From Rathdrum to Rwanda

Cameron Marsh is headed for Rwanda with the Peace Corps.

The Rathdrum resident is among the first Peace Corps volunteers to return to overseas service since the agency suspended global operations and evacuated nearly 7,000 volunteers from more than 60 countries at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Marsh, who was in Lakeland High School’s graduating class of 2016, has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Gonzaga University.

He said, in a Peace Corps news release, that he is entering this service with an open mind and the hope of gaining a greater worldview from the experience.

“Through the interactions and connections I will form with members of the community, I aspire to gain a better understanding of the people of Rwanda and the work of public health at both the community and global levels,” Marsh said. “These lessons will be invaluable as I continue to pursue a career in public health post-service.”

He will serve in Rwanda as a volunteer in the health sector.

“The world is at a critical juncture. The largest global vaccination effort in history is underway while other widespread health, social, political and environmental issues continue to erode the foundation of our global society,” said Peace Corps CEO Carol Spahn. “Actions taken in the next few years have the potential to fundamentally impact development trajectories for decades to come.”

Volunteers now heading into overseas service will undergo three months of training, and then they will collaborate with their host communities on locally prioritized projects in one of Peace Corps’ six sectors – agriculture, community economic development, education, environment, health or youth in development – and all will engage in COVID-19 response and recovery work.

Marsh will work in cooperation with local community and partner organizations on sustainable development projects.

To learn more about the Peace Corps, visit peacecorps.gov.