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Making A Difference: A Window Into Nydelis Ortiz’s Peace Corps Service

photo by Photo Provided Part of her Peace Corp position involves working with the people of her region to develop businesses based on the animals, trades and products of the region.

photo by Photo Provided Nydelis shown teaching a youth entrepreneurship and business plan writing course to a group of secondary school (the Peruvian equivalent of high school) graduates studying at the technical institute.

photo by Photo Provided Nydelis Ortiz stands with her Peace Corp site mate (who left in October) dressed in traditional attire from the Cajamarca region of the Peruvian Andes for a parade she was in.

photo by Photo Provided Visiting Machu Picchu in Cusco; two former Miss Vermont’s show that service cuts down boundaries and opens borders.

photo by Photo Provided Nydelis at her first meeting of a local artisan guild near her site in Peru.

Tuesday February 18, 2014

By Cookie Steponaitis

The Peace Corps was founded in 1961 with the mission of promoting world peace and working collaboratively with partner organizations to create positive change. 215,000 volunteers have and continue to donate one to two years of their time living in a foreign country and helping address challenges including disease, hunger, inequality and empowerment. Vermonter Nydelis Ortiz was in middle school in Addison County when a close family friend joined the Peace Corps and was sent to the Dominican Republic to work as a health volunteer. She shared her stories and photos with a young Nydelis planting a seed that resulted in Nydelis following her example in the future.  After graduating college Nydelis realized she wanted a career in public service and non-profits and the memories of her friend’s service in the Peace Corps inspired her. “I began the application process in November 2011 and six months later I was notified that I would be leaving for Peru to serve as a community economic development volunteer in June 2012,” shared Ortiz. “I really fell in love with the Peace Corps mission and am excited that I have had the opportunity to make that goal of mine a reality.”
Ortiz shared that you continuously hear the phrase, “do not have any set expectations” when applying for the Peace Corps volunteer program. “Every volunteer’s experience is uniquely different from each other’s which I think is one of the beauties of the Peace Corps. Every site is different, every community member is different and every volunteer is different,” shared Ortiz. “All of those factors contribute to making a unique experience for the volunteer that will change their life. During the application process they look for flexible individuals who are up for any challenge and can adapt to changing circumstances on the fly. Going into it the only expectation I had was that I would be making an impact on a community in one way or another. I knew that just by being there it would make a difference in at least one person’s life. Since I came to Peru with little expectations I have just been able to appreciate my community for what it is and have fallen in love with my site, my job and the people. The prospect of leaving in about five months is already beginning to feel a bit sad.”
Ortiz is located about an hour north of Trujillo, Peru, the third largest city and works in a community economic development program with goals of helping create youth entrepreneurship, financial education and small-business advertising. She is currently teaching a group that won a national business plan competition and received funds to start their own business. “I’m currently working with the brother and sister duo to start their bakery. I have helped form several community banks and I work with an artisan association on different topics including marketing, costs and exportation,” remarked Ortiz. “Through my year and nearly eight months of being in Peru I feel like I have learned more than my entire college education. I’ll take away many useful technical skills regarding community economic development, a field I would love to continue working in on my return back to the states as well as personal skills like being self-sufficient, independent and resourceful.”
Spanish is Ortiz’s first language and she feels that her childhood prepared her for a comprehension and connection to the people she is now working with. “When I was young my family went through some hard economic times and I often had to do without a lot of the things I saw other kids having. I knew what it felt like to live in poverty but that still doesn’t compare living in poverty in the U.S. to living in poverty in a developing country. Regardless, I feel like that personal experience has really helped me communicate well with people from any socioeconomic background which is said to be the biggest barrier between people. I think that the one thing that makes an effective Peace Corps volunteer is someone who is passionate about the work they do and I definitely fall into that category.” While Ortiz’s two years will end in July this year she knows the experience of her Peace Corps service will always remain with her.
“I am campaigning to bring two dogs back home to the U.S. with me,” explained Ortiz. “I’m kind of known as the crazy dog lady who sits and feeds all of the stray dogs around.” While coming home just shy of her twenty-fifth birthday will be cause for celebration Ortiz knows that a part of her heart will always call Peru home as well.  “I definitely see the world differently now. Life in Peru moves so much slower and is so much simpler and there is so much less stress and anxiety. This is something that I will continue incorporating into my life when I return to the U.S. It is also really nice to see the sense of community within site. Everyone looks out for each other and if someone is struggling someone will come in to lend a helping hand. This experience has 100% solidified my desire to work in a field that helps others.” The Valley Voice salutes Nydelis Ortiz and all those of her generation who are finding a blend between building a career and building connections to a more positive world.

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