Peace Corps volunteers have been donating their time and skills for decades by serving abroad before returning home to apply their newfound talents and experiences. But how often do you hear of someone from Kenya coming to the U.S. to offer their services? Not very.
But Atlas Service Corps is changing that by acting as a “reverse Peace Corps” which brings promising nonprofit leaders from around the world to the U.S. for a year or so to volunteer within local organizations, before returning to their home countries.
Now in its 10th year, the Atlas Corps, which is based in Washington, D.C., has seen 500 leaders from 79 countries pass through its program and alumni have gone on to advise presidents, lead nonprofits, run for parliament, and more. The program’s first graduate went back to Colombia and became an adviser to the president, while another alumni became country director for World Vision in Armenia.
About the author
Sophie Edwards
Sophie Edwards is a Devex Contributing Reporter covering global education, water and sanitation, and innovative financing, along with other topics. She has previously worked for NGOs, and the World Bank, and spent a number of years as a journalist for a regional newspaper in the U.K. She has a master's degree from the Institute of Development Studies and a bachelor's from Cambridge University.
