By Rachel Kakraba
The United States Embassy in Ghana has held a reception in Accra to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Peace Corps, celebrating more than six decades of people-to-people partnership and development cooperation between Ghana and the United States of America.
The event brought together government officials, current and returned volunteers, host families, development partners and other stakeholders to reflect on the programme’s enduring contribution to Ghana’s development.
Peace Corps is the U.S. government’s premier international volunteering agency that deploys passionate and skilled Americans abroad to collaborate on projects that advance both American and host country priorities.
Since its inception in 1961, nearly 5,000 Peace Corps Volunteers have served in communities across Ghana, supporting sectors including education, health, agriculture and community development.
The anniversary also provided an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of generations of volunteers and their Ghanaian counterparts, whose collaboration has built resilience of communities.
Speaking at the event Mr. Rolf Olson, Chargé d’Affaires of the US Embassy in Ghana, recalled how former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, while addressing students at the University of Michigan, challenged them to consider volunteering their service in countries such as Ghana. Mr. Olson acknowledged Ghana as the birthplace of an extraordinary partnership built on mutual respect and shared success.
“President Kennedy signed the executive order establishing the Peace Corps on March 1st, 1961, and just five months later, Ghana became the first nation to welcome our Peace Corps volunteers, launching a movement that now spans the globe”
He said volunteers have worked across all 16 regions in agriculture, education and health sectors and made a significant impact.
“In agriculture, volunteers have been working with the ministry and alongside local farmers to enhance food production, introduce improved farming methods and crop diversification, optimize resource use, and increase science, STEM skills, and creative arts”
Mr. Olson said Peace Corps Volunteers have also made an impact in the Water, sanitation and hygiene sectors as well as other areas.
“Since 2022, they have completed 102 water and sanitation projects and supported construction upgrades of more than 20 clinics, CHP compounds, maternity wards, and health labs and implemented hundreds of community-based nutritional programs and demonstration gardens”
Mr. Olson commended volunteers who have served Ghana’s communities selflessly over the years, while expressing appreciation to Ghana for the collaboration.
“We honour every American volunteer who has served Ghana’s communities with skill and sacrifice. You do honour to our country with your service. We also express our profound gratitude to our Ghanaian partners, ministries, communities, and their leaders, and host families for your trust and collaboration”
Peace Corps Country Director Tamu Daniel indicated that over the last two years, more than fifty million dollars in human and fiscal resources have been invested in rural communities supporting education, health, agriculture, food security, youth development, and countless community-led initiatives.
She said that some of its most significant contributions cannot easily be measured in numbers.
“We’ve also learned that the most important things that the Peace Corps accomplishes are absolutely nearly impossible to count. How do you put a number on knowing that somebody wants you to succeed, that somebody believes in your potential, that someone will champion you when you need encouragement, that someone will protect you when you’re vulnerable, that someone from another country, from another culture, another background, has decided that your hopes matter to them too?”
She expressed appreciation to Ghana for committing to the programme and welcoming the nearly 5,000 volunteers over the last 65 years.
“For sixty-five years, Ghana has welcomed Peace Corps, and for sixty-five years Peace Corps has been proud to call Ghana home.”
The Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Grace Ayensu-Danquah, in a remark stated that the 65th anniversary of the Peace Corps is more than a celebration of longevity but a tribute to the generation of volunteers who have contributed to solidifying the partnership between Ghana and America.
“It is a tribute to the generation of people across geographical and cultural boundaries to serve, learn, and build enduring relationships. It also affirms the renewed mission of the Peace Corps, putting purpose, passion, and skills to work for America and the world.”
She said the partnership had over the years translated into practical service in Ghanaian classrooms, health facilities, farms, and communities
“Peace Corps volunteers have not merely worked in Ghana, they have lived among our people, learnt our language, embraced our traditions, and worked alongside local counterparts to address locally identified needs.”
She commended Peace Corps volunteers for supporting community education, disease prevention, and public health mobilization. This, she said, complements Ghana’s renewed emphasis on prevention and free primary health care, because strong health systems begin with informed, empowered, and resilient communities.
Dr. Ayensu-Danquah acknowledged the dedication of Peace Corps Ghana staff, host families, Ghanaian counterparts, and community leaders, who ensured volunteers serve safely, respectfully, and effectively.
“You are the foundation upon which the partnership has endured. To all Peace Corps volunteers, past and present, Ghana sees and appreciates you.”
“We recognize your sacrifices, your resilience, your willingness to serve, often in communities far from the comfort of your home. Your contributions live on in the institutions you have strengthened, the lives you have touched, and the friendships you have built. The government and the people of Ghana remain committed to deepening this partnership,” Dr. Ayensu added.
Also speaking at the celebration, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister of Education, extolled Peace Corps Volunteers for their tremendous sacrifices and service of humility which he said better connects Ghana and the United States.
He said the Peace Corps programme 65 years on, has transformed into an enduring model of partnership, advancing education, strengthening public health, and enhancing food security throughout the country.
Mr. Iddrisu, touching on the contribution of Peace Corps in the education sector, said volunteers have placed their professional skills at the forefront of service, supporting STEM instruction, foundational literacy, and inclusive learning in both mainstream schools and schools for the deaf.
He noted that these contributions had helped shape Ghana’s human capital, nurturing engineers, teachers, nurses, doctors and other professionals.
The Education Minister, commended Peace Corps Volunteers for leveraging learner-centered approach to education, which places children at the heart of the learning process.
“One of the admirable interventions in education is your learner-centered approach, and play-based pedagogy of learning which is one of the most admired features.”
He acknowledged the unwavering dedication of Peace Corps Ghana staff, host families, and your Ghanaian counterparts for the guidance and partnership which ensures that volunteers are prepared, supported, and meaningfully integrated into host communities.
Some volunteers shared reflections on the programme’s impact which has shaped their humility, dedication and willingness to serve in communities far from home.
The celebration also featured the symbolic cutting of the 65th-anniversary cake, marking the milestone and the enduring partnership between Ghana and the United States.
As the Peace Corps marks 65 years of service in Ghana, stakeholders are highlighting the programme’s legacy while looking ahead to new opportunities for collaboration and community development.
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