Resumé

​Agroforestry Exension Agent with Peace Corps Zambia

• Selected to serve in the first cohort of 35 PCVs to resume global service after the COVID pandemic

• Provided technical support to the Zambian Department of Forestry at the community level for Chipangali and Kasenengwa districts, supporting reforestation and food security efforts

• Used participatory community engagement techniques to collaborate with over 570 farmers from agriculture cooperatives, schools, and women’s groups in identifying and designing the following activities to increase agricultural productivity and local household incomes:

  • Planted over 31,000 trees for income generation, food production, soil improvement, and firewood production, with a 94% outplanting survival rate

  • Designed and led construction of a circularly-integrated pig farm for meat and vegetable production alongside the Chiyanjano Cooperative. The project included the installation of an attached water tower, a deep litter bedding system, and water drinking nipples, significantly enhancing scalability, sustainability, and efficiency (see here)

  • Established 1200 m2 of new tilapia fish ponds with community members for sustainable fish production, providing a sustainable source of revenue for farmers and bolstering access to protein-rich food in the village (see here)

  • Assisted in the management of 4500 m2 of existing fish ponds, focusing on implementing new technologies like sex reversal and aquaponics to increase yields

  • Optimized the agricultural output of Rural Roots Coop's 1.5-acre garden by transitioning to higher-value, more productive, or more resource-efficient varieties of familiar crops, including purple potatoes, Double Mahoi banana, and perennial varieties of nitrogen-fixing maize, resulting in substantial increases in revenue (see here)

  • Built community-based broiler chicken farms with a combined production capacity of 560 birds per month, addressing local need for food security and income generation activities by transforming crop waste into affordable chicken meat (see here)

  • Assisted a community member in obtaining a business license and constructing a marketplace with solar-powered refrigeration, fostering local entrepreneurship and enhancing access to goods and services within the community (see here)

  • Constructed a water tower with locally available materials to provide irrigation to myself and neighbors, enabling gardening activities during the dry season and increasing local vegetable availability (see here)

• Collaborated with community members to design, obtain, and implement the following small-scale grants: 

  • Facilitated a three-day environmental education, career preparation, and HIV awareness camp for 38 underprivileged teenagers and 19 local community leaders at South Luangwa National Park ($8,277, USAID) (see here)

  • Designed and led construction of a 13.5-meter water tower and classroom to provide the Kazachi Group orchard with drip irrigation and a location for teaching sustainable farming techniques ($9,259, USAID) (see here)

  • Provided technical assistance and contributed to Monitoring and Evaluation of a community project to convert 15 hectares to solar irrigation ($27,000, UNDP) (see here)

• Worked to reestablish the Peer Support and Diversity Network and served on the resulting committee throughout my service

  • Supported the mental health and wellbeing of fellow Peace Corps Volunteers through peer support activities

• Taught Environmental Studies, Biology, and Computer Science to 194 8th and 9th grade students at Mchenja Primary School

• Collaborated with international book aid groups to establish and stock libraries in two primary schools, providing students with essential reading materials and fostering a culture of literacy

• Facilitated cultural exchange in local language (ChiNyanja)