WOODLAND PARK, NJ —After retiring from a career in business and finance, Rakesh Jobanputra was searching for a way to give back and serve others.
His search took him to a road less traveled — and he took it.
“I didn’t want to just retire and go and play golf or sit sipping cocktails,” said Jobanputra, 59, of Florham Park. “That’s just not me. And for me, I need a challenge. I need to be in an environment helping others. And I’m selfish in that I want the reward and the satisfaction of knowing I’ve helped others, but I’m hoping I’m a little bit selfless as well.”
Jobanputra turned to the Peace Corps after he discovered that the organization welcomes members of all ages.
“I’ve heard a lot about the Peace Corps, from that perspective of younger recent graduates going out and volunteering all over the world,” Jobanputra said. “I didn’t realize that there was the senior part to it in terms of volunteers. Apparently, it’s less than 10% and growing.”
Despite this statistic, Jobanputra was not discouraged.
“I am not feeling any concerns about working alongside young people. In fact, I hope I can share my experiences and knowledge with them as well as learn from them, too,” he said.
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After the Peace Corps accepted his application, Jobanputra learned he will be one of the first volunteers to go abroad after the coronavirus pandemic.
In March 2020, the Peace Corps brought all its volunteers home. More than 7,000 volunteers were evacuated from posts in more than 60 countries. During the pandemic, the Peace Corps continued its work through a new virtual service platform, domestic deployment of volunteers to aid in the United States’ COVID-19 response, and continued work with overseas staff and partners.
Now the Peace Corps is sending volunteers, including Jobanputra, abroad once again. He will be stationed in Albania for two years.
“Albania is one of the poorest countries in Europe,” Jobanputra said. “Interestingly, it’s one of the most beautiful countries in Europe. The scenery is breathtaking. But sadly, the government there bankrupted the country 20 years ago, and since then, it’s been really trying to dig itself out of a really bad economic situation.”
I have explained his role in the region.
“From what I understand, I will be an organizational development volunteer, and I look at that as volunteer community work [and] social work,” Jobanputra said. “And so I’ll be placed at a site, probably a rural town or village, and probably an underserved community.”
He also hopes to bring some of his experiences and interests to the role, to go above and beyond what is expected of him and to have a positive impact in the region.
“I’m hoping I’ll do more, maybe in my extra time, by teaching yoga, for example. I love yoga,” Jobanputra said. “Teaching accounting skills — [I’ve] been in accounting for 40 years now, and I’ve learned a lot. So I’m looking forward to passing those skills on to folks.”
His goal is “to give more than 100%” when it comes to his volunteerism, he said. To do so, he has to leave behind his life in the United States for the two-year assignment.
“It’s daunting leaving my family for two years. However, I feel blessed after retiring early at 57 to have the opportunity of a [second] career and more along the lines of my passion to help others in a more meaningful way,” Jobanputra said. “My wife and three children, who are in their 20s, have been very supportive and encouraged me to follow my dream.”
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His family has planned a trip to visit him in Albania, and he plans to travel back to the United States often. He is also hopeful that his wife of him, who is currently a teacher of students with special needs, will join him on future missions as a volunteer.
Jobanputra has prepared for this assignment by ensuring that his finances are in order and tying up loose ends, but moving to a new country is not an entirely new experience for him. He was born in Uganda, grew up in England and moved to the United States 21 years ago.
Erin Curran, a public affairs specialist for the Peace Corps’ Office of Volunteer Recruitment and Selection, said it is important to note that Peace Corps volunteers go to nations that seek their help.
“The Peace Corps doesn’t come in with [ideals] about what we are going to do for them,” Curran said. “They identify what they need, and then our volunteers and our in-country staff are there to support them through that, so that they’re making sustainable change in their community that they see as valuable going forward.”
Curran said the pandemic had a significant impact on the regions the organization serves.
“The pandemic has set back years of development progress, exacerbated existing inequalities, and disproportionately impacted communities where the Peace Corps serves,” Curran said. “With decades of experience contributing to large-scale public health efforts, the Peace Corps is in a unique position to provide the grassroots, community-driven support critical to global COVID-19 response and recovery efforts.”
Curran also detailed some of the precautionary measures the Peace Corps is taking to keep its members safe.
“Of course, a COVID 19 vaccine is required for all of our volunteers that serve, but then again, I think the medical history that’s reviewed as well as the medical evaluations during the clearance process are now evaluated with a different lens knowing that COVID- 19 is still around and may affect volunteers,” Curran said.
As Jobanputra embarks on his mission, he said he hopes to be an inspiration for anyone who is interested in becoming a senior volunteer.
“I think it’d be nice to see more senior volunteers around the world,” he said. “And hopefully through me, they can see it is possible, it’s not that difficult and it is important for us to do.”
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George is Digismak’s reported cum editor with 13 years of experience in Journalism