VOLUME 23 #3

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Stephen Pope with boy from Mozambique

Capturing Mozambique

“Born and raised in this remote village, [my landlady] had her first child at 12 years old, began working at a health center at 13, mothered the last of her six children at 50 years old, and is HIV-positive,” writes Stephen Pope, AS12. “In spite of a lifetime full of hardship, she is one of the most generous, hardworking and welcoming people I’ve ever met. Her strength and compassion are truly inspiring, and a daily reminder of how resilient Mozambicans are.”

Pope, AS12, who is chronicling his journey as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mozambique, was chosen earlier this summer as one of eight winners in the annual Peace Corps Blog it Home competition for his blog, Postcards from Popester.

Following the international service organization’s mission to promote a better understanding of the world through peace and friendship, the competition celebrates those volunteers who choose to share the cultures and lives of their host communities. Winners went on the Peace Corps Top Bloggers Tour this fall, where they participated in a series of cross-cultural presentations, professional development sessions and other activities in Washington, D.C.

Pope, who currently works as a community health volunteer in northern Mozambique, has implemented a system of providing locally produced peanut butter as a means of improving nutritional security for HIV patients in his home province of Cabo Delgado. “HIV patients who receive some sort of nutritional supplement have higher attendance rates at the health center, and as a result are able to live stronger and healthier lives” he said. Regular visits to a medical unit ensure treatment adherence and lessen the chance of eventual resistance to a particular strain of drugs.

In addition to this work, he also seeks to foster income generation, conservation agriculture and small business development.

Pope’s interest in global outreach began here in Newark. Originally from Midland, Michigan, he chose UD for its ability to provide global opportunities, and he studied abroad in Argentina, China and Tanzania. It was during his final program to Tanzania that he first considered applying to the Peace Corps.

“Tanzania was where my worldview was broadened the most and where my interest in international development flourished,” he says. “The uniqueness of the bonds I created with people in Tanzania was very appealing, and Peace Corps service seemed like an opportunity to build upon that kind of experience for two years.”

After arriving in Mozambique, Pope (an international relations major) made it his mission to provide a window into the lives of those living in what he considers a remarkable country. “Upon joining the Peace Corps, putting Mozambique ‘on the map’ in terms of the culture, the geography and the challenges and triumphs of the country became a personal priority,” he says.

Pope will continue to volunteer for the Peace Corps in the coming year, managing the expansion of two projects he began as part of the Ariel Glaser Foundation.

To follow his journey, visit postcardsfrompopester.com.

Article by Nikki Laws, AS14

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