Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-ACC-2020-049
Allyn K. Writesel served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Niger from 1975 to 1977 on a health education project. She later served in Swaziland from 2015 to 2016 on an HIV/AIDS community health outreach project. In Niger, Writesel worked at a well-baby clinic in Filingue. She became fluent in both French and Hausa. In her second year, she moved to Abala to work at a smaller well-baby clinic. Because she was fluent in Hausa, she became a translator for a mobile clinic. Writesel rejoined the Peace Corps as a mature volunteer because of her continuing interest in global health. In Swaziland, she had a broad mandate to help with HIV/AIDS programs. She also worked on libraries and gardens at local schools. Writesel states that her Peace Corps experience formed the basis for her career, and also compares volunteering with and without technology. Interviewed and recorded by Tamatha Nibert, June 22, 2019. 2 digital audio files (web streaming files combined into 1 file).