Interview with Emily Haines, April 20, 2021

Interview Summary

Emily Haines’ family encouraged community service. She graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a degree in Fine Arts Illustration. While studying abroad she first encountered what the refugee experience was like. Haines accepted an invitation to an agroforestry project in Cameroon. Training was good, but she still had to learn local needs on-site. Her home site was Baham and she worked with counterparts at both an NGO, CIPCRE, (Cercle International pour la Promotion de la Création) as well as with a local government agricultural office. Haines was self-directed and provided a varied event schedule and handled local needs requests. Requests included working with a school environmental education club, providing environmental education classes, developing a youth leadership and community service program, local women’s groups, community initiative groups, and environmental education camps. Haines explains that she believes building relationships is the cornerstone of Peace Corps’ value and success. Haines also views herself as a model for young girls and women with respect to women’s empowerment. Haines states that understanding traditional cultural traditions while improving agroforestry practice is critical.

Interview Keyword

Cameroon (Country of service) 2007-2009 (Date of service) Community garden Fine Arts and Illustration Study abroad Returned Peace Corps Volunteers Seed bank Cook stoves Bouille Ground corn porridge Koki White bean cake County seat Bayangam (Cameroon) Bangou (Cameroon) Provincial capital Port city Fovu Club de Baham Rock formation CIPCRE Government agriculture office Resources Community initiative group Local women’s groups Environmental Education Committee Environmental education camps Waza National Park (Cameroon) Gift Relationships Women’s empowerment Capacity development Tribalism Cultural practices Peace Corps Volunteer Job: Agriculture Meals

Interview LC Subject

Peace Corps (U.S.) Cameroon Volunteers Voluntarism Agroforestry Rhode Island School of Design Travel International travel Communication and culture Families Language and languages Food Culture Intercultural communication Interpersonal relations Lifestyles Geography Socialization Friendship Shopping Cooking Teacher Refugees Crises Rome (Italy) Blogs Bangangté (Cameroon) Training French Soil Grafting Sahel Bafoussam (Cameroon) Douala (Cameroon) Non-governmental organizations Limbe (Cameroon) Beach Christmas Chiefdoms Peace Corps (U.S.)--Cameroon WhatsApp (Application software) Baham (Cameroon: District)

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