When I first arrived in Kelecha as a CorpsAfrica/Ethiopia Volunteer, I knew I was stepping into a community with immense challenges, but nothing could have fully prepared me for the realities on the ground. Electricity is a rare luxury, coming once every four or five days—or sometimes disappearing for over two weeks. Clean drinking water was non-existent, and the roads were nearly impassable, especially during the rainy season. The only available transportation is motorcycles, navigating through deep, slippery mud—an experience that was both terrifying and exhausting. Adapting to these conditions was not easy. With no electricity, my phone would often die, making it difficult to send reports or take pictures. Connectivity was unreliable, and the long nights without power felt isolating. But instead of dwelling on these difficulties, I turned to reading. What started as a way to pass the time became a new habit, one that broadened my perspective and strengthened my resolve to make a difference. Beyond personal struggles, leading a community project came with its own set of hurdles. Organizing community meetings and mobilizing people was difficult, as residents were preoccupied with farming and other social obligations. Additionally, the local kebele officials were collecting contributions for other needs, making it even harder to secure financial support for our water project.

Initially, we planned to construct a public tap water system in partnership with the local health center. However, just when we thought we were making progress, the health center informed us that they had not received the budget they had expected from their donor. This meant that our original project was no longer feasible. Facing this setback, I had two choices: accept defeat or find another way forward. Alongside the project committee and community members, we made the tough decision to scale down our project to match our available budget and remaining time. This required drafting a completely new project proposal within a short period, a daunting task, but one I knew had to be done. Alhamdulillah, through persistence and determination, we managed to secure the community contributions and officially launch our Hand Pump Water Well Project. What started as a difficult journey became a testament to resilience, adaptability, and the power of collective action. This experience taught me that true change requires patience, creativity, and unwavering commitment. The challenges I faced in Kelecha, both personal and project-related, were tough, but they shaped me into a stronger, more resourceful leader. Most importantly, they reminded me why I chose to Volunteer in the first place: to make a meaningful impact, no matter the obstacles.