Here's the 411...

Originally published at http://anita4peace.wordpress.com/

I promise to write more once I’ve had a chance to absorb it all. For now, here’s the 411 on my Peace Corps assignment…

COUNTRY: Panama

PROGRAM: Community Economic Development (CED)

JOB TITLE: CED Consultant

ORIENTATION: Aug 11-12, 2009 in a U.S. city yet to be named.

TRAINING: Aug 13 – Oct 22, 2009 in Panama (I will be living with a host family)

SERVICE: Oct 23, 2009 – Oct 27, 2011 (After training, I can move into my own home)

LIVING CONDITIONS (per Peace Corps): Rural Panamanian-style house… a simple concrete blockhouse with cement floors and a tin roof or adobe or grass huts with dirt floors or wooden floors on stilts with palm-thatched roofs.

THE GOALS: The focus is on strengthening the management and leadership capacity of Rural Cooperatives, Local Organizations, and Youth to increase job and economic opportunities. There are three goals:

1. To improve management and leadership practices.
2. To identify resources and employ strategic planning to stabilize and/or expand economic opportunities.
3. To empower youth through the acquisition of life, entrepreneurial, and technological skills.

MY DUTIES: I will be working as a consultant to improve small business management and leadership capacity. Some of my tasks will include:

• Transformational leadership training
• Train the trainer
• Instruction in writing business plans and training modules.
• Training in strategic planning, problem-solving, decision-making, market research, feasibility studies
• Educate youth in teamwork, leadership, and effective communication
• Support income-generating projects of other volunteers including 1) Community Environmental Conservation, 2) Environmental Health, 3) Tourism and English Advising, and 4) Sustainable Agricultural Systems.