CORPSAFRICA

The Glory of CorpsAfrica

5/16/2022

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms.Witness Chawinga

“A positive attitude may not solve all the problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.” – Herm Albright

This is the literalness about CorpsAfrica in Malawi and other countries by trying to make a difference in bringing change to communities by placing volunteers within their own countries. These volunteers have emerged to be more tactical and have brought more impacts in the communities placed. They have grown to more fitness, adaptability, and experience and acquired all the necessities for success while at their sites.

The first weeks of my service were very unsettling; I would dread conducting meetings, how am I going to speak before people who are mostly older than me (chiefs inclusive); and make sense? But I still needed to conduct those meetings, mobilize people for different development activities and get started on my work as a volunteer in my site. This was the fear of most volunteers as I follow stories of my fellow volunteers from their different sites across the country. Yes, fear is only as deep as the mind allows but the secret of success is constancy to purpose. And so, with the skills and mindsets equipped by CorpsAfrica during the one-month training, I knew I had to strive for growth, change, success and sustain the glory of CorpsAfrica. I stood up to the obstacles, held the thought firmly, did what should be done every day, and now every sunset sees me that much nearer the goal of CorpsAfrica; promoting the professional and personal development of young Africans.

A few meetings down the line, I was able to identify a farmer’s club for a tree planting activity. It was heart-warming to see club members committing to this exercise and uniting as a community, and also the passion they had in conserving their own environment. This first tree planting project in my community gave me hope that it is possible.

My stay at my site, I have been given an opportunity to discover other passions and skills I didn't know I have, and a platform to grow in those skills. Skills that will not only help during my service but also when I finish the service. You see, that's the beauty of being a volunteer for CorpsAfrica. CorpsAfrica has helped and continues to help many volunteers, like me, work through complex development structures and it's inspiring how CorpsAfrica is building up the youths in this country into strong young leaders.

A lot has happened and continues to happen. The impacts of different projects by volunteers in their respective sites cannot be hidden and these true value changes brought by CorpsAfrica to volunteers and the communities are lasting and consistent.

Indeed, nothing endures but change. The glory of CorpsAfrica is, but to live on.

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No Longer an Outlander

5/9/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Kaitano Maison

In the beginning of my stay here at the site, most things were new to me because the environment itself was a bit tough for me to familiarize myself with. I am confident now that the environment has suited me in terms of social, topography and weather. I was a stranger to everyone at my site and I didn’t know where to start in a new land where I haven’t been before.

I have been trying to make relations with different groups of people like students, people in the community, vendors, police, teachers, religious groups, local leaders and health workers. My attempt has been a success through implementation of COVID-19 project and I worked with health surveillance assistants, village heads, teachers, Ligowe Community Development Organisation and Community Based Organisations.

I am teaching at a Community Day Secondary School in Form 2, 3 and 4. This has really helped me a lot to strengthen the bond with the students. Wherever I decide to take a stroll in the community, I am frequently greeted by the students and have some chit-chat. I have also made friends with my fellow teachers at the school.

The relationship that I made with the locals in the community is just wonderful and strong, I have blended myself with them. We always exchange stories and laugh. I am just like one of them and I learnt lots of things from them.

When I came to the site, the first people I made friends with were my host family and local leaders who were there for me whenever I needed help and up to now. The relationship has grown so strong which makes me able to work with the community easily, and at the same time enjoyable.
All these instances have strengthened the bond with different groups of people at my site and made me cease to be an outlander.

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Together We Can, Success Time!

5/7/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Rwanda Volunteer Ms. Impumbya Anitha

"If you can't fly then run if you can't run then walk if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward," Said Martin Luther King.

Living in someone's life, feeling how they feel, facilitating, and empowering people in different ways of life were my most dreams and were achieved when I become CorpsAfrica Volunteers. Being proudest of yourself requires sacrifice and it is what I did so as to leave my dream. Frankly speaking, I'm so proud to be one of the CorpsAfrica Volunteers in my country. Now I'm serving in the Southern part of my country in Gisagara District, Nyanza Sector in Agahehe, and Akasemabondi Villages. My community has more valuable resources that had helped them to achieve more performance for the only five months that I spent there with my community, sincerely read my story.

When I reached my site, the community welcomed me well and I felt like a lovely daughter in their families. I took time to do door to door in my community so as to familiarize myself with my new community as well as build a concrete relationship. Visiting each community member the question was repeatedly the same. Everyone gently asked me whether we can set weekly meetings with others so that I can share the discussions. I said yes! And I tried to facilitate them how to be more resilient and discover their inner potentials which led them to discover their assets and gifts and how they can be explored to change their lives for the better. That was my first achievement and was hoping for more to come.

Weekly meetings and community works had been more and more impactful, the community has completely changed and started to develop ideas that are necessary to use for changing their life mainly based on the result found during the community mapping exercise which helped them to identify available assets they have in their villages that they will use to apply the social and economic change in their communities.

My community meets every week and they save the money, the saving schemes has become more profitable and changed their daily life because the community solidarity initiative has come out from their own saving scheme where every family in the community buy rabbits or kitchens for their self-development from the money they weekly lend.

My community used to face the challenge of malnutrition issues due to none could afford to eat a balanced diet made of vegetables. Working with the community to make kitchen gardens, currently, I am proud of 140 community members that have kitchen gardens in their homes that help them to afford green and fresh vegetables. Which is helping to significantly reduce malnutrition cases.

I also took part in mobilizing students in my community to go back to school by carrying out different campaigns for a mass of school dropouts that have gone back to school. I was, am, and will be working with my community to make long-lasting impacts.

For ensuring the sustainability of those activities I inspired my community members with a sense of ownership and self-reliance, with the support of CorpsAfrica, local leaders and youth volunteers have trained on the HCD and ABCD CorpsAfrica approach, and We have numerous junior CorpsAfrica whom we work together and they are there to inspire the next generations of community members.

Concluding, I am very happy that the Community believes that coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is a success!

Community members are now harvesting numerous vegetables from the kitchen garden.

The community built nursery beds to begin growing more trees for fruit and to mitigate climate change.

The moment immediately after building a new kitchen garden with the community.

Fresh water is now available closer after we repaired the local well.

Training local leaders in Human Centered Design and Asset-Based Community Development

Working one-on-one in the fields with another community member.

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On My Mind and In My Heart

4/26/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Patricia Lily Nyirenda

The essence of hardwork is found in the freedom of celebration. Are we celebrating anything at the moment? No and yes, we are dancing to the tunes of climate change at same time celebrating our efforts in climate action. We hope to celebrate the fruits of these efforts in the near future even if it is not us but our children, grandchildren or great grandchildren. Because women are uniquely affected by climate change they are on my mind and in my heart. My volunteering service minus women in climate action would leave a gap that can cause a lot of challenges in the society which is why I cherish the mutual efforts of these women, the entire community and myself.

Looking over to see women in my community running with me towards CorpsAfrica green initiative gave me a vision of a beautiful view and peaceful life, as our prize as we planted trees in efforts to replant trees on the hills in my site. The smiles on the faces of the women and their funny stories made the tree planting exercise easy. I know we are on the same page. We are both seeking to make the world a better place.

Sustainable development tags women along. How their rights, priorities and needs are affected by climate change need not to be overlooked. In the same way these rights, priorities and needs in climate action should be appreciated and uplifted.

Theodore Roosevelt said "Believe you can and you're halfway there"

To the women in my community and elsewhere playing a role in climate action, you are on my mind and in my heart and I know everyone passionate and playing a role in taking care of our environment is very much proud of you. I believe we can. The courage to begin is the courage to get to the finishing line. We are not celebrating for results yet but for our actions of a common good.

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How Village Savings and Loans Associations Empower Women in Chitipa

3/23/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Lucky Katundu

Twambilire (not her real name), is 29 years old, a mother of three, and a member of Mwalala Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs). A Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA) is a self-selected group of people, who pool their money into a fund, from which members can borrow.

The money is paid back with interest, causing the fund to grow. These saving and borrowing activities take place during a cycle of pre-determined length (typically 8 to 12 months), at the end of which the funds are distributed to members, in proportion to their total savings. Members are free to use the distributed lump sum as they wish, including reinvestment for another cycle. During their weekly meetings, the chairperson brief the group on the previous week's borrowing status and for members to repay the borrowed money.

Twambilire relies on the VSLA to meet her financial needs such as paying school fees for her children and medical emergencies. The group also provides a special fund for funerals that occur in the village. As such, the group has helped her avoid borrowing money in form of usury, locally known as katapila, from business persons in the community.

Currently, she dreams of a future where she will be able to meet all her household needs and purchase a solar panel for her house. However, to boost the capital in the association, they are planning to engage in an income-generating activity. This will allow members to borrow more money than they are currently borrowing. They have suggested introducing a pig farming club in the association. Twambilire says, "the group wants to buy five piglets and construct a pigsty for them. Each member will be contributing maize bran (madeya) as food for the piglets.

Pork selling is a profitable business, not only in the community and its surrounding weekly markets but also at Chitipa Town. Thus, the group will earn more income through sales and eventually raise the capital for the association. Therefore, Twambilire's dream will come true. She believes that the initiative will not only change her family's financial situation but also transform the community as a whole.

Members of Mwalala Village Savings and Loans Association.

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That One Good Act That You Need For Change

3/21/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Sibongile Nyirenda

When COVID-19 was discovered, it took the world by storm. I was one of the individuals that was skeptical about this new disease. I always thought it was one of those diseases that would not affect my country. Unfortunately, Malawi was not spared from the pandemic. All I could see were rising numbers of people affected by the disease but I still had doubt that it would affect people around me. My family members and friends got infected by the disease and that is when I knew, this disease is real.

When I arrived in my community, I learnt that some community members had a similar mindset to the one I had until a health center near the community was closed due to Covid-19 and some members in the community were found positive in the previous year. Efforts have been made to make the community more aware of Covid-19 but some community members would rather not believe what outsiders are teaching them. I decided to work with individuals in my community to help sensitize fellow community members about Covid-19 prevention measures and vaccination. There were a lot of misconceptions about the vaccine and with the help of the sensitization team, these misconceptions were cleared and questions were answered.

The sensitization meetings were engaging. The community members I worked with decided to add an element of drama acts in these meetings. I was amazed by the talent these members have. They never had the time to practice or perfect their drama scenes but managed to come up with instant scenes that were so amazing and captivating. These drama acts brought life to the sensitization meetings and they were both educating and very funny. I was mostly intrigued by two young men who were spearheading the scenes. When I asked about their acting experience and if they had acted together before, their response was that they had never acted together but had recognized each other’s talents during one of the youth initiatives that was held in the community.
These drama acts are something that attract community members to sensitization meetings and can be used as a tool to reach both the young and old on topics about Covid-19 and other crucial issues affecting the world. It is safe to say that these individuals were an asset that was needed for the one good act needed for change. I am so excited to work with a community that is willing to influence change by using the assets within the community.

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A Life in Books

3/14/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Grace Sichinga

If you are reading this blog, I believe it is fair to assume that you have received education in some form, whether informal or formal. Books certainly played an essential role in that education. Our ability to read, write, and understand depends on our exposure to a lot of things, especially books.

One of my fondest memories growing up was when my mum would take my brother and me to a bookstore. We would be able to pick so many books filled with adventure and lessons. I remember finding my first book on crosswords and how my love for crosswords grew from then onwards. Books can become a child's best friend and life companion.

The life of a student should revolve around books or at the very least, should have access to books. Books not only allow students to learn from them, but they also encourage students’ imagination.

Some of the benefits of reading books for students and children include; increasing the knowledge and improving their intellect. It also introduces students to the diverse societies and civilizations across the world. Books can also help students solve problems they may face from reading about different experiences. Reading about these experiences will make them more self-aware, empathetic, and compassionate. Apart from learning from experiences, books also help to improve students’ ability to think critically and analytically.

When students/children learn something at school, books help to instill that knowledge in them as they have something to refer back to. It helps them improve their memory and visualize what they learned in class, as such they can easily remember what they learn in the future. One of the fastest ways to improve a child's vocabulary is through reading books. Books are filled with new words that help modify and increase our vocabulary.

Although books are evidently immensely beneficial, not all students or children are able to access books. This is the case for some of the primary schools in my community. Through my community engagements as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer, I engaged with the leadership from two primary schools in my community that have a shared need for books, learners’ books as well as teacher’s guides. The students in the schools have limited or no access to all sorts of books, from educational (school) textbooks to fun books. These schools lack the books to form a proper library, from which their students can easily borrow. As such, I saw that there is a need to be met. That is why I came up with this initiative to appeal to the public to donate books, school supplies, and money that can help the students from these schools. This school supply drive is currently still running till the end of the month of March 2022. The kids and I will be eternally grateful for any help you give.

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The Little Things That Make Me Smile as A CorpsAfrica Volunteer

3/12/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Sibongile Nyirenda

I must admit that it was really hard to move away from my family to a new community. The period of integration though exciting did not come easy for an introvert like me. Dear Reader, do not think I was locked up in my house all the time. No, I embraced the challenge and enjoyed the idyllic activities of rural life such as attending community meetings, chatting with the women at the community borehole, and participating in community events. My all-time favorite activity, however, was going to the community trading center to buy snacks.

Being in a community where you need to learn a new language and interact with people you barely know, it is important to find new ways to cope and adapt. I have had tough moments where I doubted myself and felt like quitting. It was during these moments that I relied on the little things that put a smile on my face to overcome my apprehensions.

Firstly, I am learning how to bake a chigumu (local cake) using a mbaula (local stove). This is particularly exciting for me because baking is one of my favorite hobbies and I have always used an electric stove. I am also learning to prepare local foods I have never cooked before. Secondly, I have partially adopted my neighbors’ two cats. I love pets hence the daily visits and snuggles from these furry friends puts me at ease and make me feel less homesick. Thirdly, I volunteer at my community’s health center. The sense of helpfulness I get after every shift puts a smile on my face. Thirdly, I have a personal kitchen garden. When I cultivate a variety of crops, I look at each product I get from the garden as an accomplishment. Fourthly, I am in constant communication with my fellow volunteers. The calls and chats are so therapeutic and they are definitely something to smile about. After every call and chat, I feel motivated to continue being a CorpsAfrica volunteer. Lastly but not all, a friendly greeting from a community member always lifts my spirits. I believe a greeting should never be underestimated because they are usually conversation starters and welcoming.

These little things that make me smile might not be extravagant but they are something. As I embark on a new phase with my community of project identification, project proposal writing and all the works, I leave you with the words of Andy Rooney, “If on the other hand, happiness depends on a good breakfast, flowers in the yard, a drink or a nap, then we are more likely to live with quite a bit of happiness”.

Sibongile during one of her shifts at the local health center.

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I am a Knight: Inside the Knight Family

3/10/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Jolex Chicco Kaundama

Everyone is able to freely share about everything. The fears, the stories, the joys, the sorrows, the new culture, the language, the food... It is good to meet again. Good to be encouraged by family members who are facing similar challenges and same experiences. Good to get applause from the success stories, projects, and any other accomplishments so far. Family time is at times an emotional one. We experience streams of tears from the fountain top of everyone’s eyes. Of course, these are tears of joy, yes tears of laughter, and maybe tears of pride for embarking on this life-changing adventure. An adventure not to live for your own but for others as well. An adventure to serve. This is part of the family time we are having as Cohort 5 of CorpsAfrica Malawi Volunteers also known as the Knights.

Down the memory lane…

After being deployed to communities as CorpsAfrica Malawi Volunteers in November 2021, the integration process followed. Settling in a new community away from home could not be any simple and easy for anyone in our Cohort 5 team. After four months down the line of service was time for the first in-service training (IST 1). It was time to connect again with my fellow Knights and share experiences. I was prepared to share my stories and encounters from my site. I looked forward to sharing the success stories and challenges just as I wanted to hear and learn from others.

More to the IST 1 is a bond that has been sealed amongst my fellow Volunteers and the Malawi CorpsAfrica staff. Tell me of a great hardworking and vibrant team with high work ethics and I will show you CorpsAfrica Malawi staff. The training content was well prepared and delivered. I can confidently say that I am more geared and readier to serve my community more efficiently. Our maintenance activity to wrap up the training was a trip to the most beautiful lake with fresh-water, Lake Malawi. The fun, the games, the view and of course my favorite part, the food were all amazing and refreshing.

Back to my community…

Now, I am back to my beloved site as we continue to redefine development by designing community-led projects with community-led solutions. My mind is at peace, my strength keeps getting stronger for I know I belong to a big clan of CorpsAfrica, and my family is called The Family where my safety is safe. I am a Knight!

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In the Shoes of a Girl Child

3/7/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica Malawi Volunteer Ms. Tusekile Munkhody

Being aware of the adventure of living in a rural community, I had a lot of preconceived expectations of how life would be, the people, culture, and values that define what a traditional society is. Among the things was the plight of the education of a girl child considering many stories I have heard growing up. Arranged marriages and early marriages are common in many areas and have greatly led to school dropouts. Settling in the community, expected to find a number of such cases. Unfortunately, I never heard of any cases. I thought all was rosy that the community was free from such instances. Alas! My judgment has been poor. After weeks of blending with the community, I was introduced to the school committee. The first meeting I attended proved my expectations right, the meeting was to address school dropouts which were on a rise due to early marriages.

With keen interest, I followed the proceedings of the meeting. It was shocking learning of the strategy the community has in marrying off young girls, that even young girls and boys have adopted. Being an area near the Malawi-Mozambican border in Mwanza, the school-going girls and boys cross the border to get married and seek refuge for fear of getting their marriage dissolved and others for fear of facing the law for marrying a young girl who is a minor. It pained me and I resolved to start Volunteering at the local school to act as a role model and interact with a few girls from my community who had dropped out of school.

I had a chat with one of the victims, Rabecca , who is currently nursing a child. She said she dropped out of school in standard 7 and got married. Her learning difficulties in class made her lose interest in school. I heard her say; ‘‘natopa ndi sukulu koma aphunzitsi adadandaula" (I got tired of school, and my teachers got disappointed with my decision). She further explained that she dropped out for no reason but most of the girls do because they have a man in their lives who promised to take care of them. Another victim also explained that her challenge was poverty and she said: ‘‘ndimati ndikalowa n'class chomwe ndimaganiza ndikuti tikadya chani kunyumba’’ (I would think of what we going to eat when I get home rather than concentrating on my studies).

Through these stories, I made my resolve and promised to make a difference and start Volunteering as a teacher with an aim of inspiring young girls. I believe this will inspire many young girls in my area because they will be able to look up to me.

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The Untold Stories

3/6/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica Malawi Volunteer Adorah

Volunteering in my community and helping people there, gave me the opportunity to see other corners of this country, and other people that have the same goals and the same purpose. I met people from different backgrounds, religions and cultures each with their own ideas, experiences and desires living together in harmony. We got to share so much of these with each other. Volunteering at a secondary school was what I can explain as one of my integration or networking sensations, where we heard from each other different perspectives and realities.

My personal experience as a Volunteer at the secondary school, I met a boy named Waliko Matola (pseudonym). Waliko was absent from school for at least two days each week. Whenever he made it to school, he was very bright and active in class to an extent that one would notice if he was present or absent on each given day. One Thursday I gave my students a test and he managed to get the highest score than everyone else. I called him under the mango tree and had a one-on-one chat for at least an hour. In that conversation he told me how he is a breadwinner for his family because his mother had been sick for some time now and they have been without a father for as long as he could remember. He said he has two younger siblings and they are all looking up to him to eat every day. He said he does piece work which helps him find money to buy food for his family as well as drugs for his sick mother. ‘This isn’t a big deal though, but when I add fees to that list, it now becomes very tough.’ He said. Currently I am working extra hard so that I can also pay for my school fees since they have already started to send me back from school. This is making me work on two fields to find the fees in time. He said. This was making him work even during school days to finish in time and pay up the fees before the examination period. At this point, I didn’t have the strength to ask more questions until this day. I did not know that it was possible for a 14-year-old to pass through what he was passing through and still manage to be strong enough to endure it all. But still I needed to probe more to understand his situation better. Waliko looked at me, sad and said; ‘Madame, it’s easy to give up when you know someone else will come through for you. But when you know you are all there is, giving up is never an option. I nodded with pain in my heart and told Waliko that he has a very bright future and he should never give up on it. I then went ahead and informed the head teacher everything, and he said it’s very unfortunate that he did not know this. He then called me a few days later and informed me that Waliko has been added to the bursary program and he will be given back the fees he already managed to pay this term. This made me so emotional knowing one future has pulled away from distraction. When I called him to break the news to him, he cried and hugged me and promised to work so hard in class. Together we smiled, joked and laughed for it was well with our souls. I now know that it doesn’t take one to be rich to change another person’s life. But even just with enough empathy and a listening ear, we can.

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Encouragement

2/27/2022

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Written by Ms. Patricia Lily Nyirenda

My passion to Volunteer for my country and my people keeps deepening each passing day. The CorpsAfrica motto which reads locals helping locals keeps motivating me even when I feel like giving up as I go around different corners in my site working with different groups of people.

As an educationist, I had already set a plan before I even got to my site that I will be volunteering at a local secondary school thatI will find in my site. Unfortunately, there is no secondary school nearby, so I had to adjust and work with primary school learners. I love it so I dedicate a day in a week to teach at a local primary school. For me it's encouragement. I think of how different our world would look if someone was encouraged daily, how strong we could be with our arms linked together. I do not let this encouragement end at classroom level, it goes far to girls' club after classes where the girls and I share, discuss, and learn life skills, the environment, sexual reproductive health and many other interesting topics. As part of my service and the passion I have in education I feel it is my duty to encourage these young ones in their different aspects of life.

The amusing part of this duty as a Volunteer is when I meet some of these girls on school days when I do not work at the primary school, with their smiles they say "madam once a week is not enough, we need more days". This takes me to ecstasy of satisfaction and makes me believe that indeed there is joy in learning. I feel encouraged as well.

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Let Our Words Be Kind

2/26/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica Malawi Volunteer Ms. Umusa Ng’om

In my time with my host mother, I came to know a girl. Let's call her Yankho. Yankho is about 12 years old. She was working as a maid at a nearby house. When the schools opened, I had hoped that she would start school. A couple of weeks down the line, I asked her why she was not in school and her responses ranged from one thing to another, nothing concrete. After a while, she came over to my house and we spoke at length about different issues. I brought up the school issue and she bluntly told me that she will never go back to school. Her mother said something that left a scar. She said "Pa ana anga onse, palibe wa phindu. Sindingavutike kukuphunzitsani'' which means "of my children, none of them is worth sending to school as none is useful."

Everyone has hopes and dreams but, my Yankho doesn't even want to talk about them. She doesn't even see the point of talking about something that will never happen. I attempted to reason with her but it seemed to irritate her. I will take my time with her. A lot of people have succumbed to such words, thrown in the towel, and lived aimlessly. My fear is that these words will likely cause Yankho to end up like some of the girls in the community. A little trip to the health facility and I was told how teenage pregnancies were high and how most drop out to get married. My fear is that Yankho will settle for what is easy.

Yankho is just an example of how powerful words are. It has been said that words have the ability to build someone or tear them down completely. So many have had hopes crushed and dreams scattered because the wrong words were spoken. But the opposite is true as well.

I will choose to be different, to build rather than tear down. I am hoping to start a girl’s club in my community with help from the mother group. I would want to inspire them that they can be so much more and open them up to a whole world of possibilities. Hopefully, my words will help.
I still have a couple of months still to go, I hope to inspire girls like Yankho.

"Be careful with your words. Once they are said, they can be only forgiven, not forgotten." - Unknown

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Planting Hope

2/24/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Grace Siching

Trees are important. I’m sure most of us have heard this many times. But how many of us take this literally and appreciate the trees around us? A tree is a gift that keeps on giving. Trees help to purify the air around us, prevent soil erosion, conserve water, help with climate control, provide food, and shelter as well as material for building. The many uses of trees make them so versatile and vital for our environment. The fact that we are always cutting down trees is evidence of how much we use and need them. However, we forget the other very important uses of trees that require us to keep them alive or plant more. It is our responsibility to plant trees and take care of them.

When you plant a tree, you plant a future. Trees help fight the effects of global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide and storing carbon and providing oxygen. Trees help prevent flooding especially when planted around river banks. Trees are home to many of our wildlife, including birds and insects, they also provide food for wildlife.

My days in my community have shown me how trees bring people together. They act as beacons in our community. They are also a meeting place for many of us. They become part of the community.

This is why I was excited to learn about the trees my community and I were gifted, courtesy of the Rotary Club in collaboration with CorpsAfrica/Malawi. We were given 20 Bamboo trees and 80 fruit trees to plant in our community. Apart from the benefits mentioned above, Bamboo trees grow rapidly and rarely need replanting, they also do not require pesticides or chemical fertilizers. We planted some trees in our community and the rest at a primary school in the community.

Individuals in the community were able to take ownership and responsibility of the trees we were planting, as I explained the benefits of the trees. Most were excited to plant in their farmlands to help with soil erosion as well as floods. They were also excited that they would be able to access nutritious fruits, namely grafted mangoes, grafted sweet oranges, pawpaw, custard apples, and avocado pears, especially for the children in the community. This encouraged them to plant more trees whenever they could.

The trees that were planted at the primary school gave students a chance to also take ownership and be responsible for the trees. The students also learnt more about how trees work as well as the practices of grafted trees, and how to prepare to plant a tree.

This tree planting initiative not only brought my community together, but it also reminded us of the importance of planting trees and how it is our responsibility for a better tomorrow. So, let's remember that - he who plants a tree, plants a hope - Lucy Larcom.

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From Lower Shire to the Plains of Mulanje

2/22/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Endington Wa Kavuli.

Building relationships with the community which you have never been with before is quite a challenging and exciting experience at the same time. It is inspiring when you see people start trusting you and also when you start understanding their language as you blend in with their cultural traditions and beliefs.

Three months of integration was exhilarating and the working relationship was wonderful and splendid. Nobody was quizzical anymore; every member of the community knew me and knew the reason I was there and we were ready to learn from each other. This kept me motivated and inspired.

Everything was going well until Cyclone Anna came and separated us. It washed away the trust and the bond that we spent time building, all the plans we had were flooded leaving everyone in desolation.

Anyways, no one can go against the needs of nature, “it is what it is”. Here I am now in the plains of Mulanje, transitioning from the valleys of Shire-starting over again. I swore to this, I swore to work with the vulnerable communities, I swore to volunteer, as Nelson Mandela said, “what counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is the difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead”. I am the agent of change and I want to make a difference. I am optimistic that integration with this new community will be just as great.

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Way Out of My Comfort Zone

2/20/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Umusa Ng’oma

Winston Churchill said, "The farther backward you look, the further forward you are likely to see."
Every day, I get to catch a glimpse of a side of myself that I didn't know existed. A couple of months ago if someone told me that I could do some of the things I have done, I would have pegged them to be a jokester. But here I am.

A comfort zone is more or less a place or circumstance in which a person feels relaxed and safe. It is a place that enables you to just be you, nothing more. However, there is no identifiable growth that comes from this. In the few weeks I have been on my site, I have been forced to get out of my bubble and do things that amaze even me. I have held meetings, initiated talks, inserted myself in meetings, written blogs, and more.

Let me take you back a bit, for as long as I can remember, stepping into the unknown was always scary for me. Therefore, I would resolve to not step out at all. I was okay with just being where I was and doing the things I know. But at the same time, I yearned for growth, the growth that came with stepping into the unknown.

A friend I had made in the community once asked me how I was able to stand before a crowd and address it. It took me a minute to answer because until then, I had not realized that I do so with ease now. I no longer shiver and wish the ground would open up and swallow me whole. I had not realized that it was one thing that I dreaded the most but now had become one of those things I know to do. I had to come back to reality and respond to her that at times, you just do it afraid.
Looking back, I would do it over again because it may be out of my comfort zone, but it is taking me to a better place.

Addressing the crowd that gathered for a community meeting.

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Worlds Apart - Life in A Rural Community

2/18/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer, Ms. Tusekile Mukhody

A rolling stone has its day to hit a snag and gather the mosses. After days of struggling to settle down and getting accustomed to community life, finally, the sense of belonging to the community sank in. I had started to enjoy the community life through the sessions that I managed to have as they gave me a platform to interact with people and appreciate their way of life. Living in the community is intriguing and equipped with life-changing experiences. One of the charming experiences is how the community has adopted me as one of them. I no longer feel like a stranger and I found mothers, brothers, and sisters within the community.

From my childhood, I had no knowledge of how a mud floor is made until I found one of my community mothers making the floor. Without hesitation, I extended a hand to help. I joined the process as she taught me how to, though I still found it difficult to ably do it. It was funny to the mother and other family members as I struggled, but in no time, I was able to carry out the task. My community mother was amazed by how I quickly grasped the knowledge and she was grateful for the hand I extended to her “Tusekile tathokoza mwatithandiza, ntchito ina phweka. Muzabwerenso ulendo wina kuti muzolowere’’ (Thanks Tusekile for helping, come again next time so that you get used)

Just as development is slow, so is the learning process, which does not end. I have had the privilege to attend a traditional wedding. A wedding in town is different from weddings in rural communities. In rural communities, people are selfless, and the number of invited guests is not limited. It’s an open feast and a variety of local foodstuffs are prepared ranging from Thobwa (sweet beer) and Nsima served with chicken. The experience has been life-changing. One of the lessons learned is unity in diversity. Aside from their differences, communities still believe in the power of numbers in achieving goals. This has been evidenced in the support the community rendered to the newlyweds as they adorned them with assorted gifts as a blessing for their new lease of life.

Aside from the joy of being in the community, I have learned to share in their struggle. One of the long-overdue struggles is the scarcity of potable and clean water. The community’s struggle in accessing water makes them behave like early birds. They are forced to get to the community well as early as 03:00 am for fear of finding the well dry if late. It is quite scary considering they go to the well at awkward hours. What irks me most now is the scorching heat of the sun and the absence of rain as the community wells have now become arid. This is exposing the community to hardships and being prone to waterborne diseases which may affect their healthy living.

Making a mud floor at one the home of my community mothers.

The well where community members draw water is drying up more often now and becoming a growing problem in my community.

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Wonderful Stay

2/16/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Kaitano Maiso

I have had a very wonderful stay on my site since I got here. I remember in my very first days, I could have neighbors greeting me each morning as the sun rose. To top that, my host family has been very supportive. They have made me feel so comfortable and welcomed in the community. I have built a very strong bond with my host family, especially my host brother.

I have had numerous walks in the community appreciating nature as well as assets that the community has. I have been doing all this escorted by my host brother. My favorite so far has been a traditional dance called “Bwanyanga” which is a Gule Wamkulu dance (Big Dance). The community members value this Traditional dance as one way the community members build strong bonds among themselves and entertain themselves. Being part of the audience, I have managed to build strong relationships with the community members.

I have found myself to be useful in the community apart from my day-to-day duties as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer. I have been Tutoring my Host Brother in different subjects including English Grammar, Physics, and Chemistry. This has given me an opportunity to find myself useful and support the people I live with.

I have had an opportunity to assist my host family in their farmland. We sow maize, pumpkin seeds, and groundnuts for two consecutive days. It was a very wonderful experience to be able to help my host family. My host family was very happy that I rendered my hand. My host mother expressed her gratitude and said she did not expect me to put myself in a position of doing any farm work. This has strengthened my relationship with my host family. We openly chant and laugh together. My stay has been amazing so far.

I have been able to conduct community meetings, regardless that most people are busy in their farmlands. People being present regardless of their busy schedules strongly shows that they are committed and willing to develop themselves. "This young man is very humble, approachable, and friendly and from now on I take him as my brother" proclaimed the Group Village Headman in his remarks. Such kind words have made me forge forward and focus on how best I can work with the community members.

All these occurrences have helped me build trust with/ and among community members. They have accepted me as theirs and I have settled so well in my community. My integration process has been rewarding and now, I look forward to more that is coming throughout my CorpsAfrica Service.

Enjoying mangoes with neighbors and children.

Planting maize with my host brother.

Teaching my host brother English.

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Nutrition Education: Unlocking the Local Knowledge

2/15/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Chipiriro Mkumba

"To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art." - Food Matters

Food is thought of as what man consumes, not what the body requires. In most rural communities, filling one’s belly full is the ultimate goal of eating, rather than nutrition. This is not dependent on age; thus, food for children and elders is usually the same and cooked similarly. During a child growth monitoring exercise conducted at an under-five clinic in my community, the average weight of under-five children had dropped significantly and most children were malnourished. After a thorough inquiry, the clinic discovered most of the meals that mothers prepared did not contain all the essential nutrients required for child growth and development. After learning about the problem, we embarked on three weeks of food preparation training and demonstrations to teach mothers how to prepare nutritious meals for their children. Throughout the food preparation demonstrations, I was amazed to see my community was rich in diverse foods, which when utilized effectively can help to end child malnutrition. This revelation led me back to a quote from Food Matters, “to eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art." People in my community lacked the knowledge to combine and prepare the available food to produce nutritious meals for their children.

Another child growth monitoring exercise was conducted after two weeks of our food preparation demonstrations to track any changes in average weight or malnourishment. We were delighted to see that most children had gained weight, and the changes were due to the food preparation demonstrations. The food preparation demonstrations helped mothers to realize the benefits of preparing nutritious meals for their children using locally available foods and that living in a rural community should not be an excuse for child malnutrition.

As a part of the food preparation demonstrations, Chipiriro and community members eat nutritious porridge prepared by the group.

Tracking changes of children's weight and other measurements provides important data to measure the success of interventions. In this picture, community members weigh a young girl to track her growth over time.

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There are No Girls

1/11/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Funani Matemba

The first month in my community was full of mixed emotions. It was both tiring and interesting. Most community members came to my house to greet and welcome me in the community. I should confess, I have never been greeted by a lot of people like this in a space of a month. I still can't remember most of their faces, let alone their names.

Among these people was a man whom I still remember because of an interesting conversation we had. As I was learning from him about the community, I asked him about the youths and specifically the girls. To my surprise, he answered, “The youths stopped meeting because of Covid-19 and there are no girls in this community.” I laughed because I thought he was trying to be funny, but he was very serious about it. I asked him how this was so, and he explained that most of the girls in the community are married and some are single teenage mothers. I later found out that this is true. On my first meeting with some of the girls, despite being the oldest in the room I felt so young as they all told me that they have babies. There are a lot of girls in my community who dropped out of school and are raising their kids alone in their parent’s homes. Some got married to their fellow teenagers and they are living independently. Some girls want to go back to school.

Recently I learnt of the death of a teen mother in the community. A huge rock fell on her while trying to mine sand to sell so she could support herself hand her child. This is one example of the struggles these young mothers are facing. This has made me realize that there is more to being a CorpsAfrica Volunteer than facilitating development projects in my community. I hope my service will help to change the plight of some girls in my community as I work to mentor and inspire them to remain in school and have big dreams for their future.

Some of the girls in my community and myself after our meeting

Some of the girls during one of our meetings

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Choosing the Waters for Sanity

1/11/2022

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Lonney Banda

It is a well-known fact that water plays a major role in our lives and that without it, there are zero chances of our existence. When I was told about my site the immediate thought that came to mind was the Lake Malawi. Being someone from the central region who has visited the lake not more than five times, I knew I was bound to have a great time. It was a surprise to me how the whole time my host mother talked about the lake being useful, she only mentioned fishing and washing. On the contrary, I envisioned it as a place where I could find peace in the steady waters and perhaps have a quiet time.

My weeks in the community are usually fun as I have made it a point to visit Liuzi beach once or twice a week. Liuzi is not very far from where I stay. It is an environment where I meditate and remind myself of the reasons I embarked on this volunteer journey. I now have a great appreciation of the book ‘Blue Mind’ by Wallace Nicholas. Wallace explains the remarkable benefits of being near water on our health and well-being. He shows how proximity to water can improve performance, increase calm, diminish anxiety, and increase professional success.

I am also lucky to have met a great friend Sibongile, who lives by the lake side. She has helped me understand my community better and she is also a great tutor as I am now able to understand some conversations in Tonga (the local language). Sibongile is a mentor for Tiyanjane club, a club for girls who are below the age of 18. She provides guidance on sexual reproductive health, dangers of teenage pregnancies and early marriages, as these are some of the major challenges that adolescent girls are facing in my community. I am currently working with this lovely lady to mentor the girls in Tiyanjane club.

With Sibongile and Tiyanjene club

One of my visits to Liuzi beach

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What Does Autumn in Azro n’souq Village Feel Like?

12/24/2021

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Maroc Volunteer Ms. Aziza Himmad

Autumn is a magical season in which everything can change. At my site, everything looks lovely and charming. From the bright yellow to the flaming red, the leaves' colors will give you a new perspective of the outdoors. They slowly fall from the trees to cover the ground, creating a colorful autumn painting. The view pleases the eyes, especially when it is raining. It transforms the valley into a paradise, and I couldn’t let this wonderful painting be missed. I went out for a walk, watched the trees, danced left and right with the wind, and got wet from the raindrops. The air interacts with my mind and body and the mountain lifts my imagination, making me feel inner peace.

When you live simply, you will be lucky enough to find yourself in the essence of life. The village AZRO N’SOUQ is one of the perfect places to live if you are in search of simplicity, tranquility, and harmony with nature. It is located in the province of AL HAOUZ, in the rural commune of Ijoukak in Nefis Valley, and is 127 KM far away from TAROUDANT and 99 KM away from Marrakech. “Souq” means the market, and it the village earned this name because it used to host the local market.

I am so lucky to serve in such an amazing site, and I am blessed to have such a wonderful host family as well. They are welcoming and generous, and I feel like I am home. “Mi SFIYA,” my host grandmother, is a calm, wise, kind, and energetic woman, despite her old age. She doesn’t speak Arabic but she wants to learn and will also help teach me Tamazight. “KHADIJA,” her unmarried daughter, is a funny and cheerful person, and one of the nicest and the kindest people I ever met in my life. She always tries to do what she can to make me feel comfortable in the family and with visitors. “Fatima,” Mi Sfiya’s son’s wife, is eight months pregnant and has 2 boys - I have a beautiful relationship with them. I usually help them in their studies, especially the younger one, “SOULAIMAN,” who always comes to me to learn the alphabet.

I enjoy being with my host community, I try to help with some daily activities: feeding the goat, bringing wood from “JNAN” on the back of the donkey (using it to prepare “TANOURT”), but the activity I enjoy most is carpet weaving. The family shows me how, and I try to do it on my own. At first it was difficult for me, but after some minutes I found it enjoyable and easy to do (but not for a long time because it’s really tiring)!

Doing things outside of your ordinary routine can be an exciting way to spice up your life. Meeting new people and talking to them, seeing things you may have never seen, or doing things you have never done before help to refresh the day. No matter what you do, just do it with love, because nothing will happen the same way again. In all you do, make sure that you enjoy your life and don’t forget to have fun.

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A FASSI IN TAMAZGHA

12/24/2021

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Maroc Volunteer Mr. Soufiane Dayi

What am I doing here... It’s freezing cold!

What is voluntary work? What is the point of living for one year where you are a complete stranger? Am I truly a valuable asset to this community or not, and can I bring a change?

Well, read my story and maybe I can answer some of these questions above.

Greetings everybody. My name is Soufiane Dayi and I am 28 years old. I’m from Fes, the spiritual capital of Morocco, a city that dates back to antiquity with a twelve century old medina and a World UNESCO heritage site. I feel homesick and nostalgic for this city most of the time. After traveling all these miles and missing my family, I found myself alone in the snow-covered mountains and immersed in the discovery of Amazigh culture!

I will skip the details of the CorpsAfrica selection, interview, and PST to shed light on how I am living this volunteering experience. I will try to convey images to readers through words. After all, as Albert Einstein said, “There comes a point in your life when you need to stop reading other people's books and write your own.” I’m writing my own and it begins here.

I will start by saying that God endowed us with something precious, something we might sometimes take for granted, something that without it, our lives would be bitter and dull. It is the love of our moms, and may God bless all the moms of the world, because without their blessings we would not walk the right path. Without their advice, we would easily diverge from lightness to darkness. Honestly, I will always remember the look on my mom’s eyes as I was leaving, and how much she was heartbroken even though she tried to hide that expression of sadness while waving goodbye to her son, leaving to the uncertainty and to the unknown.

Frankly, I had no voluntary experience before. I used to be a successful entrepreneur investing in tourism, transportation, and lodging in my company, which I built on my own. The arrival of the pandemic was an unlikely turn of events that shattered all my goals for financial freedom. I was my own boss, conducting business in an international scope, and being the freelancer that I always wanted to be. However, with such a catastrophic pandemic, my business plans needed to change, and voluntary work is a new field that I can use to give back. I hope to gain a lot from this humanitarian experience.

I have always been competitive, and have found great pleasure in accepting new challenges.

I think the first time I felt like a stranger was when I set foot in my site, a village called Tacheddirt, but it’s okay. Not only is the culture different from mine, the language barrier is my worst nightmare. I won’t lie, while working on tourism for years I learned many different languages naturally, and I’ve been learning Chinese as an alternative to work with Chinese companies in Morocco. Nevertheless, learning Berber Tamazighit is definitely the masterpiece challenge this year. As a polyglot, it will take me a few months to learn. Now almost two months have passed, and I can understand and speak a lot of the local dialect, although it drives me crazy when I can’t understand when people mutter.

I was happy to prove to many people in my site how wrong their stereotypes were that city men are soft and not capable of doing rural hard work. I basically jumped in every activity they do over here, from collecting fertilizer, to ploughing fields, to riding mules. After many attempts, I start feeling that not only I can adapt, but I can overcome challenges and be successful in my integration process. I suppose, during this one year, volunteers can learn something precious, something we cannot find in the fast-paced city life. Over here we can learn how people persevere to earn a living and survive in hard conditions, the mesmerizing simplicity of life. I value this simplicity and have learned to love the little things, while also being grateful for city life. City life is easy and I used to take it for granted, but now I have learned the true value of appreciation.

I will conclude by saying, I am a valuable asset to my community, and I will do my best to bring a CHANGE.

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Living For Passion

12/23/2021

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Tapiwa Khutakumutu

Dear Aspiring CorpsAfrica Volunteer,

Unlike many other Volunteers, I almost cried when I first arrived at my site. Waking up in a motel room with a beautiful view of what seemed like a deserted permaculture garden, I was wearing the most beautiful smile just like my fellow Volunteers. We were excited that morning and we took a lot of pictures and videos while walking around the garden chit-chatting and enjoying all the fruits the garden had to offer. I was looking forward to meeting my host family and the rest of the community.

After traveling for thirty kilometers from Dyeratu, which is my pick-up point, we got to my site. A group of smiling women and children had gathered waiting for my arrival. The rains had fallen two days before my arrival and so the pigs and ducks were still enjoying every filled pit they could find. This can't be real. I had visualized my community and it looked nothing like this. "At least you have access to the network," said the driver as I was striving to control my tears and the agony on my face. I forced a smile, we laughed and they drove off.

Looking for a place to dump my anger and disbelief, I remembered all the good things one of the staff had said to me about my site during the PST (Pre-Service Training) and I decided to confront him that same night, and this is a summary of our conversation:

Tapiwa: So this is my site which you praised during PST?

Staff: Good evening Tapiwa, so you have arrived.

Tapiwa: This place has no electricity, it is extremely hot and very far from the main road. I am still awake but rats are already crawling out of their holes. How am I supposed to survive here? This is not fair, some Volunteers have access to electricity and they are just a walk away from the main road.

Staff: Hahahaha, those are your new pets welcoming you. And that’s how we work Tapiwa, Remote and far from luxury. You felt that your knowledge and passion in fighting against climate change could be of use in Chikwawa. Remember the goal.

A little while later, I found myself sleeping outside the house with my host sisters and complaining about the heat. Reflecting on my passion for fighting against climate change, I knew I was at the right place. A month later, I have built a strong relationship with my community. I am working with a strong and motivated team in fighting against climate change and enhance resilience in all the neighboring villages, which are mostly affected by floods. As a community, we hope to accomplish more in the next nine months.

So dear aspiring CorpsAfrica Volunteer; "Follow your passion. The rest will attend to itself. If I can do it, anybody can do it. It’s possible. And it’s your turn. So go for it. It’s never too late to become what you always wanted to become in the first place." -- J. Michael Straczynski

My host parents and me, soon after arriving.

The climate change team

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Spend the Day with Me

12/23/2021

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Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Grace Sichinga

‘Gile! Mwadzuka?’ (Grace! Are you awake/ Good morning?) This is the voice of my landlady that shakes me awake usually around 5am. I answer back and continue to sleep till 7am, then I officially start my day.

My morning consists of me getting ready and planning that day's activities. After my morning routine, I walk a few minutes to our partner organization’s office. There, I help with the administrative work. After the office work, I go to the market to buy that days’ ndiwo (relish), which usually consists of leafy veggies, eggs, tomatoes, and onions. On a good day, I buy some meat instead of eggs. After my short trip to the market, I go home and cook that day's food.

By the time I finish having my lunch, I have about an hour or two to go to my community engagement activity. The usual meeting place for this activity is about 6km away from where I stay. The only thing I can complain about is the heat, it makes the 6km bike ride feel like 20km. On the bright side, I always meet people on the way who are always cheerful and offer warm greetings.

My community members have been welcoming since the beginning. Our meetings are always insightful and I tend to learn something new about the community each time. My favorite part about my day is the trip back home, the sun is finally setting, the wind has picked up and so the heat is not much of a problem. My day usually ends with me seeing a beautiful sunset.

A picture taken on my way back home

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