{"id":436,"date":"2020-12-16T13:01:25","date_gmt":"2020-12-16T18:01:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rivier.edu\/alumni\/?page_id=436"},"modified":"2022-01-20T11:27:00","modified_gmt":"2022-01-20T16:27:00","slug":"hayley-parenti-class-of-2018","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.rivier.edu\/alumni\/alumni-stories\/hayley-parenti-class-of-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Hayley Parenti"},"content":{"rendered":"

In fall 2019, Hayley generously shared her experience with us from West Africa.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"HayleyQ: From New Hampshire to West Africa \u2026 how did your service evolve?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hayley:<\/strong> When I was 12 years old, I started getting into Amnesty International and human rights, and then discovered the Peace Corps. I kept that in my mind all the way through my schooling and when senior year at Riv finally arrived, I could apply. I was accepted and have been in-country since September 2018. Following three months as a trainee, I was sworn in as a volunteer for two years of service. My current post is in Cameroon, West Africa.<\/p>\n

Q: What are your mission and goals?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hayley:<\/strong> I serve in the health sector, which means that my project under the Peace Corps is maternal and child health. My main goals are working on malnutrition, HIV\/AIDS testing and education, and encouraging women to come to the health center, especially to give birth. Another focus is malaria. I\u2019ve given presentations and counseled women individually on the disease, why breastfeeding is important, and why they should sleep under insecticide treated bed-nets. My village\u2019s \u2018high school\u2019 no longer has an English teacher, so I will most likely start teaching English classes there. A new goal will be to get an Education Volunteer placed in my village.<\/p>\n

Q: What are the most significant challenges in the community you\u2019re serving?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Cameroon,<\/p>\n

Hayley: <\/strong>There are a lot of challenges in my community, but one of the biggest is lack of education. This is especially prevalent for women, as they are even less likely to receive education than the men. Another big challenge involves food. Malnutrition is a big issue. There really aren\u2019t any vegetables and few fruits in the village. The most common, easiest, and cheapest food made here is fufu. Often times, it\u2019s a staple in every meal; people think that it\u2019s part of a good meal nutrition-wise. In reality, there\u2019s really no nutritional value, but because it\u2019s filling and can feed big families, it\u2019s the most common thing made.<\/span><\/p>\n

Q: What are your biggest challenges\u2014personal and professional?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hayley: <\/strong>Language is a challenge. The main languages in Cameroon are mostly French and some English, but there are more than 250 different dialects spoken. In my region, Fulfulde is the main language. I don\u2019t speak that much of it, so I can\u2019t do anything work-wise by myself. This also makes it difficult to make friends, since the majority of women only speak Fulfulde. Going along with language, there are feelings of isolation and loneliness, since I can\u2019t communicate with others as much as I would like to. The culture here is very different, and that\u2019s one of my biggest challenges. I live in a very conservative, Muslim\u00a0village. There\u2019s polygamy, child marriage, young girls giving birth, and women not being able to even leave their homes without their husband\u2019s permission; these women can\u2019t even go to the health center to give birth without their husband\u2019s permission. It\u2019s different and very difficult.<\/p>\n

Q: What impact has your service had on the community and on you?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hayley: <\/strong>The impact volunteers have on the community they serve isn\u2019t always seen during our time here. Change takes a lot of time, and while two years seems like a lot, it\u2019s often not enough time for us to see those changes, but the volunteers who come after us will. Peace Corps has had a big impact on me. While this has always been my dream, it is so far out of my comfort zone it\u2019s a shock to many (including me), that I\u2019m able to do it. I\u2019ve learned I\u2019m capable of a lot more than I thought I was, and I\u2019m a lot more resilient.<\/p>\n

Q: What are your plans after the Peace Corps?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hayley: <\/strong>Right now, I\u2019m leaning towards law school. I\u2019m interested in international and comparative law or law and social change so that I can do something with human rights. I\u2019ve also thought about going back to school for a double major in global health and international affairs.<\/p>\n

Q: Any advice for others considering the Peace Corps?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hayley: <\/strong>Something I heard a lot before coming here was, \u201cOh, I wanted to do that when I was younger,\u201d and \u201cI wish I knew about that when I was your age.\u201d There\u2019s no age limit to the Peace Corps. To anyone who might have wanted to do it when they were younger, you still can!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In fall 2019, Hayley generously shared her experience with us from West Africa. Q: From New Hampshire to West Africa \u2026 how did your service evolve? 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