Craig Feinberg at the Abra Málaga Thastayoc Private Conservation Area in Peru in 2019. Photo: Craig Feinberg

PARK CITY, Utah — Returned Peace Corps volunteer Craig Feinberg will depart Aug. 23 for Colombia, where he will train as a community economic development facilitator, the agency announced.

Feinberg previously served in Costa Rica and Uruguay from 1990 to 93. A graduate of the University of Kentucky with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and the School for International Training with a master’s in international and intercultural management, he has spent more than 25 years working with financial institutions that serve micro, small and medium-sized enterprises across Latin America, the post-Soviet states, Africa, Nepal and Southeast Asia.

Looking back on his first service, Feinberg said the core lessons still guide his work. “You can’t just go in there with your own agenda. If you’re not taking input and feedback from others, there’s not going to be any buy-in,” he said. “Sustainability should always be part of the design. There needs to be a point where somebody takes over your position.”

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Feinberg said his decision to return is driven by a desire to work more directly on the ground. “I want to get back to the grassroots,” he said. He contrasted service with tourism: “Traveling and visiting countries is one thing, but you’re not immersing yourself in a culture. Within the Peace Corps, you’re living there, speaking the language, eating their food, following their customs, attending celebrations and social events, so you are immersed in the culture.”

In Colombia, community economic development facilitators partner with public school co-teachers to strengthen students’ entrepreneurial, socioemotional, and vocational skills through classroom instruction and after-school clubs. Volunteers also work with community leaders, women’s and youth groups, local businesses, and community organizations.

Building trust, Feinberg said, starts with local partners. “When you’re in the Peace Corps, you rely a lot on the people you are collaborating with,” he said. “It’s a process that can take quite a bit of time to get to know people and get them to trust you.” Regarding training priorities, he noted that he often starts with basic viability and savings before considering credit. “First, is there a demand for the product or service and then, do they make a profit? And what can they do with the profit? In the past, I’ve often worked with micro-entrepreneurs that do not keep financial records, so I’ve extracted and validated enough sales and costs data from them to create a simple income statement. With this information the owner can determine if they can afford a loan or if they should focus on savings or change business practices. I’m not an advocate for loans if they can’t afford them.”

After service, Feinberg hopes to apply expanded skills in Latin America. “I want to be able to have the Spanish-speaking capacity to manage very complex projects in Spanish, to be able to fully train on technical topics like balance sheets and cost of goods sold,” he said. He also expects to return with deeper experience in nonfinancial services, mentoring micro-entrepreneurs on record-keeping, financial literacy, and basic management.

Feinberg joins the 24 Utah residents currently serving in the Peace Corps. More than 1,204 Utahns have served since 1961, according to the agency.

Peace Corps service includes three months of training followed by two years in a host community. Volunteers receive housing, a living stipend, language and technical instruction, and post-service benefits that may include graduate school fellowships.

For readers considering service, Feinberg offered tempered encouragement. “It’s not easy, but it’s incredibly challenging and fulfilling,” he said. Success, he added, depends on initiative and connection, “You have to be resourceful. Meet people in the community. You have to integrate with the community.”

Interested individuals can learn more at peacecorps.gov.