Oral history
Returned Peace Corps Volunteer Collection
RPCV-ACC-2019-050
Janet Matts served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya from 1977 to 1979 as a special education teacher for the mentally disabled. She trained at George Peabody College in Nashville, Tennessee (now part of Vanderbilt), followed by another three weeks in-country at Kenya Science Teachers College. Matts helped to establish a new school, Treeside School, outside of Nairobi in conjunction with the Kenya Department of Special Education, which was led by Kristina Kenyatta Pratt, daughter of the first president of Kenya. Matts talks about the challenge that joining Peace Corps created for her family, the importance of her work, and the feeling of satisfaction it gave her. She also discusses the dangers she and a friend encountered while in-country and the historical events that occurred during her service. Finally, Matts describes difficulties she encountered after returning to the U.S., and her views on the importance of Peace Corps both to individuals and to the United States. Interviewed and recorded by Candice Wiggum, January 21, 2019. 1 digital audio file.