Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean swears-in new cohort of volunteers
ON FRIDAY, August 7, 2026, the Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean said it swore in 25 new volunteers during a regional hybrid ceremony that celebrated partnership, community, and the beginning of their two-year term of Peace Corps service within the four host islands.
A release from the Peace Corps states that the ceremony connected audiences in St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia, Grenada, and Dominica, bringing together Government Officials, Ministries of Education, community leaders, host families, school partners, and Peace Corps staff in a shared welcome to the new volunteers.
Peace Corps Country Director Kimberly Will, is said to have highlighted the significance of this moment, noting both the volunteers’ commitment to service and the region’s deep historical connection to Peace Corps, including St Lucia’s 65 years of partnership since welcoming the first Volunteers in 1961. She emphasized that volunteers’ greatest impact comes from “sustained relationships, shared goals, and collaboration rooted in optimism and commitment with their host country counterparts”. U.S. Mission to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Chargé d’Affaires, Karin Sullivan expressed to the volunteers to, “Carry forward the Peace Corps values of friendship, accountability, and respect; and remember: your service is part of a wider American story, one that believes individuals can strengthen our nation and the world through commitment and contribution”.
Following nine weeks of immersive training, including language learning, cultural orientation, literacy instruction, and classroom practice, the new volunteers will now start their service, based in primary schools across the four islands. Their work will support English literacy development for students in Grades 1–5, focusing on early‑grade reading. Five volunteers in Dominica, six in Grenada, nine in St Lucia, and five in St Vincent and the Grenadines will serve in communities across each island, contributing to long‑standing education literacy goals for each country.
The Peace Corps noted in the release that since 1961, more than 4,339 volunteers have served in the Eastern Caribbean. At present, 38 volunteers are actively serving across the four islands, working alongside teachers, principals, and communities to expand literacy and deepen cultural exchange. In 2026, Peace Corps Eastern Caribbean said it proudly celebrates 65 years of service and partnership in the Eastern Caribbean.
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