RPCV Community Outreach to Evacuated Volunteers, EPCVs

The RPCV Community immediately reached out to the Volunteers as the evacuation was announced and begun.  RPCV Joshua Johnson (2009-2011) generated a Face Bookpage which is the “go-to” site for EPCVs. It is a private group and  now has over 8000 members.  This is what it offers:

1. Fellow RPCVs share their concern and their support for the EPCVs, establishing that the EPCVs are not alone.
2. Fellow RPCVs are offering support via leads on jobs, obtaining health care, and places to “self-quarantine”. ( EPCVs have been ordered to self-quarantine for 14 days.  Peace Corps should reimburse for expenses associated with this as some EPCVs can not go home because relatives may be at high risk.  Finding places immediately upon re-entry can be a problem.) The Facebook page organizes these offers.
3. EPCVs are posting specific requests for help in specific locations.
4. Any RPCV can offer help  by becoming a member of the Facebook page.
5. These items are only the main topics.

The Facebook page is not easy to access, but worth the effort.  If you are able to offer support to the EPCVs, this is a good place to start.  It is also powerful to read and reinforces the power of the RPCV community.

First, go to Facebook.com.  I think you have to be on Facebook.

Secondly, put the following title in the search box:

Returned Peace Corps COVID-19 Evacuation Support [Community-Generated]

Finally, the search will bring you to various groups associated with  COVID 19.  Don’t give up. Continue to scroll down until you come to a posting from the above group.  Click on it.  It should bring you to the group.  You may  be asked to identify youself by country and years of service.   If you have difficulty, please note that in the comments section of PCWW and help should be available.

The National Peace Corps Assciation is working with this group and also created a Resouce Page for EPCVs, Global Re-Entry.  Here is that link:

https://support.peacecorpsconnect.org/info

Peace Corps has a website, “Learning Space” accessible only to the EPCVs.  Its public webpage with general information no longer highlights the link.  Here is the link, which may or may not still be active: https://www.peacecorps.gov/coronavirus/