By Tupou Vaipulu Jr

Nineteen Peace Corps trainees were welcomed to Tonga with a traditional Tongan Kava Ceremony at Fasi in Nuku'alofa on Friday 21 June 2024.

The Peace Corps has been in Tonga since 1967 with 1754 volunteers serving in the past.

Peace Corps Country Director, Kristofer Stice, told Matangi Tonga that the volunteers had served in "just about every sector" in the country. 

However, over the last seven years, volunteers have been primarily serving in primary schools, in the English departments.

The 19 new volunteers will undergo three months of training, which includes learning the Tongan language wtih an introduction to the Kingdom's culture.

On completion of training they will be "sworn in" and begin to work in a community level for two years.

Mr Stice said that nine trainees will continue to serve at primary schools and 10 will work alongside district and town officers to build climate resilience in communities.

"They're going to help with literacy and small projects for climate preparedness and disaster risk management with EAP's," he said.