Krystal Dering ’15

Trees Grow in the Gambia

As someone with a degree in environmental science and sociology, joining the Peace Corps seemed a good fit to Krystal Dering ’15, who accepted a position as a crop extension volunteer in the Gambia. She began her service in October 2015 and extended her assignment for a third year to work with the department of forestry.

The Gambia faces significant deforestation, and Dering is part of the effort to counteract that environmental degradation. Her job involves several roles: She visits schools with her counterparts in forestry to teach students about different trees, their uses, and how to grow them; they then create a tree nursery at the school, and she helps manage the tree nursery and subsequent out-planting.

“I make sure to do this with one of my counterparts so they gain experience teaching in the classroom and using lesson plans,” Dering says. “This is one step away from their job of teaching different aspects of forestry to communities. Some of them have come a long way in being able to do this and have gained confidence to guest-teach on their own.”

“I’ve learned that there is never one right way to do anything, and I have come to see that everything is connected—that everything we do has an impact.”

Working in the Gambia has taught Dering many things. “I’ve learned that there is never one right way to do anything, and I have come to see that everything is connected—that everything we do has an impact,” Dering says. “This experience also has strengthened my understanding that we are all trying to live our best lives, and we shouldn't define people by their race, gender, or nationality.”