1. U.S. Peace Corps
The Gambia
P.O. Box 582 Tel: (220) 485-2120
Banjul, The Gambia Fax: (220) 439-1803
Description of Peace Corps Service
HANNAH SERTICH
After a competitive application process stressing technical skills,
adaptability, and cross-cultural acceptance and understanding, Hannah
Sertich was invited to serve as an Agricultural and Environmental
Volunteer Specialist in The Gambia, West Africa.
Pre-Service Training
Hannah Sertich began an intensive eight-week training program on
October 20, 2014 in Sare Samba, a small agrarian community located
approximately halfway up the country. The program consisted of daily
language trainings, technical skills trainings, cultural trainings, and
medical trainings. The technical instruction and field experience
included: agroforestry, food security, gardening, deforestation and
desertification, natural resource assessment and management,
environmental education and awareness, and NGO and counterpart capacity
building in The Gambia.
Training Program Included:
● 106 hours of Wolof language training
● 66 hours of technical training

2. ● 30 hours of cross cultural training
● 23 hours of medical training
● 10 hours of safety and security training
Assignment
Hannah Sertich was successfully sworn in as a volunteer on December 12,
2014 and assigned to the village of Kibiri, a small, multi-ethnic
agrarian community which housed around 500 residents. Hannah Sertich
adapted to village life with no electricity or running water.
Throughout her service, Hannah Sertich dedicated herself not only to
cultural integration but to counterpart capacity building and working
with village development groups on agroforestry and horticultural
projects. The following is a summary of his responsibilities and
achievements.
Primary Project
Establishment of School Garden: During Hannah Sertich’s time as a Peace
Corps Volunteer, Kibiri Lower Basic School approached her about
establishing a school garden to increase environmental awareness and
revenue. A fence had already been installed approximately a decade ago
by a Swedish NGO but attempts at starting a successful garden were not
working. To address this issue Hannah Sertich and her primary
counterpart, Baboucarr S. Boye, who was also the school garden master,
established a school garden action plan. Significant achievements
included:
● Cleared garden of weeds and re-dug 20 garden beds which included
3 vegetable nursery beds.
● Established a tree nursery which housed over 100 trees of
different varieties and uses.
● Established a successful garden committee whose duties included
recording garden activities, setting up watering schedules,
establishing a planting calendar, and responsible handling of
garden funds.
● Introduced improved varieties of vegetables that grew better in
the sub-saharan climate, that were more aesthetically pleasing,
and had shorter a shorter harvest interval.
● Sold school grown produce in surrounding markets to establish a
self-sustaining garden fund which was used to then buy more seeds

3. and desperately needed garden supplies such as shovels and
watering cans.
Secondary Projects
● Improved School Nutrition: Planted multiple intensive moringa
beds in the school garden to easily and cheaply add nutrition to
school lunches. Trained school cooks on the proper harvesting and
processing techniques of moringa leaves and the nutritional
importance of adding moringa powder to school lunches.
● Home Tree Nursery and Orchard Establishment: A fellow villager
approached Hannah Sertich about establishment of a mango tree
nursery. Trained the woman in proper nursery techniques such as
appropriate soil, beneficial additives to soil, proper handling
of mango seeds, proper watering techniques, and safety and
security of nursery from livestock. Several months later, during
rainy season, assisted in training of proper outplanting
techniques and successfully established a mango orchard.
● Beekeeping Training: Along with a fellow volunteer, had a one day
training in Kibiri on the importance of beekeeping to increase
crop and orchard yields and to generate extra household income
through the marketing of honey and value added products such as
soaps, lipbalms, and body lotion made from beekeeping byproducts.
After said training, assisted a fellow villager in the
construction of 3 low-cost beecatcher boxes from materials found
in the wild.
● Windbreak Establishment: Outplanted seven cashew trees along the
school garden fence to serve as a windbreak and protection of
garden produce from the harsh Harmattan winds.
US Peace Corps Accomplishments
● Tree Trek: Participated in the first annual Tree Trek, a training
designed to educate school children about the dangers of
deforestation and desertification and how to combat said
processes by the planting of trees and the importance of
establishing tree nurseries. The training included approximately
25 volunteers, 10 schools, and over 200 school children and
teachers.

4. ● Sami Beekeepers Association Training: Attended, with counterpart,
the first ever Sami Beekeepers Association training. The training
included the construction of low-cost beecatcher boxes from
materials found in the wild, proper site establishment and
management, appropriate techniques of checking established hives,
and how to make value added products from honey and wax.
Personal Accomplishments
● Integrated and adapted to an Islamic/African culture while
completing 14 months of service at a hardship post in the
developing country of The Gambia.
● Made solid and professional relationships and met each new
experience of village life with willingness and enthusiasm.
● Established a strong and loving relationship with host family and
helped with compound chores such as cooking lunch, sweeping,
getting water, and handwashing clothes.
● Successfully navigated within a different country using local
language and cultural knowledge.
● Gained confidence and self-awareness by becoming a strategic
member through projects at the village level and country wide
Peace Corps projects and workshops.
Pursuant to Section 5(f) of the Peace Corps Act, 22 U.S.C. & 2504 (f)
as amended, any former volunteer employed by the United States
Government following Peace Corps Volunteer service is entitled to have
any period of satisfactory Peace Corps Volunteer service credited for
purposes of retirement, seniority, reduction in force, leave and other
privileges based on length of government service. That service shall
not be credited toward completion of the probationary or trial period
of any service requirement for career appointment.
_____________________
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Jennifer Goette Date
Country Director, Peace Corps The Gambia