Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Chiukepo Mwenechanya

It is exactly 14 months since I was deployed to catalyze community-led developments in a local community of Thoza, south of Mzimba District, yet I can’t even remember how I came across CorpsAfrica. It sounds crazy, but my memories can only go as far as the most intensive 30-day training, termed Pre-Service Training or just PST, among the CorpsAfrica family. I think my memories are still fresh not just because of the intensity of the training, rather the setting of lodging. All trainees were living in a host community, assigned a host family in what Emas Potolani (my favourite trainer) would just call “a Prototype” of the rural villages where we were stationed. We were living and eating the same food with our hosts. It sounds absurd right? I thought so too. Raised in the city, I remember one day, while I was in my tiny room on a 4-inch, single mattress without a bed for the first time in my life, asking myself, “What am I doing here?” I quickly defended myself, “How am I going to help these people if I don’t know what they are going through or feeling?” Well, living with a host family created some unforgettable memories and added a family in my life apart from preparing me in terms of living in a rural community during my actual service.

My deployment to live in Thoza marked the peak of my service with CorpsAfrica. With training materials fresh in my head, I was confident to apply everything we learnt during training and catalyze developments in my community. I cannot deny it, at first, I was filled with fears and worries on what to expect. New place, new people, and what if they reject me or what if I don’t get along with them? These were some of a million questions that almost stopped my heartbeat for a moment. If only I knew how humble and warm-hearted my community is, I couldn’t have troubled myself with such worries. I integrated quickly due to cultural similarities to mine and through volunteering at a nearby primary school. Thanks to my selfless and loving host family and counterpart, my stay in Thoza was lovely.

I quickly got along with my community and started conducting community meetings with various groups such as chiefs, the Village Development Committee, youth clubs, women's groups. The meetings helped us understand community priority needs and how we can address them together. Just when we thought things were going on well, Covid-19 broke out. Everything went into a stand-still. The risk of getting the virus was very high. Yes, in a community with a black hole of health-related information and misconceptions, I was worried about catching the virus. People did not believe that Covid-19 is real. Yet I managed to share Covid-19 information and clear myths through Covid-19 awareness campaigns. Thank you, Mastercard Foundation for the $1000 grant, which we used to conduct a Covid-19 response community project.

Despite the Covid-19 outbreak, together with my community, we managed to implement a “Youth Skills Development Project though Carpentry and Joinery,” with technical and financial support from CorpsAfrica. The project built an alternative form of livelihood for the youth who did not have a meaningful form of livelihood in the area, thereby improving their well-being and relevance to the community. We also implemented a community-led “Thoza Women's Economic Resilience Enhancement Project” with financial assistance from Friends of Malawi. The project empowered the most vulnerable and marginalized women in the area socially and economically through a bakery business. In Thoza area, almost all productive assets are owned and controlled by men, who unfortunately have migrated to South Africa for manual labour and left the women behind to take care of the families, leaving most women vulnerable to poverty. In the end, the project created a business opportunity for these women to improve their socio-economic status in the community.

The growth I have immersed personally and professionally through my service with CorpsAfrica is so enormous and I am so proud of myself for taking this journey. As Emas Potolani once said, “Small is big,” I do believe that I have done my part though I wish I had more time with my community. Saying good-bye to my community has been the hardest part of my service.

Above all, thank you CorpsAfrica/Malawi Cohort 4 Volunteers for the support and CorpsAfrica/Malawi staff for the tireless efforts to make sure that my service is a success. Lastly, a big thank you to Revlis Foundation for the financial support. Without your financial commitment, my service with CorpsAfrica/Malawi would not have been possible.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Dorothy Mapira

I could write a million words but they will all tell the same story of how grateful I am for the opportunity to serve as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer. Time has always been a great teller of all the things done. It's crazy how the world has viewed women as being weak, passive and so on. However, this stereotyped kind of thinking has been proven wrong as I have seen women demonstrating that they have the capacity to bring change. That women are like everyone else and if given a chance to perform, they can do wonders.

I am writing as a young lady who has been inspired and greatly impacted by the efforts of fellow women in changing the plight of our rural communities. They nurtured their dreams so well that it became a reality. For so long, people have despised the spirit of volunteerism, but it is through this that I, together with my fellow volunteers, have managed to reach out to the most desolate communities of our country. It has been a dream come true for me as it has revived a leader in me.

To be a part of CorpsAfrica’s dream is not only a great opportunity for me but also a turning point in my life. Many times, I had dreamt of becoming a change maker in my country but I did not have the capacity to do so. Through CorpsAfrica, I found a platform where my dream has become a reality. I have had the chance to acquire skills and use them during my service. Truth be told, these skills were not just essential to me during my service, but it's a gift that I will carry with me wherever I go and no one will take it away from me.

My service has been so impactful, my time in the community was not only about facilitating the implementation of projects but also creating friendships and partnerships. I have shared smiles with people, and believe you me, these smiles would not have been shared if the needs of my community were not addressed.

During the time in my community, I have been able to implement projects that have addressed some of the basic needs of my community. It has not been an easy journey but it was worth it. I will live to remember the work done and the impacts made. The photos shared serve as evidence of the change made in my community.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Mieke Mmeya

"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."  -- A.A Milne 

Dear Reader,

After 14 amazing months, I have to say goodbye to you and my community. This journey is easily one of the most important experiences of my life because (to quote Julius Caesar) I came, I saw, I conquered. Though perhaps my achievements during this time are not as great as conquering a kingdom but through this service I was able to break the boundaries of what I first viewed as my limitations.

Looking back at the past year, the apprehensions of successfully integrating into the community and facilitating projects seems so funny. Do not get me wrong. The journey was not easy and the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic did not make things any easier, but I find that it was the challenges that made the whole experience worthwhile. 

To my host family, thank you for accepting me as one of your own. From the moment I arrived in your home you treated me as a daughter returned from her adventures in the world, never as a stranger taking advantage of your goodwill. You encouraged me to be myself and pushed me whenever I felt like giving up. To my family and friends, both old and new, your physical and emotional support has gone a long way in ensuring the success of my service. To my community, I hope I managed to live up to a fraction of your expectations from me. To the CorpsAfrica staff, thank you for trusting me to take up this mantle. To my fellow CorpsAfrica Volunteers, we did it you guys!  

And finally, to you dear Reader, thank you for granting me the audience throughout this time. Please remember the words of A.A Milne quoted above. Go out there and be the best that you can be. The world is waiting.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Chifundo Chibaka

I have stayed in my site for over 66 weeks now and a lot has happened. I came as a complete stranger and now as I prepare to leave, I feel like I am leaving home and people I have known all my life. I was fascinated by CorpsAfrica's approach of placing development facilitators right in the community and I believed this to be the best way to kickstart my career in the development sector.

After arriving in my site, I spent the first few days pondering how I could connect with the locals, build trust and a working relationship with them. I immediately decided to attach myself to the local football team and youth club. I developed an interest to work with the youth right at the start of my service. Looking back to this, I feel it was a best way of making my presence known and putting my foot on the ground. I worked on two projects with the youth and their commitment was beyond comprehension. 

As part of my integration process, I took a teaching job at the local secondary school. I clicked instantly with my students because of my interest to build friendships with them as peers. During classes, I opted to be called by my first name and not “teacher” or “sir,” something that helped to make our interactions relaxed and welcoming. One thing I was saddened by was the dropping out of girls from school to get married for various reasons. 

Once I was settled, I began looking for organised groups such as village savings and loans associations (VSLAs), mother's groups, farmer clubs and youth clubs to work with during my service. I believe it was much easier to work with an already existing group to pursue an intervention of their choosing. My plans to work with VSLAs failed to materialise due to the unrealistic expectation that members had but later changed after noting progress made with the groups I worked with. I also failed to work with another group I was interested in because of uncooperative and unwillingness to be engaged. Later on I learnt that our working relationship failed to take off because of my short stature, I was looked down on because of it.

I can confidently say my service was a success and everything I set out to do with the people in my community was achieved. I am grateful to be part of the development story of my community and for the lifetime friendships I have made.

I was privileged to work with a great team of fellow CorpsAfrica Volunteers who supported me left, right and center, and a great support system of CorpsAfrica staff whose support and constructive criticism made all interventions come into fruition.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Angella Chizimba 

Dear Reader, 

I believe serving comes in different forms, shapes and sizes and is triggered by a lot of things. For me, it was improving people's livelihoods and empowering the local communities. Some of us give our time, some of us our hearts, and some of us give in-kind. Some people learn to give and some learn to feel. Some provide leftovers, some provide what they have and others provide what they do not have. Yet, it's not the amount of services one gives, nor the depth of love that one shows that counts, but rather it is the act itself that matters. The true act of service is humble and devoid of pride. These were some of my reflections during our Close of Service.

At first, I didn't really understand the whole essence of extending my Volunteer service. But, the more you serve your community, the more you want to do for it.  I realized that the more I served the more I understood the needs of the community. Believe me when I say, serving is not only admirable but it is addictive too. What was stuck in my mind and heart was the priceless friendships that I had built with the community members. Fast forward, I finally went to my community, again. So funny I didn't really know where to start. I spent most of my time visiting people, checking up on some and visiting the lake. We were supposed to monitor and evaluate the projects we implemented and I never thought that this could be the only exercise I could do. 

I later realized how the projects in the community needed a very serious monitoring and evaluation. One of my projects was at the verge of falling apart, not due to the recklessness of the project beneficiaries, but due to other social factors beyond their control. When I told the project team that I will be with them for some time, they were very happy. Setting out workable solutions, required me to apply Human-Centered Design and Asset-Based Community Development tools. I have learnt that sometimes we tend to overlook small problems. They look so small, but they have a great potential of causing project failure and can easily destroy what people worked so hard to build over time. So let me please use this opportunity to share with you that no problem is small, every part of it will have an impact on your project regardless of how small it is.

Today, I stand here, to thank CorpsAfrica for the opportunity to extend my service. Achieving project sustainability is not easy, people have to be properly trained, ensuring they fully own the project, ensuring they know the best approaches to use to deal with challenges and most importantly making sure they take seriously the aspects of group dynamics. I am happy today because I am confident that my community and project implementing teams are well equipped to ensure that the projects are sustainable and I am delighted to have served well.

I now look at my host community in a totally different light, and I constantly  encourage them to be the best they can be. I feel a great sense of excitement to see the groups I have worked with accomplish significant  growth and independence,  which they never thought they would.

If we are able to harness opportunities life presents us, we can all learn to serve our communities in any kind of way. It might not be as I did, but a little support to local groups could be another way to serve.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Maroc Volunteer Mr. Redwane Hamma

It was 15th December, 2019, I woke early. It was still dark because my country uses summer time. I got dressed quickly then I did my religious obligation. After that, I drank a cup of hot coffee as I always do, and called a taxi to take me to the bus station. After a few minutes, the taxi arrived. I greeted my parents by kissing their heads and got in the taxi. As soon as I arrived at the bus station I got a ticket. Then I put my suitcase in the bottom of the bus and took my seat. The driver comes and rings to passengers to take their seats and the 8 o’clock trip began. My destination is Marrakech but I got down in Inzgen because me and Ali (who is my mate in service) decided to meet there in order to take another bus to Marrakech together. It was a very long trip but fortunately we broke the boredom by talking and we still felt the long trip. We were very tired because it took more than we expected. Finally we arrived to our destination about 8 pm. Without any hesitation we took a taxi to Jamaa El Fena and looked for an appropriate hotel to rest. A few moments later, we went out to take dinner and to withdraw some money, then came back to our room in the hotel that we booked.

The followed morning was 16th December, 2019. We woke up early I took a quick shower then directly we arranged our suitcases then we went out to meet our mate Samba who is an Exchange Volunteer from Senegal. After approximately half an hour our coordinator sent us the location of the place where we met so we joined him right away. It took about five minutes to be there. We found he already booked three seats so we just arranged to put our luggage in the trunk of the taxi, but it was not enough so we just put the rest next to our seats. We didn’t have to wait for the other seats to be full because there were two people already waiting, so the driver started the engine and went to Setti Fadma, which surprised me and we discovered the transportation to our sites. At this time, we didn’t know yet how our sites would look!

We waited more than we expected and no transportation yet. We took breakfast and lunch and we waited more than two hours. Finally the transportation came on our lucky windy day. We did not have a choice to look for better transportation thus we did not refuse to go in. We put our luggage in the back and we got in on the back above some boxes and bottle gases. We spent about two hours to reach Agrd Norton, where Ali is serving. It is the same site where we collected data during pre service training. We decided to go to Samba’s site first. 
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The first house we entered in the village was not our host family, we just enter because the driver who took us knows the owner so he helped us to find a house. The driver and another man went out while we are still setting in this home without knowing our next destination. After a while the driver and the other man came back informing us to go out with them to our host family and where we will stay during our service. It was going to be dark and was also windy and it seems it would snow. We talked for a little bit with our host father, because both of us were tired, we went quickly to sleep. I felt as if I did not sleep enough even I slept all night. I was the first one who woke up then I found the whole village white. I called my friend Samba who said it is his first time to see the snow. 

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Angella Chizimba 

Dear reader, 

I hope you're all well and staying safe considering the circumstances that we are all in. It's hard not to lose the spirit these days. I have been thinking about writing on the cloth face masks topic that has been so popular with this Covid-19 pandemic. I had a very divided opinion on this and the benefits of using them until one of the groups am working with on a Community Lead Development Project made them. This quickly spiraled into making them full time for the care of others in the community. 

Fact is that, you cannot sew face masks without believing in them if you want to stay sane. As weird as this may sound, sewing face masks isn't an easy job. You can spend the whole day on your sewing machine only to come up with 50 masks or less, that’s after spending hours and hours cutting your cotton material.

Wearing a mask, even a makeshift cotton mask, is better that wearing none. In a society where people can wear a disposable mask five times or more, worse enough washing a disposable mask to be reused the next day, makeshift masks is ideal and affordable.  Well, I was so shocked when I saw one of the community members hanging a disposable face mask on a dryer, and after I asked her why she did that, she said "Everyone does this, and you do not expect me to be buying this every single day."  Of course, I shared how makeshift masks are meant to me reused after a good washing but not these disposable masks. I could go endlessly about the benefits of making face masks locally.

There are indeed serious benefits of wearing/making makeshift fabric masks. I have also included some insights from the group I have been working with in making these face masks. Firstly, one lady told me that making face masks helps her to have a get away from the constant feeling of helplessness in a global crisis like this and other issues in the community, we can easily feel overwhelmed and absolutely powerless. Actively doing something gives her a sense of self-empowerment.  You are not stopping the pandemic by making a handful of masks, but being able to help even the tiniest amount makes her feel better. Secondly, active solidarity can really help lift up your mood. Taking part in sewing face masks will make you feel less alone, this has been helpful to me as am usually alone in my house. Thirdly, some of these group members gather small cloth materials to make face-masks for their family members and friends and they receive really great feedback. Whether they wear them or not, but everyone likes a little care. Being a pro-social and helping others reinforces your sense of fulfillment and relatedness to others. 
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Lastly and more importantly, these face masks are offered at a low cost. They are affordable for everyone to buy, everyone's safety is taken at heart and considered. They are easy and can be made from de-stashing and de-cluttering fabric pole. You don't have to necessarily buy new material, we can use old cotton scraps. Let's make the current situation less scary! Making cotton face masks can help people in local communities access them easily and affordably. 

Written by CorpsAfrica/Rwanda Volunteer Mr. Justin NKUNZIMANA

Christopher Reeve once said that a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.

It has been a year since I started my service in the rural community areas of Rutsiro District of Rwanda. I don’t know how I can express my appreciation and feelings about how I enjoy the inclusion of my community, but all I can say is that CorpsAfricas’ approaches have no boundaries and each and every one, even marginalized communities and persons, are always welcome.  

It all started at the time when I joined the community in December 2019, when I started working with my community doing door-to-door visits. On one visit and to my surprise, it was to meet one of the beneficiaries Murenzi (not his real name), a crippled man unable to move on his two legs but struggling to be part of us. He was taking a kin interest in listening to what we were teaching.
Since then he has been a good member and at the end of August, I decided to give him a surprise visit as I have always done, but this time to have more time with him. I stayed with him almost half a day.

The person am talking about is a 52-year old man with a family of seven children and a wife, of course the only bread earner of the family. Murenzi has a physical disability and crippled in one leg. During this visit, Murenzi opened up and told me how helpless and hopeless he was. He said that his life was a total mess because he lived and survived on begging along the roadside, sometimes waiting to be fed by his wife. He could not manage to pay the general health insurance or even pay the little contribution towards school fees for his children and had no hope for the future and his family too.

He went further to tell me that during one of my visits sometime last year in December 2019 when I visited him and started talking to him about our approaches, he felt like kicking me but realized he had only one leg and neither could not run inside the house. All he did was to listen to me but in despair, but towards the end of the conversation, his heart had started changing a bit and when he slept he thought about it and the next day that’s when he decided to come and join us with the rest of the beneficiaries or community members.

Though he had a feeling that may be these people give out money but they were not direct to me and it was out of such that he came too and when he inquired from others he realized it was about teaching and enlightening them on how they can make changes in their lives with the little they have, using the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach.

During our teachings he heard us saying that people with disabilities are human beings like others and given a chance they can work and live a better life, so he was inspired as we did not exclude him. As a volunteer, I kept close to him and from there he became an active member and started making saving contributions like others, something that excited him very much.

In the middle of this year, Murenzi decided to borrow from the saving coffers (the community had saved 30,000 RWF, or $30). He also had the money he had from selling of vegetables (10,000 RWF, or $10) from the kitchen garden made by CorpsAfrica, to start a small income-generating project. This is the time he launched his poultry project. He started with ten (10) chickens but now they have multiplied to thirty (30).

Murenzi now is one of the beneficiaries in his community who sells eggs, chicken and manure to his community members and is now able to meet most of the basic needs of his family, something that was very difficult to do before CorpsAfrica. It was not even in his dreams that one day he would own his own business.

At the moment he has plans to expand his business to be bigger and start supplying eggs and chickens out of his community to the nearest town of Rutsiro, but at the moment, since his production is still low, he only supplies shops in his community.
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Finally, he said that through the approaches of CorpsAfrica, he managed to beat the inner fear he always had about life and especially knowing that he is disabled and uneducated. The most important thing that gave him strength and courage was to work in groups or teams that don’t discriminate and that consider his views/ideas during the community meetings. He said his life has now changed for the best and the future looks brighter than 50 years a go!

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Chifundo Chibaka

My end of service quote comes from the movie John Wick Chapter 3: "I have served, I will be of service."

Looking back and reflecting on what I have done and achieved in 42 weeks together with the people in my community, I always get shivers of excitement every time. In almost all circumstances, against all odds, the people in my community have managed to stay focused and keep their eyes on the prize despite overwhelming and numerous challenges that we kept bumping into throughout and kept us on our toes.

I remember arriving at my site late in the evening and contemplating all night long if I was physically, mentally and emotionally ready to go ahead with my service. I recall telling my father that I was sure CorpsAfrica/Malawi got the wrong guy to carry out this noble duty. Days, weeks and months passed and every day I grew more confident that my service was going to be a success. I developed friendships with people of all ages, professions and genders and all these people had high hopes in me and encouraged me throughout. The community members showered numerous support and stepped up for me in ways I couldn't have guessed in a million years. This coupled with the cheerleading from fellow Volunteers and CorpsAfrica staff members made me grow confident and believed more in what I was doing.

After settling, I developed a working relationship with the local youth club and in the first months we worked on two small income-generating activities, community sensitization on education and child labour. I was privileged to work with them on a Mastercard Foundation funded Covid-19 response project and a bee-keeping and honey processing factory with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and World Connect. Under this project, the youths will be producing, packing and selling over 2000 kilograms of honey annually.

With the popularity of cooking oil, demand for production of sunflower crops coupled with low prices of sunflower seeds, we have managed to also set up a sunflower oil extraction and refinery factory for a local farmer club. Thanks to the financial support from CorpsAfrica and partners, this club will be producing and selling over 1500 liters of cooking oil in the community. The coming of this factory will also intensify production of sunflower crop.

Looking back to when I first arrived and now when my service is almost done, I can't help but notice a community full of opportunities making strides to develop and become resilient.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Dorothy Mapira

I was a year and some months old when the people of my CorpsAfrica community started working on a health clinic project. I was living in a different area far from theirs. Neither my parents nor I would think or know what these people had embarked upon. It was their dream to see their place develop and have a structure raised to help women and children in the community. 

The people struggled as they walked long distances to access health services for their children under five years old. They later started conducting the services under a tree. It wasn't a conducive environment for them. During rainy seasons they had no place to conduct clinic business. In 1992 they raised a structure to be used as an under-five clinic, their hopes for a better community had started. But soon, all their hopes shattered when the roof was blown off and there was no one to help fix it. They have been seeking for help ever since, but no help was to be found.

Politicians gave them false hopes, organizations came and went, some individuals did the same. They were tired of crying for help, years passed and they got used to the problem though inside them was a heart buried with pain. They've seen other nearby communities have what they long for but could not have. They thought they were doomed.

Twenty-eight years later, I arrived in their village as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer. Having introduced myself and the work I would be doing in their community, they rejoiced knowing that their outcry might finally be heard. Through the many meetings we've been having they decided that their first project would be the under-five clinic. I empathized with them after hearing the struggles they faced, the rivers they cross, the distances they walk, the miscarriages, the deaths of children that have happened during my stay. We sat down as a community and tried to look for help, I facilitated the work and we did all we could.

Rescue came their way; the funds were raised through CorpsAfrica, and we embarked on implementing a health clinic project. The hope returned; faces were filled with smiles again. They worked so hard and tirelessly to contribute to the project. Within a short time, the clinic building was raised.

As I write, I am sitting in the corner one of one of the rooms appreciating the work being done. It will soon be functional; the dreams and cries of 28 years have been answered. Many thanks to all of the CorpsAfrica donors for addressing my community's needs.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Angella Chizimba

We know that young people aren't just the leaders of tomorrow, they are working to transform their communities today. Safe spaces help girls develop into leaders and change makers. As the United Nations explains, safe spaces can be found in any type of setting. They are inclusive and promote civil discourse, ensuring that young people from diverse backgrounds feel comfortable and respected as they learn to express themselves and contribute to community life.

We create these spaces to provide participants from all backgrounds with a place to come together to build their skills. During my service, I have been lucky enough to work in a safe space with the girls in my community who are between the ages of 13 and 24. We discuss main areas of concern of girls including health, hygiene and gender-based violence.

Though adolescence is usually a period for young people to gain the education, knowledge, and skills needed to shape a secure future, this isn't a given in many communities around the world.  As I grew up, in my early years I had someone who encouraged me to face challenges head on. My youth services at church was my safe space and we could share and openly speak about issues. Many people are not so fortunate to have all that. Safe spaces help fill this gap, it’s a safe haven.

Marginalized girls often lack access to quality education and healthcare, decision-making power and the ability to make choices about their own lives. Safe spaces provide them with emotional support and physical support.

This has been the case for Atupele, a young girl aged 20 years. Atupele was born epileptic. She experienced a hard time in school to the point that she dropped out. Having lost both parents at a young age, she stayed with her relatives, but it was not easy for her. She was locked at home to do all chores and take care of other children. She could not associate with others or do anything for herself. In other words, she was powerless. Her relatives were approached to allow her be part of the safe space. Luckily after some time, they allowed it. She started attending the safe space and she opened up and joined another club where she is learning how to sew clothes, which will help her earn her living in the near future. Without safe space, she could have not been confident enough to learn a skill, make friends and learn more about her human rights.

Just like Atupele, there are a lot of cases out there that need such groupings. Young girls need to build their confidence, need to learn skills, they need to associate with others to learn different issues pertaining to their health, hygiene and gender based violence. "Safe space is a home for me, it's comforting to be among girls experiencing life challenges and finding solutions together. I am learning a lot of things everyday," said Atupele.

​Most of them lack motivation to take them through life. They need a confidence boost. I am so glad that in this short time, I could work with such girls and experienced change in their lives. As I experience change in these girls' lives, my life is changing as well.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Margaret Magombo

​Passing around Mpheta village in Domasi, one would forget that this is summer. This is the area where Domasi scheme is located. It is a large chunk of land which is supporting livelihoods of thousands of people. It is through the sweat of the locals that the large expanse of land is constantly green in and out of season.

Since my arrival at my site, I took it as my initiative to explore the area. The just past weekend I considered visiting Domasi scheme, which is found to the far end of my site. What I witnessed has clung to my mind and it is inspiring my imagination. The agricultural scheme that was pioneered by the Chinese government a couple of decades ago has formed the bedrock of economic activities in the area. I have learned that the scheme is the main producer of rice in Zomba and Machinga. Supported by Domasi river, rice is cultivated twice alongside maize within the green belt. I remember wondering and asking recently where the large quantities of watermelons flooding the nearby markets are coming from. Through my weekend journey I had the answer to my curiosity.

Walking around the households surrounding the scheme all signs of self-sufficiency were too visible. One cannot complain of food insecurity in this part of Zomba. Standard iron thatched houses are a main feature in this area. I was really thrilled to see how nature is being harnessed for the advantage of man. I wish how people are using water in Mpheta could be a model in different parts of mother Malawi. It is an indisputable fact that this nation is blessed with countless rivers. Most of these rivers are not being used to the advantage of the locals. How I wish relevant stakeholders played the needed role in turning these feely given precious pearls for the support of standard living.

My weekend adventure, has helped me in debunking the myth that rural dwellers are a lazy bunch of people. As one wonders how can a lazy body turn a summer landscape into a winter one? And how can the same busy body feed thousands? Rural masses deserve a push in the right direction. All they need is to be set into what they know best by providing them the needed structures in the right place. What they need to be given is the skill to fish not a fish on a platter. It is imperative that we begin to view our brothers and sisters living in rural areas with sustainable perspective. It is high time we stop using the poverty and lack of the rural masses as a resource to our advantage!

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Margret Chavula
 
My service as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer has not been what I had imagined mostly due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions that came with it, which affected meetings, public gatherings and businesses.  However, amidst the pandemic, there has been a group of farmers that I have been working with closely, Titukuke ndi Ulimi farmers group, which has outstandingly performed beyond expectations and hardships they have been going through due to the pandemic. These farmers were previously dependent on rain-fed crop husbandry farming. Unfortunately, the area was continuously hit by dry spells, which left them without enough yields to sustain their families. The farmers eventually contemplated venturing into animal husbandry farming, particularly poultry farming to broaden their scope, but lacked capital and funding to make their dreams a reality.

Luckily, there was a call for grant applications from World Connect. As a CorpsAfrica Volunteer I helped the group to write a project proposal on their intended project, which got approved for a grant. As a prerequisite for every CorpsAfrica project, the group was expected to contribute 15% of the total budget in-kind, which could be services and activities offered to make the project a reality and 10% in cash. Sourcing these community contributions, especially the cash contribution was a hard task since most sources of income that these farmers relied on were affected by the pandemic. Being a business venture that was to be run by the farmers in the group, contribution per individual was high to meet the 10% target. Most onlookers in the community doubted the abilities of the group to source the funds.

However, members of the group were determined to make their poultry farm dream a reality and tirelessly worked to source funds to meet their target. I was shocked and amazed at how fast these farmers were able to source the funds and I learnt that determination is key. Because these farmers were determined to change their yearly misfortune with the rains, they worked together as a team to collect their community contribution target. With such determination the group now has a sense of ownership on the project and the sustainability of the project is promising because the group is determined to see and experience an improved livelihood from the poultry project.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Mieke Mmeya

"The truth is that teamwork is at the heart of great achievement." -- John C Maxwell

Dear Reader,

A couple of months ago I discovered an interesting group of young men and women in my community. Of course, like many great discoveries in history, it was by a pure yet happy accident that I encountered the said group. I was on my way back from one of my numerous engagements in the community, mentally brainstorming on which possible candidates to include in my project implementation team when I stumbled upon a group of about ten young people engaged in a heated discussion. I will confess that I did not want to engage them at first, after all I had had a long day and was just looking forward to getting home to rest. But when I heard what they were discussing, I got interested. They were talking about using their collective power to improve their livelihoods.

Sometimes we take it for granted that it is typical for young people to sit in groups and fantasize about the future. Most times these "fantasies" focus on success of the self or extend to a few close friends who are viewed as instrumental to the attainment of this success. However, as I listened to the group I concluded that what had brought them together was not a bond of friendship or family but a shared vision. And they were not discussing illusions of a successful future where everyone was rich and famous. They were trying to come up with practical solutions to their financial problems and though each one had differing problems, they wanted a solution that they could implement as a team. When I sat in on their discussion they were very excited to hear my input but I told them I had none, which was not a lie or a tactic; I had never in my life been asked to help determine the future of a group. I told them that I could, however, share with them the tools that they could use to develop their plan, and I could work with them until they figured out what they wanted to do.

We recruited other young people from the community who shared the same vision. Using asset-based community development and human-centered design tools we navigated through the problems and possible solutions until we reached a consensus; we were going to start fish farm. Luckily, we secured funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through World Connect to implement the project. For the past three months I have witnessed these vibrant young adults channel their hopes, dreams and passions into action, and every day that I work with them I get inspired more and more.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Chiukepo Mwenechanya

It is a fact that youth unemployment is a global challenge and Malawi is not spared from this. Being in a rural community, youths are at a disadvantage because of limited employment opportunities. As a result, most youths from my site leave for South Africa every year in search of greener pastures. These hopefuls usually follow a relative who left earlier and help them settle in the new country and connect them to job opportunities. Those who remain home, after finishing their secondary education level, explore the little economic opportunities like farming, small-scale businesses and pieceworks for survival, while others just move around the village without a meaningful form of livelihood.

Chimzy (not his real name) is one such youth in my site who remained home after completing his secondary education. This was not by choice, but he had no one willing to meet the cost for him to travel to the rainbow nation. He felt unlucky and cheated as most of his peers travelled to South Africa promising to help him join them once they settle down but never hearing from them again.

As years went by, he tried different ways of keeping his head above the waters of abject poverty. Due to his hard search for a purpose in his life, together with his charming character, Chimzy was liked by many in the community. Thanks to the intervention of the Church under the program called LISAP (Livingstonia Synod AIDS Programme), the community chose him to be among a few beneficiaries of a scholarship to study Carpentry and Joinery at Phwezi Technical College. He chose this particular skill since his community had no skilled labour in that field and he saw this as an opportunity to start a business venture for his legacy.

After the training he returned home to set up the very first carpentry workshop in the community where he now makes furniture for clients within my site and beyond. Realizing the plight of youth in the area, he volunteers to offer free training to interested youths to learn about carpentry. Years after launching the workshop, he has taken several apprentices under his wing and taught them the skills. Passing by his workshop, a group of youth can always be found observing and trying out carpentry skills and it is always amazing to see him sharing lessons to a bunch of knowledge-thirsty youths trying to learn as much as they can.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Margaret Magombo

The announcement of the reopening of schools on 7th September was a source of joy to many learners. However, this was not the case to some learners, girl learners, who were greatly affected by the closing of schools due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This is the case of Alinafe (not her real name), a form four (middle high school) student at Nsondole Community Day Secondary School.

When schools were being closed in March 2020, Alinafe was just as normal as any other girl child. She was anxious of her future just like all the other learners whose eyes could not see beyond the Covid-19 pandemic. She vividly recalls that with the passing of time, hearing no positive news about school reopening, her anxiety began to turn into worry. She could see herself slowly succumbing to the pressure, which she could once easily resist. Without considering the consequence, she was pressured by those she called friends to find herself a boyfriend. As she recalls, it was easier to fall for this trap due to the sugar-coated fantasies that her friends told her as being part and parcel of boy-girl relationship. To her amazement, the relationship was nothing more than a game of manipulation and dominance. No sooner than the relationship began, the boy began to pressure Alinafe into sex. Her refusal to bow down to the demand made her feel lonely and vulnerable. It was not long after yielding to the pressure that she discovered that she was pregnant.

Alinafe was devastated by the discovery. She did not know what to do. She felt lonely and more worthless than ever. The boy who made her conceive made it point blank that he has nothing to do with her and the unborn baby. She was at great pains to embrace her reality. Being a form four student awaiting to write national examinations, Alinafe was very bitter with the announcement of the re-opening of schools. It has always been her determination to be the first child in her family to walk into the corridors of college. Now her dream seemed farfetched, she could not see herself withstanding the ridicule teen mothers and pregnant school girls face.

When I got wind of the news of Alinafe I was moved. I knew she needed the right guidance and counseling. Meeting her I could see the despair and frustrations pretty plain. I had to encourage and restore her self-worth. Through our meeting, Alinafe understood that all is not lost. She affirmed her determination to continue with her education despite her condition and take full advantage of the government's directive that all girl learners who have fallen pregnant during the Covid-19 pandemic are welcome to go back to school.

With the reopening of schools effected, Alinafe is weathering all the storms of ridicule and atmosphere of shame surrounding girls who fall pregnant out of wedlock while in school. She is now more than ever determined to work her socks up to achieve the dream that almost died due to untamed pressures experienced during the Covid-19 pandemic. Hers is a story of unmatched courage; courage worth applauding.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Chiukepo Mwenechanya

It is a sad reality in my country that young girls get married at a very young age. My community is no different. With a patrilineal system, girls and women are mostly considered as housewives. School is like a waiting place for most of these girls for marriage. Puberty sounds like a sign of readiness for marriage in my community. Most of the girls enter marriage before even reaching the age of 18, with little education. These girls mostly rely on their spouses to provide for their basic needs. Another sad thing about this is the abusive marriages these girls end up in.

This is a story of Miss Jane (not her real name) who was married at the age of 16 to a polygamous and abusive husband. After nine years of enduring a very physically and emotionally abusive marriage she decided to call it quits and returned home to her family with her only child. Getting back to her family was not easy since she had to assume the responsibility of looking after her child by herself without looking for handouts or support from her parents or siblings since they too had responsibilities of their own. In 2011, she was about to give up on life to the point of thinking of committing suicide when her brother in South Africa decided to give her a fresh start in South Africa. She managed to secure a job there as a maid of which she saved all her earnings and returned home after a year and half.

After much reflection, Jane decided to venture into business as a way of empowering herself economically since securing a job in such a small and local community seemed to be an impossible task. After all, she did not go far with her education to land her a decent job. After weeks of doing farm jobs, she secured funds and with her savings from South Africa she decided to start a baking business, a skill she learnt from an acquaintance years back when she went to visit a relative in Mzuzu. 

A few months after venturing into this business the gamble paid off. She is now a popular business lady in my site and making profits from her business. She bakes Mandasi (local scones) and on a good day she sells up to $40 worth of the baked goods. She also bakes bread and in December, a time of peak for community ceremonies like Christmas, she can sell over 250 loaves of bread in a week. The booming business keeps her occupied and able to take care of herself and her kid with no support from relatives. She currently has a savings account, which has over $700, which she intends to use to expand her business by upgrading her equipment to meet her ever-increasing demand for her goods.

After dropping out of school and suffering at the hands of an abusive husband, she chose not to stay down but rose from her ashes and created her new future. She inspires her community to the point that most women in the area come to her to learn about her sacred secret to success.

Yes, “What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” -Napoleon Hill

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Angella Chizimba

The past four months have been incredible. I met Nyamsuku (not her real name); founder of Takondwa club, a local club for people living with disabilities. Nyamsuku suffered from polio at a young age and has used walking aids ever since. Growing up, Nyamsuku did not think of herself as disabled, she taught herself to reframe challenges and not see them as obstacles. Despite her disability, Nyamsuku is a self-motivated person and so passionate about inclusivity.  For over ten years she has been teaching people in adult literacy despite being paid so little. She did several small income-generating activities which sustained her and her family. She noticed how most people living with disabilities (PWD) were being left behind in most activities and the PWD never felt motivated to work for themselves. 

In 2018, Nyamsuku was made the chairperson and a representative of PWD under the Area Development Committee. She aimed at finding scholarships for children living with disabilities especially the deaf and by 2019, she saw about five children in Bandawe school of the deaf in Malawi through sponsorships. She talks about these achievements with pride. This motivated her to start a group called Takondwa club. The club is comprised of people living with disabilities and/or have children with disabilities. This group was formed to motivate its members to see good in everything and to be limitless in their thoughts. As a group they were able to work towards food security by making organic fertilizers that boosted their harvest. 

In realizing that PWD need skills to engage in livelihood activities, with help from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the group received funds to go through a tailoring training as one way to ensure self-employment to the members. As we believe in small investment and bigger impacts, this group aims to find a reliable source of income for their families through tailoring and other income-generating activities to come. As it is an enterprise; oneness, willingness and hard work will bear more fruit.

"There is dignity in work. It contributes to an individual's self-worth and self-respect and offers a sense of purpose and accomplishment", one group member commented during a tailoring training session. This opportunity is a big step for them and a step towards achieving sustainable development for persons with disabilities. Nyamsuku is happy to see people with disabilities work for themselves, "We will set an example to other people living with disabilities," she commented. 

PWD need skills to engage in livelihood activities. Their families and communities may assume that they are unable to engage in such activities. They often lack access to basic education, making them unqualified to join skills training courses. These disadvantages frequently result in a lack of skills, as well as low confidence, expectations and achievement. As the trainings continue, I personally look forward to seeing the team grow in confidence and boost their skills, which will help them to improve their livelihoods.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Dorothy Mapira

When I moved in my community, I was shown a house where I would live during my time serving in the community. During the orientation with the landlady, I was shown a grass made structure that was meant to be my bathroom. I looked at the bathroom, and in my heart I thought, how could they make this to be a bathroom. It had no roof, just nearby there is a mango tree and it was a mango season which entailed that kids would be spending most of their time in the tree with a clear view inside my bathroom. Inside the bathroom there were bricks laid as the floor with some grass growing in it. I politely told my landlord and my host that I will not be comfortable to use the bathroom. They told me to use their bathroom as I was waiting for mine to be fixed.

After some days I thought of what I could do with the bathroom. I told them not to fix it again. I had thought of making a kitchen garden. They looked surprised as my landlady told me that the place was small for a garden and she sounded doubtful that I would yield anything from the garden. I never wanted her doubts to overcome my thinking. One early morning I borrowed a hoe and started preparing the place for my garden. No one believed what I was doing, they thought I was just wasting time. They came near to ask what I was doing and all they could say was don't waste your time. They did not know that they were wasting their time by telling me to stop doing what I was doing.

I made my permaculture kitchen garden, there was a mixture of every vegetable my mind could think of. People still thought I was wasting my time; they did not see what I was seeing. Goats, pigs and chickens broke into my garden several times destroying my plants but I did not quit. I would start all over again and plant new ones. Little by little my garden blossomed, all who thought I was wasting my time started coming to ask for some vegetables. Some decided to start their own kitchen gardens. My garden has all the vegetables I need. I have pumpkin leaves, beans, rape, mustard, okra, sweet potato leaves, Irish potatoes, maize, tomato and onion. I saved myself from spending extra cash. My little garden has become my friend. When I am stressed up with work in the community and need time for myself, I spend time working in my garden. 

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Margaret Chavula

The world has been hit by a pandemic that has disrupted what was considered the normal way of living. Covid-19 has affected the social lives of people as interactions are limited and controlled as well as the economic status as businesses and trade have been controlled. When our neighboring countries registered positive cases of Covid-19, most people in my community believed that the disease does not affect black people. They felt safe and immune to the disease. However, when our country, Malawi, registered its first positive case of Covid-19, people in my community began to worry and stress about whether they will survive the pandemic or not considering the rise in deaths due to Covid-19 around the world. Schools were closed, travel controlled, borders closed and businesses negatively affected. People in my community began to stress about how best they can avoid contracting the disease while at the same time find ways of engaging in their daily activities and routines for survival. Life had to go on amidst the pandemic.

Because most people in the community have limited access to correct information, as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer I took part in sharing information on Covid-19, such as signs and symptoms of Covid-19 and where they should report or the hotline they should use if one is showing or experiencing Covid-19 signs and symptoms. I also shared preventative measures that people were to follow to protect themselves from contracting the disease, such as observing social distance, frequently washing hands with soap, and wearing masks as they carry out their daily activities.

To complement the messages on preventative measures, CorpsAfrica, with funding from Mastercard Foundation, gave me an opportunity as a volunteer to work with my community and provide resources and materials that the community can utilize in protecting themselves from Covid-19. The materials provided were masks, tap buckets and soap for washing hands in places where people frequently meet such as churches, mosques and market places. I have been very impressed with the people's efforts in utilizing these materials and following the preventative measures because life has to go on, but as it does, they have to be protected.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Margaret Magombo

The road has been very long to the young ones in our societies. Those who have been living and believing that they can turn around their lives by the power of ink and paper have had their hopes and dreams twisted and almost laid waste. The closure of schools and the uncertainty that followed the reopening has done a damage whose magnitude is beyond quantification. Mastercard Foundation and CorpsAfrica’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic in Zomba-Nsondole has done a commendable job of resurrecting dreams of learners from Nsondole CDSS, which were hastening into a deep slumber. 

The learners being out of school for over four months, most of them lost touch with their school work. The donation of mobile tablet phones to Nsondole CDSS by Mastercard Foundation cannot be appreciated enough by the learner community, specifically form four students. The donation came at the perfect time. Most of the learners have been indulging in unproductive practices in the absence of active teaching and learning. The reality that some girl learners have fallen pregnant and others have married cannot go without saying. Loaded with reading materials characterized by well-articulated assignments and exercises, the tablets have been providing an interactive platform to the learners.

How much the learners missed school was too evident to grasp on the day the donation was handed to the school and the days to follow. During the handover, the learner community did not hesitate to begin using the tablets to access the reading materials. Fueled with the excitement of interacting with the seemingly little computers, the students whom many of them have never had the chance to use one are being enchanted with the ICT experience being provided by the mobile phone tablets. From the day the form four learners began their study circles aided by the gadgets, the attendance to the same is ever increasing. The enthusiasm the learners are portraying in the recently begun study circles is speaking volumes.   

With the announcement of dates to effect the reopening of schools, the joy by the form four student community at Nsondole CDSS is too much to contain. To many the study circles that began recently facilitated by the mobile tablets has prepared them enough for the soon-to-begin active learning. To this class of learners who will have to sit for national exams that will decide their future in less than two months to come, their hopes, dreams and aspirations have been re-activated.

Perhaps how the Covid-19 pandemic has affected our education system should be a wakeup call to instrumental stakeholders and all concerned parties. It is time we began to look for innovative and sustainable means of delivering instruction to our young ones amidst troubling seasons. It's time, perhaps, to make risk-proof the system that keeps dreams intact and alive for the sake of our future generation, for when dreams die, life fades. 

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Margaret Chavula
 
Women have been very underrated in most societies but have capabilities that can transform their surroundings if only given a chance to utilize their full  potential. In most societies women are faced with what is known as the triple role of women; where they carry the reproductive role such as child caring, domestic work and caring for the sick, the productive role where they engage in activities that would earn them an income and the community role where they carry out community work such as attending to funerals and weddings. As much as women already have a lot of work to do on a daily basis in the triple role, women take up additional tasks that arise in their communities and perform exceptionally well. 

In my service  as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer, I have experienced and seen the triple role of women in practice, and I have been amazed at how eager and willing these women are to take part in community development work without expecting to receive any incentives in the process to motivate them to work. Whenever there's a community meeting,  one will observe that a majority of the attendees are women, ready and willing to take up any tasks that would improve their livelihoods. Apart from being in a majority of attendees, when given an opportunity to contribute to whatever is discussed women have been contributing brilliant ideas and suggestions, which would be left uncovered if women were not involved. 

I can confidently say that my service as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer has been made easier by women who take part in and show great support in my activities in the community. I have also realised that women have so much potential in taking the lead in activities to come up with a well-coordinated group.  For example there is a farmer's group in my community embarking on poultry farming which has a woman as their leader. Apart from being a trustworthy individual, this woman has been holding the group together to ensure that the group does not deviate from its primary goal of attaining improved livelihood through poultry farming.

​An empowered woman is a great asset. 

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Chifundo Chibaka

Months after working with the youth club in my community, I feel like we have together made tremendous efforts in increasing the role the youth can play in the development of the community. A few weeks ago, we had a training of trainers where all 22 members of the club were trained by a local nurse on the issues of COVID-19 and how we can relay this information to our respective villages. CorpsAfrica recently partnered with Mastercard Foundation and I as a Volunteer had an opportunity to tap into a generous grant to prepare my community in the face of the pandemic. As a youth club, we have managed to reach to over 11 (still counting) village heads and their subjects and sensitised them about the pandemic (story for another day).

As a club, we meet at the local health centre twice a week. But there was a problem. The health centre was on the verge of closure for the second time in just four months. The facility is just a year old and it was built with the support from Good Health and World Servants. It was recently handed over to the government and is still in transition to be receiving an annual monetary support from the government. As such, the health centre doesn’t have a paid ground labor to help in maintaining the hygiene around the premises. In addition to this, the health centre doesn’t have a water supply system as such villagers have a weekly roster for supplying water to the health centre.

A few weeks ago, after the health authorities toured the health centre, they recommended that the health centre's premises, including a filled up incinerator, be cleaned up or have the facility temporarily closed since it was no longer conducive to serve its purpose. As a club, we decided to take up this task to clean the premises and save the day.

We partnered with the health centre authorities who supplied us with gloves, aprons, masks and other working materials. We volunteered to clean up the premises as a token of appreciation for their continued gesture to allow us use their facilities.