Woodsider goes to Niger for Peace Corps Woodsider goes to Niger for Peace Corps (June 01, 2005)

By Nicole Boroff

Special to the Almanac

Brandon Bragato, a native of cool, forested Woodside, is now stationed with the Peace Corps in Niger, one of the hottest climates in the world. He plans to spend the next two years of his life there.

After teaching at the AHA! community learning center in Palo Alto, Mr. Bragato, 24, decided to bring his teaching and language skills to the Peace Corps.

"I've never done volunteer work of this magnitude," says Mr. Bragato.

His decision to go to Niger drew what Mr. Bragato characterizes as "mixed feelings" from his parents and girlfriend -- pride, but also concerns about his health and safety in a region where malaria and poisonous snakes are part of life.

Peace Corps volunteers spend three months in training before committing to the full (additional) two years.

"The country is trying to manage resources in the face of desert and deforestation," says Mr. Bragato. "As the population increases, the amount of land they can use decreases, so they must improve agricultural techniques."

Although Mr. Bragato says he has always been good with languages, he is now completely immersed in a non-English speaking culture, and challenged to communicate not only in French, but in tribal languages as well.

"It's a new game for me," Mr. Bragato says. "Half the population of Niger is under 15, and the average lifespan is in the 40s."

For Mr. Bragato, educating the young is a priority, and he hopes to form a youth group around ecology.

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