In this episode, Jane talks with Peace Corps whistleblower Sara Thompson. Thompson was a volunteer in Burkina Faso, and came out of her service with medical complications due to mefloquine, a controversial anti-malaria medicine administered by the Corps. Almost a decade later, Thompson still experiences severe side effects from mefloquine toxicity, and has been denied redress by the Corps and the courts.
They talk about Thompson’s decision to join the Corps, her experiences in Burkina Faso, and how few options volunteers have when they’ve been wronged. After finishing her service, Thompson became an advocate for whistleblower protections on Capitol Hill, fighting for volunteers who faced hardships during their service and found no support from the Corps upon returning home.
Want to help fight for Peace Corps volunteers? Please sign the National Whistleblower Center’s Action Alert urging your representatives to pass Rep. Garamendi’s Peace Corps Reauthorization Act and protect whistleblowers.
