1. PEACE CORPS UGANDA
PO Box 7007, Plot 48 Malcolm X, Kololo, Kampala, Uganda
Telephone: 256.317.111200; 256 0317111200, Fax 256.317.111.299
DESCRIPTION OF PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER SERVICE
Andre Wolff, Education Volunteer – Peace Corps Uganda
After a competitive application process stressing applicant skills, adaptability and cross-cultural
understanding, Mr. Wolff was invited into Peace Corps Service. As part of the language and cross-
cultural component of the training program, Mr. Wolff lived with a Ugandan family in Arua for
approximately 4 weeks and was made to feel welcome and at home. This home stay assisted Mr.
Wolff in adapting to the Ugandan culture and acquiring local language abilities, thus facilitating the
transition into his service at Arua Core Primary Teachers’ College, Arua District, West Nile Region.
Mr. Wolff began Peace Corps training on November 13, 2013 at a training site in Wakiso District,
Uganda where he completed an intensive ten-week training program encompassing the following
subject areas:
CULTURE: The cultural training component focused on politics, geography, history, cultural values,
and social norms (40 hours).
TECHNICAL: This component included a general introduction to the education system in Uganda; a
specific introduction to universal primary/universal secondary education in schools and teacher
training; issues that affect a child’s ability to learn e.g. gender, disability, HIV/AIDS; school
management and administrative structure; extra-curricular activities; community mobilization;
practice teaching in secondary schools; delivering seminars for students and teachers;
instructional material development; and observation and feedback skills. Mr. Wolff also
participated in community health sessions focusing on the various health issues prevalent in
Uganda including HIV/AIDS, Malaria, water and sanitation, and nutrition, amongst others
(120 hours).
LANGUAGE: The language component of training was comprised of an intensive study of the
Lugbarati language centering on practical application through various community simulations.
The ACTFL exam for Lugbarati was passed with a score of Intermediate Low (133.5 hours).
HEALTH & SAFETY: The health and safety training consisted of first aid, tropical medicine,
preventative medicine, stress management, personal safety issues and road safety (32 hours).
Mr. Wolff entered into Peace Corps service January 22, 2014, and was assigned to Arua Core
Primary Teachers’ College. The initial three months of his service in Arua was spent as an
integration and community assessment period, whereby Mr. Wolff worked to identify potential
development partners in the community. During this time, he focused on learning the school
curriculum, observing operations in the different departments, teaching, participating in all prior-
scheduled activities and fieldwork, and becoming familiar with community members. Mr. Wolff also
forged relationships with several other local groups during this time, including African Story Book
Project, Aga Kahn Foundation, UNICEF, and RTI’s School Health and Reading Program. Mr.
Wolff’s specific activities completed during his service included the following:

2. Educational Support
 Developed and implemented a literacy-centered mathematics education curriculum for 450
Pre-service Teachers (160 hrs)
 Coordinated and trained the Mathematics Department staff to provide improved student
support, resulting in a 40% increase in pass rate from the previous year
 Trained 450 Pre-service Teachers on teaching early-grade reading, literacy education, and
classroom and behavior management best practices (180 hrs)
 Planned and facilitated an in-depth four-session Teaching Methods Workshop for Pre-service
Teachers preparing for school-based student teaching (170 participants)
 One-on-0ne observation and counseling of over 200 Pre-service Teachers during school-
based teaching practice (280 hrs)
Project Development and Organizational Support
 Coordinated the implementation of National Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) Day in 8
centers in the Arua Core PTC catchment area, reaching over 6,400 students
 Created a user-friendly database system to store grades and information and provide access to
the collected data for administrative purposes during school-based teaching practice
Secondary Projects
 Coordinated, trained, and provided support for the African Story Book Project pilot study,
focusing on developing an online resource for maintaining cultural stories, and using them to
increase literacy in local languages
o Uploaded 25 short stories in English and local language translations.
o Trained 200 Pre-service teachers in the use of the stories to develop literacy
o Provided technical support to staff and pre-service teachers
Specialized training
 Pre-Service Training – Peace Corps Uganda
 In-Service Training – Peace Corps Uganda
 Mid-Service Conference – Peace Corps Uganda
 HIV/AIDS Four-day Workshop – Peace Corps Uganda
 Student-Friendly Schools/Gender-Based Violence Two-day Workshop – Peace Corps
Uganda
 Project implementation workshop – African Storybook Project
 Literacy Instruction Workshop – Research Triangle Institute (RTI) / School Health and
Reading Program (SHARP)
Leadership in Peace Corps
 Peace Corps Volunteer Trainer – Facilitated technical training sessions for new volunteers
during Pre-Service and In-Service Trainings.
 Youth Camp Staff – Facilitated content lessons and mentored youths during three youth
camps focused on developing leadership skills

3. Mr. Wolff successfully completed his service on December 10, 2015.
This is to certify in accordance with Executive Order 11103 of April 10, 1963, that Mr. Wolff served
successfully as a Peace Corps Volunteer. He is therefore eligible to be appointed as a career-
conditional employee in the competitive civil service on a non-competitive basis. This benefit under
the Executive Order extends for a period of one year after termination of Volunteer service, except
that the employing agency may extend the period for up to three years for a former Volunteer who
enters military service, pursues studies at a recognized institution of higher learning, or engages in
other activities that, in the view of the appointing agency, warrant extension of the period.
Pursuant to section 5(f) of the Peace Corps Act, 22 USC 2504(f), as amended, any former Volunteer
employed by the United States Government following his 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.
Peace Corps service shall not be credited toward completion of the probationary or trial period or
completion of any service requirement for career appointment.
_____________________________________________ ______________________
NAME Peace Corps Volunteer Date
______________________________________________ ______________________
Loucine Hayes – Country Director, Peace Corps Uganda Date
COS/ET Form H-Education: 2/2014