‘The Peace Corps is a low-cost, high-impact investment’

Peace Corps Deputy Director David E White Jr visited Nepal earlier last week. During his five-day stay, White held meetings with government and civil society representatives to thank them for their long-standing support to the Peace Corps program since its founding and discussed plans to expand Peace Corps programming in Nepal. The Editor-in-chief of Nagarik Daily, Guna Raj Luitel, and the Editor of Republica, Kosh Raj Koirala, sat with White to learn about various aspects of Nepal-US relations, focusing mainly on the activities related to Peace Corps volunteers in Nepal. Excerpts:

What brings you to Nepal?

First of all, let me just say how incredibly pleased I am to be here. I have so much enjoyed being in Nepal over the last five days. It is beautiful. This is my first time in Nepal, and the culture is so distinct, so deep, and so omnipresent throughout everything we’ve done and all the people we’ve met. It’s just been a fantastic experience. I can’t wait to get back to the United States and share with everyone I know just how beautiful Nepal is and encourage them to come and visit.

As you may know, President Biden nominated me in June 2023 to be the deputy director of the Peace Corps. I was fortunate enough to be confirmed by the United States Senate in December 2023 and then sworn into the role in January. I was sworn in by my boss, Peace Corps Director Carol Spahn. Even though it’s only been about four months, I’ve been overwhelmed by the amount of support in the community that Peace Corps is home to, not only the Nepali people and all the other countries where we serve, but also the Peace Corps community and the returned Peace Corps volunteers. So it’s really great to be able to sit down with you today and talk a bit about the work we’re doing together.

The US government and the Government of Nepal have a long 77-year history of bilateral relations. For a large portion of that time, the Peace Corps has been a strong partner with the Nepali people and the Government of Nepal. The Peace Corps has been on the ground here for 62 years. I came here principally for three reasons. First, to meet with our volunteers and witness the fantastic and transformational work they’re doing every day at their project sites, living with their host families in their communities. Second, to meet our local staff here who are really the backbone of our operations. They are Nepali people who support us every day. The Peace Corps volunteers and the important work they’re doing side by side with the Nepali people. And third, to meet with so many different representatives of the Government of Nepal who have been great partners and champions of the important work that’s happening here in Nepal. I could not be happier to be here. It’s been a bonus that I’ve been able to partake in so much of the fantastic food from the buckwheat dhindo to the momo. It’s all been absolutely fantastic, and the dhindo is made with buckwheat, which I think speaks to the importance and uniqueness of Nepali agriculture, and how you’ve made such great use of the topography and geography here and the resilience to produce such a unique array of tasty foods.

Nepal and the US recently celebrated the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. How does this new Peace Corps response program build on the long-standing partnership of the US with Nepal?

I was very lucky to be able to swear in 10 Peace Corps response volunteers a few days ago. It was a fantastic experience. We did that side by side with members of the Government of Nepal. This represents a huge step forward in the relationship and partnership between the United States and Nepal. It really takes our partnership to the next level. Peace Corps response volunteers are a little different from what we call the two-year volunteers. The two-year volunteers are the type of volunteers who have served in Nepal since 1962, with nearly 4,000 volunteers serving. These are generally folks a few years after college, but sometimes older, who undergo three months of pre-service training in Nepal and then serve for 24 months in their communities, learning the language, living with host families, and making a real difference by working side by side on shared development projects.

Peace Corps response volunteers continue that great tradition and legacy but tend to be a little older. This cohort of 10 Peace Corps response volunteers has an average age of about 50, and the oldest has three grandkids. Many of them have advanced degrees and are true experts in their fields, bringing incredible experience and expertise to bear. They are working across three distinct areas: agriculture, where they are leveraging chemistry in agricultural research and laboratories and partnering with local Nepali scientists; tourism, where they aim to boost the amount of tourism coming to Nepal so that everyone can see its natural beauty and partake in its great food; and information and communications technology, bringing digital resources and other digital assets into the classroom for the benefit of both teachers and students. The important part here is that these projects are responsive to the needs of the Nepali people as articulated by the Government of Nepal. Just before I came to Nepal, I sat down with Ambassador Sridhar Khatri in the US at his embassy, and I asked him: what can we do to support you in tourism and agriculture? These projects represent the aspirations of the Nepali people.

You also interacted with the local people during your stay in Nepal. What were the actual needs that they discussed with you?

First of all, I would say the Nepali people are very innovative and resilient and have a great future and a culture that is so deep and historic. I had a fantastic opportunity to get out not only from the Kathmandu alley and outside of Kathmandu but also to meet people of Pokhara and in Parbat. It took us a long time to get out there, but once we did, the views were stunning. I met with a mother’s group there and talked a bit about their needs and how we could best support them.

They talked about two different projects. One was related to mushrooms. They were very interested in oyster mushrooms and figuring out how we could be more helpful and support each other in growing them. It was a fantastic opportunity to hear that and then to go see how one of our Peace Corps volunteers, Moye, was helping the mother’s group to grow mushrooms. We saw the mushrooms growing, and I got a chance to ask one of the members of the mother’s group, “Now, could you do this on your own?” She replied resoundingly, “Yes, I know how to do it now.” So that’s the real value: the opportunity to share knowledge that outlasts all of us.

The second project they were really excited about was honey from bees. It was a fantastic opportunity to see firsthand some of these hives. We have three volunteers working together across three different communities, sharing best practices and lessons learned, now affecting over 100 hives in communities throughout that district. It’s been wonderful to hear firsthand from the Nepali people how the Peace Corps can support them in these shared development priorities.

What transpired during your meetings with government officials in Nepal? What observations did you make during these meetings?

I noticed that they were very proud to have the Peace Corps partnering with the government in Nepal. The Peace Corps has been here for 62 years. In every single ministry meeting, I heard from the minister about their personal experience with the Peace Corps—how they were a host family for Peace Corps volunteers, how they were taught by a Peace Corps volunteer, or how the first foreigner they ever met was an American Peace Corps volunteer. I think the Nepali people are proud that their government is partnering with the US government through the Peace Corps to ensure that we continue to work on these really important shared development priorities.

Could you please explain how the new Peace Corps response volunteer program is different from the traditional Peace Corps program?

These are folks who have short-term but high-impact opportunities here on the ground, partnering with Nepali people. All these volunteers have advanced degrees and decades of experience in their fields. They go through weeks of training, after which they have a language and cultural facilitator who helps them get set up with their host families and introduced to Nepali culture. Then it’s off to the races, as we like to say, which means they dive right in and work side by side with the people for nine to 12 months. After that, they go home and share the great Nepali culture with people in America.

This is a different but similar program compared to the traditional two-year program, but one that allows us to have an even greater impact with a smaller number of people. It’s a program we’re very proud of and have used in many other countries around the world. The program started in 1996 and has been well tested and continues to be in high demand in our partner countries.

The traditional Peace Corps volunteer program is for two years. Technically, the Peace Corps response volunteers can serve anywhere from 3 to 12 months. As it relates to Nepal and the 10 volunteers who just arrived, they are staying for 9 to 12 months. It’s not uncommon for volunteers to extend their stay. Often, volunteers say they don’t want to go home because the work they’re doing is so important, and they love the Nepali culture so much. They usually go home, see their families for a while, and then come back. This opportunity strengthens the relationship between the US government and the Peace Corps on the one hand, and the Government of Nepal on the other.

What would be the lifelong impact of the Peace Corps volunteer program on the individuals who come to serve here?

It’s like pebbles in a pond. When you drop a pebble in a pond, it sinks below the surface, but you see the ripples that create so much change and positive impact. These ripples start to oscillate outward, get bigger, and sometimes even become waves in a larger body of water. These ripples turn into waves of positive change, brightening the future of both the Nepali people and the Peace Corps volunteers. If you talk to some of the 4,000 returned Peace Corps volunteers who served in Nepal over the last 62 years, they will tell you that their experience here fundamentally changed their lives for the better. Some went on to become university presidents, corporate CEOs, or high-ranking government officials. I know people in the US government who started out as Peace Corps volunteers, and that experience shaped their lives. It built bridges between the US and the countries where they served. These ripples turned into waves of positive change for the people they lived and worked with. They shared their culture with the Nepali people and shared Nepali culture when they returned to the US. It was like a circle of knowledge and growth that was created. The Peace Corps is a great opportunity to create ripples that become waves of positive change for both our peoples.

What are you looking forward to in the Peace Corps’ relationship with Nepal?

It’s been a long partnership. This year, I look forward to talking more with the people of Nepal to understand how we can take this relationship to the next level. As we mark this milestone and become even closer friends in promoting peace and friendship, I am excited about improving our programs to reach more Nepali people. I’m reminded of the concept back in the United States where we talk about the Peace Corps family, which really includes the entire Peace Corps community. I’m also reminded of the ancient Sanskrit saying, “the whole world is one family.” This idea resonates with me and reflects the relationship between the Nepali people and the people of America through our volunteers.

How does the Peace Corps measure the effectiveness and impact of the programs? Is there any kind of system in place to measure its impact and effectiveness?

The impact goes beyond the numbers, but the people it touches are most evident. I had the opportunity to have dinner with several Nepali people who had been uniquely impacted by the Peace Corps. One person was inspired to go to medical school because of a Peace Corps volunteer who taught them. Another met their first American, and indeed the first foreigner, through the Peace Corps. We measure change in the promotion of world peace and friendship through these personal connections. Quantitatively, we have a robust system to track how many students we’ve taught, how many teachers we’ve partnered with, and how many agricultural projects we’ve worked on together. This information allows us to report to the US Congress and demonstrate that the Peace Corps is a low-cost, high-impact investment. We also share these stories with the American people to show why the Peace Corps is so important and more relevant than ever in today’s world.

I relish every opportunity to meet people impacted by the Peace Corps and can’t wait to tell the President of the United States, the Secretary of State, and my boss, the Peace Corps Director, about how wonderful Nepal is and encourage them all to visit. We have a long-standing relationship between Nepal and the US, and both Nepali and American people have strong ties.

Are you thinking of introducing new programs within the Peace Corps volunteer program?

We’re always excited to hear from the Nepali people about what’s important to them. I spend a lot of time talking to people in countries where the Peace Corps works, and I always ask: what’s important to you? How can the Peace Corps best partner with you to make lasting positive change? Here in Nepal, I put this question to the people in every interaction: tell us how we can support you, how we can work hand-in-hand, side by side, on these locally prioritized shared development priorities. Every time I speak with someone here, I learn more about the culture and their needs.

The relationship is not one-way. It’s really both ways. The American people benefit just as much as the people of Nepal because we get exposed to the beautiful Nepali culture, which we can take back home. We have a vibrant and vast Nepali diaspora in the United States, from Dallas to Boston to New York City. America’s strength is in its diversity, and we are proud to have such a strong, vibrant Nepali community in the United States.

Do you have any message for our leaders, policymakers, and people in Nepal?

The Peace Corps’ effectiveness and legacy, as well as its bright future, are reflected in the fact that more than 240,000 Americans have served in the Peace Corps in 144 countries. This legacy is evident in every encounter I have, whether on the street, in a meeting, or at a café. Recently, at the University of Michigan, where the Peace Corps was first articulated by then-Senator John F. Kennedy in October 1960, I met a former volunteer who served in the 1980s. He introduced me to his Nepali wife and shared how much he loved the culture and history of Nepal, and how he literally fell in love. This is an example of what we call the Peace Corps’ third goal: bringing other cultures back to America to make it a more understanding, rich, and vibrant place. It has been an absolute pleasure to be here in Nepal.

I am glad to have visited a Buddhist Stupa in Kathmandu. There was a moment as I was heading to the airport from Pokhara, where we saw the Fishtail Mountain. The clouds parted for just a moment, and we could see the peak. It was incredible. At that moment, I decided I was going to bring my wife here so she could witness it firsthand and we could enjoy it together. I can’t wait to be back, and I’m sure this will be the first trip of many.