Vegan Vegetarianism in Peace Corps

Lisette has done it again with her crazy animal rights idealism.

As a vegan and current Peace Corps volunteer I wanted to add my 2 cents:

I have been vegan for 6 years and vegetarian for over 11 mostly for animal rights reasons but also for health, environmental, and human rights reasons as well. When I applied to peace corps, my recruiter said I had to be flexible about being vegetarian not just vegan aka I had to be willing to eat meat. I agreed to the proposition though secretly I was planning on sticking to the veganism.

I have been in country for almost a year. Luckily, I have been able to completely avoid animal products and still be culturally sensitive and more than nutritionally sound. Once I got to country, staff was completely supportive of my veganism. They set me up with host families willing and able to handle vegan cooking. I can't say its always been easy and yes I have had to be flexible meaning - going hungry when only options are meat, possibly paying more to ensure my health (though I think being veggie is cheaper here), working a little harder to make sure I am eating nutritiously, being patient explaining to others why I am veg. I can't say I have been perfect ie when I am served something could have been snuck in but the same is true in the states. I also reject non-vegan food in a very cultural sensitive way. I am not in your face about it but I feel as part of the PC mission I need to also represent USA culture which does include the minority population of vegetarians that is growing quickly.

I can't speak for all of peace corps and all countries but I do want to give my voice that it is possible and can work.


I am even working with other volunteers forming a volunteer support group called Apoyo sin Pollo or Support with Chicken YAY to support vegetarians/vegans/non-meat heads in Peace Corps Honduras. Check out the article I wrote about it for the PC newsletter:

Get in on the action - Apoyo Sin Pollo!
Submitted by volunteer Lisette Molina


Tired of the bombardment of churros, sugar coffee, and funky ‘pata de baca’ soup? Want to feel rejuvenated, energized and ten years younger? Well, check out the newest unofficial PCV support group

Apoyo sin Pollo!

Our mission: “To provide loving support to Peace Corps Volunteers and Staff by eating saludable y sostenible, exercising through recipe exchanges, potlucks, sharing saludable reads, and creating a macanudo cookbook to be passed down to future PCVs and our communities.”

This group of 44 members grew out of a need to support vegetarians and vegans in Peace Corps but has now grown larger to include anyone interested in healthier eating and exercise for themselves and for their Honduran communities. This is about moving toward eating a plant based diet so that we are as physically healthy as we can be, environmentally friendly, and spare animal suffering. And it’s not about being pure or strict; it’s about being informed and having fun while living according to values like kindness and thoughtfulness. We strive to be healthy, heal our bodies from disease, and start making the world a more peaceful, sustainable, and livable place. It’s about leaning into a healthy lifestyle simply by tweaking our very favorite meals so that they are delicious and nutritious versions of the things we already love.

Quick stats about why “no pollo”:

• Former President Bill Clinton, Boxer Mike Tyson, Actor Tobey Maguire, NFL player Tony Gonzalez all follow a primarily plant-based diet so if you want to be famous, an athlete or President of the USA….

• The United Nations has reported that a vegan diet can feed many more people than an animal-based diet.

• A United Nations report found that the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than all the SUVs, cars, trucks, ships, and planes in the world COMBINED.

• Of all the raw materials and fossil fuels used in the U.S., more than one-third are used to raise animals for food.

• Compared to meat-eating comrades, vegetarians/vegans experience a 50 percent lower rate of heart disease, a 40 percent lower cancer rate and a life- span of 6-10 years longer, according to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

• Animals are sentient beings who deserve dignity and a life free of suffering. Pigs are smarter than dogs and every bit as friendly, loyal, and affectionate. They have greater cognitive abilities than a 3-year old human child.

For me personally this has been a life saver and comfort. I’ve been vegetarian for over 10 years (no animal flesh – chicken, beef, fish, etc) and ve- gan for 5 (No animal flesh or products – meat, dairy, eggs, etc.). I am passionate about animal rights and also human rights. That’s why like you, I’m here in Peace Corps. But when applying to Peace Corps, I was told in my interview that I have to be flexible about being vegan aka eat meat. Luckily, I have been able to completely avoid animal products and still be culturally sensitive and more than nutrition- ally sound. And now I am even part the Apoyo Sin Pollo community who has the same interest too. Interested? Burning questions? Email Lisette.Molina.pchn@gmail.com

Aspiration Statement

Fighting for a cause simply creates more of a negative – fighting from two opposed sides. After gaining experience working with very effective non-profits like Support for International Change, Community Advocates for People’s Choice, and One Heart Source, I learned that you cannot help the world by focusing on the negative. But rather, effective solutions are born out of focused energy and collaboration of individuals united with a common action plan. I believe each one of us has the potential to bring hope into our world by standing up and making a difference using one’s own personal knowledge and experiences. I expect to use my attributes as a hard worker, motivator, leader, team-builder, and mediator – characteristics I have developed through previous activities ranging from volunteer advocacy work to academic research. In addition, I expect to use my theoretical knowledge of international development that I have gained from my Bachelors education in Geography and International Development Studies at UCLA. Bringing this energy and approach, the power to make an impact is immense. I am forever grateful for UCLA which has given me an excellent education and access to amazing opportunities. For example during my volunteer experience in East Africa with Support for International Change, I worked with many homeless children who faced extreme poverty daily and sexual assault nightly. The following summer, I worked in collaboration with Tanzanian leaders to build an education center, orphanage, sustainable food system, as well as a volunteer mentoring program during the seed year of a fully UCLA student run non profit One Heart Source. Both of these organizations were started right at UCLA by STUDENTS.

I aspire to use these experiences to work with communities to enhance the quality of life of Honduran residents by creating new community wealth and building the capacity of residents to take control of their own economic and political future. Thus, these attributes also correspond to an aspiration to learn as much as possible while serving: about myself, about Honduras, about the tangible barriers to municipal development, and above all about the unanticipated lessons, which are certain to be the most trying.

Professionally, this two year volunteer service is an incredible opportunity that will build my skill-set, teach me great lessons, and build character. In the globalized marketplace of today – the overseas experience, the cross-cultural knowledge, and language skills that I will gain as a Volunteer are extremely valuable and highly sought by employers. Peace Corps will offer an incredible foundation for me to build a career in international development work. The work I face as a Municipal Development Advisor will be much more difficult that any other task I have accomplished. Though having lived through 5 years of classes at UCLA gives me the confidence I need to push forward.

As my friend Dennis once told me – “In any activity that requires a significant commitment of body and heart, we tend to find the most indelible lessons that touch the emotions as well as the intellect.” By giving my all to the PC service, I aspire to not only lend a hand to Hondurans but also to test myself. So along with the tangible professional benefits, intangible benefits will arise in the act of trying to make a difference in people’s lives. With lessons to draw upon for the rest of my life – the rewards will last a lifetime. As is often said, the Peace Corps isn’t simply something great…. but the beginning of something incredible.