: 0.25 linear feet

Document Types and Finding Aid

  • Correspondence
  • Reports
  • Publications

Alanna Randall in Belize

Alanna Randall

Country of Service: Belize
Place of Service: San Ignacio
Service Type: Environmental Education
Dates in Service: 2001-2003
Keywords: Education, Environment, Placencia, Cristo Rey Village, Chaa Creek Natural History Center, Cornerstone Jumpstart English Program

Accession Date: August 12, 2013
Access: no restrictions
Collection Size: 0.25 linear feet

Document Types

  • Correspondence (including printed email messages)
  • Photographs
  • Publications (The Toucan Times 2001-2003)

Finding Aid

  1. Photographs 
  2. Correspondence, etc. 
    1. Emails and writings 
  3. Toucan Times 
    1. Oct 2001 – Dec 2002 
  4. Toucan Times 
    1. Jan 2003-Dec 2003 

Jonathan Green in Thailand

Country of Service: Thailand
Place of Service: Kanchanaburi Province
Service Type: Malaria Control
Dates in Service: 1973-1975
Keywords: Environment, Health

Accession Date: July 10, 2013
Access: no restrictions
Collection Size:

Document Types

  • Photographs
  • Publications
  • Training Materials

Digital Files

  • Photographs
  • Memoir

See Also:
Jonathan Green’s facebook photo album.

Finding Aid

  1. Memoir 
  2. Digitized photographs and maps  
  3. Training Manuals in the Thai language 
  4. Mary Haas Thai dictionary issued to Green by the Peace Corps