In 1961, President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps as a way for Americans to work side-by-side with community leaders worldwide in education, health, the environment, agriculture, community economic development, and youth development.

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Since its inception in 1961, more than 240,000 Americans have volunteered their time to serve in 142 countries worldwide, including Binghamton couple Timothy Moore and Anastasia Youngs.

In March of 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Peace Corps suspended its global operations and evacuated nearly 7,000 volunteers from more than 60 countries.

Now, the Peace Corps is resuming operations, and among the first to go overseas to serve are Timothy Moore and Anastasia Youngs of Binghamton. They will serve as agriculture volunteers in Senegal.

Youngs said, “When we looked into serving, we discovered that the Peace Corps has opportunities for couples and decided to take a chance and apply.” 

The Peace Corps was attractive to Moore and Youngs because they share a passion for botany, agriculture, and resource management, and through the Peace Corps, they would be able to work alongside each other while using their education.

“As a couple, we will have the opportunity to bring and share more field and working experiences, educational and technological knowledge, and life experiences to our communities,” said Moore.

The couple hopes that working side by side to help others will also allow them to better train in the language and help each other along the way.

Peace Corps CEO Carol Spahn says, ‘Actions taken in the next few years have the potential to fundamentally impact development trajectories for decades to come.” It’s exciting that one Binghamton couple will be part of bettering the lives of those living in Senegal.

If you’re interested in utilizing your skills to help in other countries, the Peace Corps is accepting online applications until October 1 for those interested in volunteer opportunities who will leave by early 2023.

All volunteers will receive a living stipend, language and technical training, student load deferment, and more. Learn more about the Peace Corps and how you can get involved here.

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