Former Peace Corps volunteers share their stories

MINERVA | Spouses Stephen Petersen and Judy Podziewski, former Peace Corps Volunteers in Nepal (1980-82) and Botswana (1989-91), recently shared their experiences with the Sleeping Giants Seniors of Minerva. Their presentation was an introduction to the history and mission of the Peace Corps, followed by their experiences during two stints of service, vividly describing the remoteness of the places they worked and the challenges they faced. The Peace Corps was initiated by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 with three core objectives: sending trained volunteers to developing countries to assist in strengthening their social, economic and environmental programming; sharing American culture, values and goodwill, while learning about those of their host countries; and bringing those experiences home to promote Americans' better understanding of the larger world. This presentation was one such effort. Since its inception, the Peace Corps has sent more than 240,000 Volunteers to 142 countries. Volunteer numbers were typically 6,000 to 8,000 each year. In 2026, those numbers will drop dramatically as fewer than 50 are currently being recruited. While serving in Nepal, Stephen and Judy worked with local communities, Stephen designing and constructing suspension bridges in remote areas of the country, and Judy working in Western Nepal at a farm that collected and certified vegetable seeds from local farmers for distribution throughout Nepal and beyond. While in Botswana, Stephen worked for a national rural technology center as a solar project manager, and Judy worked with women-led horticultural groups to improve their production and management skills. Upon completion of the their Peace Corps service, they relocated to Botswana in a remote San (Bushmen) settlement in the Kalahari Desert, where they initiated a development trust governed by local San inhabitants that oversaw projects including securing water through solar desalination and large rainwater harvesting facilities; producing high-quality sal from highly saline groundwater and selling it throughout the country; supporting Kalahari artisans who produced traditional decorative attire from wildlife and veld products; and organizing residents to negotiate management rights over the wildlife resources their survival depended on. They stayed until 1997. After spending 30 years with various organizations with an aim to improve the lives of underserved communities in the developing world, Stephen and Judy chose to return to the beauty and serenity of the Adirondacks. In Minerva and the outlying areas, they continue that work locally by volunteering within these communities.

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Former Peace Corps volunteers share their stories

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