In Armenia, for example, a volunteer worked with a local radio station to develop programs to teach English to more people. In Nepal, volunteers helped students write books about their lives, culture and communities. The students sold their books to help earn money for school supplies. Peace Corps volunteers also help people protect and improve the environment. In Sri Lanka, volunteers worked with a local environment organization to protect wetland areas.
Volunteers also help provide health care around the world.
In many African countries, they have organized programs to give children vaccine medicines to protect them from disease. The new program gave Americans the chance to answer the call to service that President Kennedy made in his inaugural speech. Most of the first Peace Corps volunteers were young people. They had just completed university studies in general subjects. About half of these first volunteers taught English or health care.