Meet our Peace Corps Response Volunteer, Alli Gerths

JET Education Services is a partner of Peace Corps South Africa. Peace Corps Response places experienced professionals in short-term, high-impact service assignments in communities around the world. Today, we shine a spotlight on Alli Gerths, who is serving with JET as our Peace Corps Response Volunteer.

Originally from Iowa in the American Midwest, Alli was living in the San Francisco Bay Area in California before moving to South Africa.

Alli previously served 27 months as a Youth in Development Volunteer in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. During her time at Nokaneng Primary School, she supported life skills programmes, health and literacy initiatives, and food security efforts.

Driven by a passion for meaningful engagement, Alli joined the Peace Corps to serve both her home country and the communities that welcome volunteers. “I decided to join the Peace Corps as a way to not only serve the United States, but also the people and communities in the host countries I served in,” she explains.

In 2023, JET Education Services and Peace Corps South Africa formed a partnership to establish a Peace Corps Response Volunteer position dedicated to strengthening parental and caregiver involvement. The role was advertised through the Peace Corps portal, where Alli immediately recognised an opportunity that aligned with her passion for education and community empowerment. After applying and interviewing, she was selected to join JET as an Education Response Volunteer.

Alli began her service with JET in October 2024 and will continue through December 2025. Once her assignment concludes, she plans to visit friends and former colleagues in Botswana before returning to the United States to spend the festive season with her family.

Her journey reflects dedication, cross-cultural collaboration, and the power of partnerships. JET is proud to host Alli, and is grateful for Alli’s valuable contributions to strengthening parental and caregiver involvement in education.