My journey with CorpsAfrica Rwanda started on May 15, 2025, when I submitted my application to become a volunteer. I didn’t know what the future held, but I had hope and the courage to face it. After a few weeks, I received an email inviting me to an interview. I prepared myself and went in with confidence. Two weeks later, I received another email saying, “Congratulations, you have been selected to be a CorpsAfrica volunteer.” At that moment, my heart was full of joy. I celebrated because I knew something meaningful was beginning in my life.
Soon after, all selected volunteers joined the Pre-Service Training, which took place from July 27 to September 6, 2025. During this training, we learned important skills that would help us serve in our communities. We were taught how to listen, how to work with people, how to understand their needs, and how to bring positive change. By the end of the training, I felt prepared and ready to serve.
On September 7, 2025, I was deployed to my assigned community in Ngororero District, Kageyo Sector, Nyamata Cell, Nyamutuku site. When I arrived, I entered the integration period, which lasts for the first three months. This period helps volunteers become part of the community. I lived with a host family that welcomed me with kindness. My host brother, who was around my age, helped me understand the village, meet people, and participate in different activities. These early days were peaceful, enjoyable, and full of learning. I felt supported and accepted.
But things changed when the time to leave my host family came. I moved into a small ghetto house, and from that moment, the work became more challenging. One of my biggest tasks was to create a youth savings group with more than 60 young people from the village. At the same time, I continued doing integration activities like renovating kitchen gardens, building plate racks, and joining community work. Everything felt heavier and more difficult.
When I held my first meeting with the youth to introduce myself and explain my mission, only 20 people attended. I felt disappointed. I wondered how I would reach my goal of forming a large savings group. I also started comparing myself with other volunteers who already had more than 70 youth in their groups. This made me feel unable and behind.
However, I did not allow discouragement to stop me. I continued meeting young people one-on-one, talking to them, encouraging them, and explaining the importance of saving. I organized another meeting, and this time 35 people attended. It was still not enough, but it was progress. Slowly, I began to realize that success does not come in one day. It starts small and grows over time.
With patience, hard work, and continuous motivation, the results finally started to show. Today, I have 75 active members in my youth savings group. They save regularly, work together, and support each other. We have become a strong team. My service is now enjoyable, productive, and full of purpose. The community trusts me, and I feel proud of the work we are doing together.
This journey taught me many lessons. I learned that being patient is not a weakness; it is a strength. I learned that great things start small. I learned that comparing myself to others only slows me down, but believing in myself helps me grow. Most importantly, I learned that real change takes time, commitment, and courage.
Serving with CorpsAfrica Rwanda has and the beauty of community. I started with small steps, and now I am growing stronger every day. I am grateful for this experience and proud to be serving my country in a meaningful way.
