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Gretchen Murphy and Survivor Corps in Vietnam
School of International Service at American University
Gretchen Murphy is looking forward to spending the summer with Survivor Corps in Vietnam. Survivor Corps helps communities and individuals rebuild their lives after war, a mission that combines human rights advocacy, community building and peer support. Vietnam continues to feel the effects of war today. With an estimated 800,000 tons of unexploded ordinances (UXO) scattered throughout the country at the end of the conflict, at the current rate of clearance it would take over 400 years for Vietnam to be free from all explosive ordinances. Thirty years later, the Vietnamese people continue to be devastated by the legacy of war with over 100 causalities reported every year and many more injuries, the majority of which are children. Survivor Corps supports those affected by landmines by providing health and rehabilitation services, social and economic reintegration programs and leading an internationally recognized campaign to ban landmines around the world.
Gretchen is currently pursuing a Masters degree at American University’s School of International Service. The focus of her studies is the link between conflict and development and specifically the role of sustainable development in conflict prevention. This has also led to an interest in post-conflict reconstruction and reconciliation. Over the past year Gretchen interned at International Crisis Group in Washington DC. Her time with ICG was largely focused on researching the role of new media in advocacy work and how different forms of media can be utilized to create change. Prior to moving to DC, Gretchen worked with Amnesty International’s International Justice and Accountability Program to educate communities on the importance of justice in the peace process. She also worked with International Service for Peace (SIPAZ) in Chiapas, Mexico while researching the impact of international organizations on indigenous nonviolence movements.
Gretchen is very excited for the opportunity to serve as an AP Peace Fellow and support the work of Survivor Corps. She hopes to contribute to their ongoing efforts to break the cycle of violence in Vietnam and around the world.
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