Feature Film

Posh Corps is a 75 minute documentary film about the modern Peace Corps experience. Posh Corps is the first film to capture the experiences of volunteers during their service. The volunteers featured in this film are discussing the experience as it happens.

For fifty years, the US Peace Corps has been sending American volunteers to developing countries around the world to teach skills, and build relationships. As these countries develop, capitol cities become modern enclaves, while rural villages struggle with the cultural strain that accompanies rapid development. Volunteers today are serving right at the intersection of traditional and modern influences. The film focuses on Peace Corps volunteers in South Africa, which is one of the most iconic examples of this shifting Peace Corps experience. The struggles of Peace Corps Volunteers in South Africa provide a glimpse of the future for volunteers throughout the developing world. Their stories demonstrate, that the need for Peace Corps does not end when countries become more modern... in fact, the need becomes more pressing than ever. Posh Corps is a film for anyone who wants to volunteer abroad, or for anyone who wants to catch a glimpse of the volunteer experience in a rapidly changing world.

“This film provides valuable information and offers a unique glimpse into the life-changing impact of Peace Corps volunteers.”

— Booklist

“...there is no doubt that the film will deepen understanding of the modern day Peace Corps and serves as a welcome contribution to the fulfillment of Peace Corps goals.”

— National Peace Corps Association

 Short Films

Returned volunteers reflect on Peace Corps service around the world.

Single Origin - Honduras

Lowell Powell served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Honduras. He met Mayra Orellana in the tiny village of Santa Elena. Though small and unknown, Santa Elena produces some of the highest quality coffee. In order to help make this coffee more widely available, Lowell and Mayra started an new kind of coffee business. Their company, Catracha Coffee, works with farmers to ship coffee directly to merchants in the United States, and the profits are shared with the farmers.

Shway Shway - Morocco

In November of 2015, singer/songwriter and former Peace Corps volunteer Socorra Camposanto returned to Morocco to perform in seven cities across the country. Socorra's tour mirrored her Peace Corps service as she taught music classes to young Moroccan students and encouraged them to perform publicly.

Socorra's return to Morocco perfectly captures the duality of Peace Corps service. She loves Morocco, but the country still has the power to drive her crazy. Despite her complex feelings, Socorra is committed to continuing her work in Morocco.

Riverton City - Jamaica

Mark is a sculptor from Northern California who served in Jamaica. Mark worked in Riverton City, on the outskirts of Kingston. Riverton is right at the edge of the rather overloaded Kingston landfill. Mark worked with a group of men who live in Riverton. They collect scrap aluminum from the landfill, melt it down in a homemade furnace, and recast it in molds made of river sand.

Township - KwaZulu Natal

Ryan is a Peace Corps volunteer placed in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. Ryan extended her service for a third year in order to create an educational development organization for local youth. Her work is an example of a very successful volunteer/community partnership project. 

Swati South Africa

John is a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who served in Swati-speaking South Africa.

 Audio Documentaries

Audio documentaries from the Posh Corps Podcast, produced from 2015 - 2020.

Connection

Rabi Island, one of the easternmost islands of Fiji, is one of the most remote places on earth, but even Rabi is not completely isolated from the global network that connects us all. Even at the ends of the earth, connections can tether Peace Corps Volunteers to their lives at home while distracting from service at site.

Published March 23, 2020

The Committee of Returned Volunteers

The Committee of Returned Volunteers (CRV) was the first national Peace Corps alumni organization, and it was specifically created to oppose U.S. foreign policy. The committee’s key opposition came on May 8th 1970. Several CRV members walked into Peace Corps Headquarters in Washington D.C., kicked the staff out of the building, and hung a Vietcong flag out of the window in protest of U.S. involvement in Vietnam. They occupied the office for two days. Elaine Fuller was one of the returned volunteers who occupied Peace Corps headquarters in 1970.

Published January 19, 2017

Kiribati

Over the years, Peace Corps Volunteers have served in many nations that have endured revolution, war, and social turmoil, but Kiribati may be the first Peace Corps country to simply cease to exist. Kiribati (Keer-ree-bahss) is a nation composed of 33 coral atoll islands spread over a vast area of the Pacific Ocean. Most of the islands of Kiribati are no more than two meters above sea level. Like many Pacific island nations, Kiribati is severely impacted by climate change and rising sea levels. Though Kiribati may not be completely submerged for another fifty years, the effects of climate change may soon render the islands uninhabitable.

Mike Roman served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Kiribati from 2000 to 2002. In this episode of the Posh Corps Podcast, Mike explains the challenges facing his adopted country, and what he's doing to help Kiribati and other Pacific island nations.

Published July 21, 2016

Health Justice

Nancy Tongue, who served in Chile from 1980 to 1982, struggled to get serious illness covered through the Federal Employees Compensation Act (FECA). FECA, which is administered by the Department of Labor, is the only way for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers to get compensation for their service-related medical issues. FECA is so dysfunctional, that many Returned Peace Corps Volunteers with serious post-service medical conditions are trapped in a medical limbo, unable to get the treatments they need, unable to work due to illness and unable to get help from Peace Corps. Nancy Tongue started a support group for these volunteers called Health Justice for Peace Corps Volunteers.

Published May 1, 2016

Advocates

Kate Puzey served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Benin. She was murdered after blowing the whistle on sexual misconduct by a part-time Peace Corps contract employee. Kate Puzey's parents worked with the members of the advocacy group First Response Action to advocate for the Kate Puzey Volunteer Protection Act. The Kate Puzey Act required Peace Corps to implement new procedures for volunteer victims of sexual assault, and whistle-blower protections for volunteers. The Kate Puzey Act also required Peace Corps to hire a victim advocate to help volunteer victims and agency management understand the rights of victims.

Kellie Greene was the first victim advocate hired by Peace Corps. Kellie says that Peace Corps was resistant to the reforms mandated by the Kate Puzey Act, and that agency management forced her out of her position at Peace Corps.

Published May 8, 2016

Mefloquine

Mefloquine, also known by the brand name Lariam, is an anti-malarial drug that has been prescribed to Peace Corps Volunteers since 1989. Mefloquine is effective at preventing malaria, but some believe that the adverse side effects of the drug may be just as dangerous as malaria itself.

Sara Thompson served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Burkina Faso from 2010 to 2012. She experienced serious adverse side effects from Mefloquine use during service, and the side effects did not end when she stopped taking the drug. 

Published May 15, 2016

Reformers

A provision within the Peace Corps Act limits employment at Peace Corps to a term of five years. This provision is known as the "Five-Year Rule." Numerous assessments have found that the Five-Year Rule creates serious disincentives toward high employee performance. The dynamic between the Five-Year Rule and a high number of political appointees at Peace Corps results in a fundamental flaw in Peace Corps policy.

Chuck Ludlam and Paula Hirschoff served as Peace Corps volunteers in the Sixties, and they served again as volunteers in Senegal from 2005 to 2007. They found that Peace Corps had not matured as much as it should have over the years. They are among the very few volunteers who have successfully advocated for Peace Corps reform.

Published May 22, 2016

Teachable Moments

Five BPCV's (Black Peace Corps Volunteers) discuss the impact of race, physical appearance, and gender on Peace Corps service.

Produced by Lauren Schwartzman & Adrienne Hall.
Published May 1, 2016

Nick Castle

Nick Castle served in Peace Corps China. He died tragically from a serious illness. This story is about Nick's service in Peace Corps China. We hear from one of Nick's Peace Corps friends and Nick's family. We also discuss the lackluster response from the returned Peace Corps volunteer community following Nick's passing.

Produced by Alan Toth & Lauren Schwartzman
Published September 27, 2015

Disclaimer

This production is not affiliated with the US Peace Corps or the US Government. The statements and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the individual speakers and do not constitute official statements or positions of the US Peace Corps, the US Government. The US Peace Corps has not approved, endorsed, or authorized this production or the use of the Peace Corps logo. All materials ©2013-2020 Alan Toth, unless otherwise noted.