Interview with Debby Prigal, September 20, 2021

Interview Summary

Debby Prigal served as a Peace Corps Volunteer (Education) in Ghana from 1981-1983. From an early age, Debby wanted “to make a difference,” so after college graduation, Debby joined the Peace Corps. She completed 10 weeks of in-country training in Koforidua, Ghana for language and culture along with practice teaching. She then traveled to her school assignment in the city of Ho, the capital of the Volta Region. Debby taught high school math at Our Lady of Apostle Girls’ Secondary School. By living on school grounds with other teachers and students, she became part of a tight-knit, supportive community that worked together during difficult times of food shortages and power outages. Her students have gone on to professional careers in medicine, investment banking, and the ministry. After Peace Corps, Debby completed graduate degrees in Business and Engineering. She held professional positions around the U.S. She lives in Washington, DC and works as a statistician for the Department of Homeland Security. Debby remains active with Peace Corps through Friends of Ghana, Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Washington, DC, and the National Council of RPCVs (now National Peace Corps Association). Debby enjoys maintaining contacts with former Ghanian teachers and students and has returned twice to visit them in Ho, Ghana.

Interview Keyword

Peace Corps (U.S.) Ghana (Country of service) 1981-1983 (Date of service) Peace Corps Volunteer Job (Education) Peace Corps Center for Assessment and Training Accra (capital of Ghana) Koforidua, capital of Eastern Region, Ghana (Training) Ho (capital of Volta Region where Volunteer assigned) Twi (Language) Ewe (Language) Yevo (white person) Our Lady of Apostle Girls Secondary School A-Level school (British system through first year of college) LCI (Language and Cultural Instructor) ACTION (a U.S. government agency to consolidate federal volunteer programs, including Peace Corps) Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteer (JOCE) Loret Miller Ruppe (U.S. Peace Corps Director, 1981-1989) Associate Peace Corps Director, in-country (APCD) Returned Peace Corps Volunteers of Washington, DC (RPCV-Washington) National Council of RPCVs National Peace Corps Association (NPCA) Friends of Ghana Peace Corps Partnership Program Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia Assessment for Peace Corps service

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