Written by CorpsAfrica/Rwanda Volunteers MIGAMBI Jean and RURANGWA Alexander
 
Cyungo, Mukaka and Kariha villages are remote areas in Ngororero district where their populations’ daily activity is subsistence agriculture and to a small extent rearing of domestic animals like cows, pigs, goats, etc.  This community lives below the poverty line and also they don’t have enough food supply as a result of infertile soils caused by the terrain of their area. The topography of this district is mountainous and there is a lot of soil erosion during the rainy season. 
As CorpsAfrica Volunteers based in Ngororero District Kageyo Sector, Kageshi Cell, Cyungo, Mukaka, Kariha sites, we have reached there at the end of November after one month of training in KIGALI where we have learnt many things regarding how to help communities using CorpsAfrica approaches, which are ABCD and HCD and other basic knowledge such as how we could live in the villages. 
 
After reaching the sites we went to live with our host family where we spent two weeks helping them in daily activities such cooking, going to fetch water, cultivating, attending parties like weddings and other daily activities.
 
When we were at our host family, we attended Community Meetings (Inteko y'Abaturage) led by different local leaders like Executive Sector, Executive Cell and local leaders of our sites. We made our presentation to tell the community what we came to do and most of them were happy to see us.

At our host family we visited different sites, looking at different areas, meeting different people and chatting with them, helping them in their activities. We have attended also the dowry wedding of our host family and we shared food, drinks with the community we met at the event.

We met also with learners and other young people who don't study and we conversed on school drop-out. We gave them advice to make efforts in their studies, also those who are not at school try to return to school. We also played with kids in the street in the center where many people were happy to see us enjoying with those young people. We also tried to look for a house for rent as it was hard to get it. Finally we got it and we made it clean so that we can live in a good house.
After getting our own house, we have started visiting our communities and helping them to do different activities such as cultivating, cooking, harvesting different crops like Irish potatoes, tea.
 
We visited different families trying to make our presentation to those who don’t attend meetings and trying to converse about their daily life in order to know exactly their problems and try to give them different advice on how to overcome those issues if we work together. 
 
We also set a day where every week we meet the community in a weekly meeting in order to conduct different activities and share different ideas in what we are going to do together.
In meeting the community, we have done mapping in order to know exactly their assets, what they want, their problems and what are their priorities.
 
                   SOME ACTIVITIES WE HAVE DONE IN THE COMMUNITIES

• We have helped the community to build ten Kitchen Gardens and we are still building others.
• We have helped the community to build toilets and we are still doing it
• We have attended many community works such as helping the community to build the houses.
• We have attended a football competition called “UMURENGE KAGAME CUP” and we have played
• We have created savings groups in our community and they have started
• We have elected leaders of our community according to CorpsAfrica Project
• We have helped our communities in their daily activities such as harvesting crops

 
SOME PHOTOS OF THE ACTIVITIES DONE:

Written by CorpsAfrica/Rwanda Volunteer Mr. Isaac NDENGEJEHO
 
William Green once said, “I feel like I have a new life and I am going to take full advantage of it.” Even though it is William Green who said the above statement, it reflects how I felt the first day in my community. Prior to joining CorpsAfrica pre-service training, I though that nothing would be different in my country as long as we speak the same language, despite the fact that I studied geography at university and high school. 

My journey with CorpsAfrica has been amazing since day one up to date. Not because I am getting too much money from it, not because I am living in a skyscraper, not because any other thing else apart from how I feel when I am interacting with people in my community and how committed they are becoming in all activities undertaken towards their own well-being. 

Looking back to the beginning of the journey, none of my colleagues has ever believed that I will do another thing beyond teaching as it was my profession at university and they knew how much I was good at it. Nevertheless, I have come to realize that what people praised me to be good at was not only what would make me feel energized, satisfied and proud at all. Serving people in remote area of eastern province of my country is making me feel like I should have studied volunteerism as an option in school.  Just because it is an interesting journey that I wish every young African would undertake.

About new life, it was on 30 NOVEMBER 2019 when we concluded our pre-service training and departed to our sites that kept secret until the last day of training but mine ended up being a GIHINGA cell located in KAYONZA district eastern province of Rwanda. 

Spending four weeks in training equipped us with much theoretical and some practical packages about life in the community but after joining my particular community there was some special and different features that are not commonly found elsewhere.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Rwanda Volunteer Ms. Anny Benilde UWONKUNDA

There is no better exercise for your heart, than reaching down and helping to lift someone up.     
                                                                                                                         -- Bernard Meltzer

It was really a good day but a bit challenging as I was thinking about the site that I would be deployed. Despite the moments of learning and enjoying everything within PST (Pre-Service Training) where I had learnt different new important things, acquired new skills, meeting new friends and new experience as well. I really love the life we spent in PST with my colleagues through sharing ideas, life; I felt like we could keep staying together all the time although we had to prepare for being deployed to our respective sites. Sincerely speaking, "saying bye" was not easy to separate from my follow Volunteers and heading to my site at Bugesera District-Nyakayenzi Site due to the bond of friendship that have been built.

Since day one reaching my community it was a new experience and new lessons to learn, with significant help and skills acquired from PST. Staying with a host family was much safer and easier due to love, the way host parents welcomed me. I wished and felt like I could have that experience before; without being worried of where I should start to engage in domestic and integration activities. I find myself feeling at home in doing everything as part of the family however, host mother kept avoiding me from doing domestic activities and I was like no mom I have to but as days went on I fully get engaged.
 
After two weeks within host family I moved out and get installed in my  house within my community  as I  started integrating different activities together with my community.  It was a good experience and what I love most is how people feel for me. Most of them were asking how possible one can came in the remote areas live the same life, engaging with them daily; this is something that really touched my heart too much and made me realize that "love and kindness are never wasted, they always make a difference, they bless the one who receives them and they bless you as the giver.”

Another thing that took my attention most of community members were really in need of someone to talk to and listen to them. It made me realize door-to-door visiting has made significant impact to community psychology. I always engage in every activity that is organized within community. This helps strengthen trust and enables the community to be a conducive environment to work in. We always visited each other, which improves my level of confidence, empathy, my public speaking as way of communication, teamwork and I learn a lot from them.

I have even made new friends from my community and really helped so much at the time of being bored. These kids visited me like every day as we play together and life goes on, which really makes me happier, feel inclusive and alive.

So far life is good with my community and I am really thankful for the progress that is being made through finding solutions from grassroots and letting the community design the kind of development that is better for it by engaging in different activities together intended to help our fellow members. This is the joyful moment because everything we do keeps us together and leads to purpose.

As the saying goes, “Volunteers do not necessarily have time, they just have the heart; you make a living by what you get and you make a life by what you give.”

The most powerful thing that I observed within remote areas is that people have different gifts and talents even are really committed. It is a great opportunity for me to learn new things and meet people with different behaviors, expanding my perspective and becoming a part of a whole new community, that’s why I am still learning!!
 
“A person’s most useful asset is not a head full of knowledge, but a heart full of love, an ear ready to listen, and a hand willing to help others.”

By Sarah Kazira, Program Coordinator in Malawi

From December 2-5, Russia hosted the 5th Annual International Volunteer Forum in Sochi, Russia. I was fortunate enough to be one of five delegates from Malawi who joined 6,500 participants from all around the world. The aim of the forum was to celebrate the national and international volunteer work taking place in Russia and across the world and to foster international cooperation in the field of volunteering and development. We were hosted at the wonderful Sochi Park Hotel, while the sessions happened at Sochi Main Media Centre, just ten minutes drive from the hotel.

The highlight of the Forum was the closing ceremony on 05 December, which doubled as a celebration of International Volunteer Day and the ceremony was officiated by the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, alongside his Prime Ministers. This was followed by a concert with wonderful traditional performances as well as an award ceremony rewarding the best volunteer initiatives across Russia. It was fascinating to see volunteerism get this much national and international attention. 

Key Highlights from the Forum
The forum had numerous interactive sessions happening around the Media Centre and I got a chance to listen to experts from all fields of life, like governance, education and technology, share their stories. From the many things that were shared, three things really resonated with me and my experience with CorpsAfrica (both as a Volunteer and staff member):

a) How Volunteers can be utilized to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and national projects. It was interesting to hear how Volunteer projects were working towards achieving the SDGs, as this is a mission that CorpsAfrica can identify with. CorpsAfrica Volunteers have over the years implemented numerous projects that directly contribute to the SDGs with SDG 4 (Quality Education) being the most - 31% of projects implemented by CorpsAfrica Volunteers in 2019 were directly contributing towards quality education. It was rewarding to see this role that Volunteers have silently been playing being recognized at an international scale. An interesting example of how Volunteers contribute to national projects came from Russia, which had over 20,000 people who volunteered during the 2014 Olympics held in the country. 

b) Volunteering is not only important for gaining experience, but for building confidence as well. This was discussed on a session of how volunteerism can be used as a tool for youth empowerment. One of the experts stressed the point of how volunteering builds confidence in young people. This especially resonated with me, having experienced this during my service as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer, and now getting to witness how the program molds the Volunteers into confident youth. 

c) You can volunteer with whatever skill you have; every skill is needed somewhere. I believe this is an encouragement that many youth need to hear as many doubt if the skills they have are relevant and needed somewhere. I was amazed to hear from people from diverse backgrounds who are volunteers in the most unlikely places. There was one individual who started out as a volunteer coach for local football (soccer) matches in their small neighborhood and is now an executive at FIFA. There were people who started out as volunteers from all sectors like education, technology and even ballet, and they all agreed on the same point: that they would not be where they are now if it was not for volunteering. 
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This 3-day event was a learning opportunity for me. It  was my first time travelling to Russia and meeting different people. Experiencing the Russian culture through this forum was the perfect way to end the year. 

By CorpsAfrica/Senegal Volunteer Mr. Issa Fall 

Of all the experiences a person can have, there is not one that is more rewarding than volunteering. That's the art for free: heart, gesture and time; a school that promises all the degrees in the world.

To all of you who have the luck and the courage to taste this wonder, you deserve respect.
To all of you who have left goods and families to make the need of others your main priority,

You deserve a hundred times to have halos because you are noble.
Praise about you, I would write pages.
With these few lines, I pay tribute to you.

To you my dear fellow volunteers,

We left family, studies and all comforts to be at the service of our dear country, without expecting anything in return. It is because we are concerned about the future of Mother Africa.

None of us are volunteering because he did not want to be unemployed or had no other choice; No. Even less we did not choose it because we want to travel. Not at all! We all wondered “how could I have an opportunity to serve my country?" and through CorpsAfrica, this common dream has come true.

We were, we are and we will be committed.

From the application to our service, we have always shown that we all want to serve. Despite others judgment that volunteering is a waste of time, we’ve remained firm on the idea that volunteerism is the richest experiences. We believed and lived it.

The distance, the barrier, and the new realities did not shake us from our commitment.

The heat at Netoubou did not make Bamba Diop flee to regain his native Pikine next to his wife and his son. Rather, it is a commitment that we read on his facial features, and like all of us, his primary challenge is to positively impact on his site.

Indeed, impacting, beyond being a mission, has become a personal challenge for each of us.

Already four (4) months that we swore before the authorities to worthily serve our country. Four (4) months as we stepped out of our comfort zones to bustle, meet and learn with our new families. Stress, fear, etc. were natural feelings we experienced at some point before joining our sites. It was guessed and discussed in our regular exchanges. But as soon as the feeling of commitment resurfaces, all these other feelings fade.

I remember the sadness on Adji Anta Diop Gaye’s face when she realized that she got to leave her comfort of Dakaroise to blend in the warmth of Matam and, now 4 months that her actions, her interventions will always be gratified by the Agnamois and Wolrd Food Program (WFP). Her henhouse, her philosophical courses amply testify.

Despite the hesitations, the site change and marital status, sanitary napkins crafted by Helena Adjia AW commonly called Badiane by the Cohort, will remain forever engraved in the hearts and minds of people of Orkadieré. Just to say that our level of commitment has overcome and will overcome any obstacles.

I believe in all of you, your courage, because I know it's not a shooting in Malem Hodar who will make Christine Kine SARR flee. Despite family pressures, she decided to stay and develop compassion with her community.

Neither, bush fire in Darou Dimbelane will be able to shake Leon GOMIS. Refusing to shut himself in his room, this volunteer who considered himself a full-fledged resident of the village merged to save his village.

Ndawa THIOUNE, claiming yourself Ndomboloise, you knew how to put your experiences in scouting in the service of your community. You mobilized young people who were scattered, organized formerly disorganized women through groups and associations. With all this human capital, you showed them that only unity is strength.

"Reviving children" by finding them birth certificates long neglected by their parent made you Khady MBAYE, the Baroness of Nemanding and, you've become one of them. I was there when "your women" (as you like to call them) danced and sang in your honor.

Maka Mbaye- Clean Earth. This is the concept that you have developed in each of the inhabitants of this village Mansour, an imperial work that you are doing there Mansour. Your commitment is flawless and can give hope to an entire continent.

The population of Gueum Yallah really thanked volunteer Anna Sene FAYE. As an Eyewitness of the facts, I saw that these ladies were delighted by the interventions and training of Anna, including soap and bleach.

The bravery and flawless commitment of refugees from Kedougou have surprised some.

Even arousing the pity of others, Abdoulaye DIALLO and Bademba Mame Samba SOW you have shown us that volunteering have no taste or choice if not commitment. You always sing "Volunteers never tired."

Magatte TOP despite the reluctance, internal conflicts and especially certain religious requirements including the dress wear, you have adapted to all these situations to highlight your desire to fulfill your service. You have mobilized and organized people of different convergences around a common ideal.

Amy DIOP, you have forever marked the spirits of the children of Keur Ousmane by having them take part in the national parade of April 4th. You've shown these young people and the inhabitants that nothing equals the love we have for our country.

Aliou SENE, the inhabitants of Birkama cannot thank you enough for your contribution to their children's education. It is with the wisdom that we know you that you nicely put yourself at the service of your community. You're Imam.

Francis BIDIAR, the friend of Selety’s women. These have accepted you as a son of the village because you showed them local and sustainable development, and they saw it in you. Young people will also thank you for the matches you have participated in. Your Christian confession did not prevent you from participating in the restoration activities of the village mosque. Only a volunteer has that gift.

Abdou COLY, the man of Passy Ngueyenne. Abdou Coly in the fields work, Abdou Coly in search of wood, Abdou Coly in schools, you're everywhere Brother. You knew to mark your territory and your project's prospects already testify to it.

Gass NDIAYE, the lady of Ndiayenne Khaly. You too, your marital status and certain conditions did not make you back in your desire to serve. A rich background that you put at the disposal of your community.

Justine SAMBOU, the lady of Nguick Fall. You accepted to be called Awa to just facilitate your integration in this Muslim community. Difficult for Diola to separate from his "etodjieh" but you did by agreeing to eat "mothiaat (lol)". Just to show how much we are committed to serving.

Actually, you all inspired me, dear volunteers. And each of you I see the development, I see the commitment and especially Africa of tomorrow. You are all exceptional and I know that after this service, we will all come together at the top to draw pictures in the development of the country.

To all the alumni, our predecessors I say,
"Merit belongs to the one who begins even if the next one does better."

Success awaits us all.
The respect you deserve.
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Issa FALL CorpsAfrica/Senegal Volunteer, Group 3
Site: Kounkane (Kolda Region)

September 16, 2018: I can hardly believe that I am going to Rwanda. For many young Africans, particularly for those who aim to be leaders in Africa, Rwanda has become a model for development and leadership. When I arrived at the airport around 1:30 am and after getting my luggage, I noted that a police officer was looking at me very strangely. Without understanding why, I just took my bags and started moving toward the exit door.
 
At that time, he walked toward me and with the smile he gave me a scissor. The scene looked strange for me but in a minute, I understood the scissor is to cut the plastic that surrounded my bag as a protection. Yes, here, said the police officer, we are not allowed to touch the plastic. Before coming, I had read that Rwanda government has banned the use of plastic over the entire territory. But I did not realize until that moment that it was not a joke.
 
In the car going to the hotel, where I would spend a month during the PST, I discovered Rwanda for the very first time. At night there was almost nobody in the streets, except some guards here and there. My first impression: these streets are really very clean—I was wondering if people even live here! Yes indeed, I would understand later that I was actually in the cleanest city in Africa, and probably one of the most organized, too. Over the next month, I discovered very quickly that even if I was still in Africa, Rwanda is very different from Senegal. The streets are very clean, the air is pure, and people are respectful of the environment and established rules of life.
 
Two weeks after my arrival, on September 29, I discovered a name that would stay with me throughout all my stay: "umuganda.” Held on the last Saturday of each month, the umuganda is the day that is devoted to general interest works. Ministers, deputies, even the president is not exempt. All able-bodied people living in Rwanda must participate in this day of cleaning, maintenance of any kind for the benefit of public buildings or public places. It is a beautiful way to promote equality, the sense of duty and active citizenship.
 
After this time of learning and acquaintance with my colleagues and friends, after discovering the beautiful Rwandan landscapes like the Akagira Parc, the Kiuvu Lake or the Museum of Liberation, I would finally discover my village, where I would serve. On the road going to my site, the face of Rwanda transformed right in front of my amazed eyes. The greenery is striking and the trees majestic; sometimes at the bend of a road it seems that the mountains coexist and kiss with clouds. It feels like entering in the sky; that is how high we were.
 
Arriving in my new home was not easy; sometimes I had to go through mountain paths in the Ngororero District, Bwira Sector. However, I had hardly put down my luggage when I went out to check the view. It is here that I understood why Rwanda is called the land of one thousand hills.
 
There is not a centimeter where you can look without seeing an infinite mountain alignment. The mountains give the impression of jostling one another, each wanting to give a spectacle of raw beauty of the wilderness. After a week, a month, months, I always looked with such enthusiasm and astonishment at this panoramic vision of mountains that touch clouds, mixed with natural greenery such as in an art painting.
 
Everybody knows Rwanda as the country of one thousand hills, but for me it is also the country of one thousand possibilities, the country of one thousand dreams. It is the country where you can learn that the past is not a fatality, where patriotism and citizenship are not just words on paper, the country where I really came to believe that Africa is the future.

Speaking Arabic and wearing modern clothing in the front of 34 berber men isn’t really
the best way to leave a good first impression!

As a CorpsAfrica Volunteer, I was appointed to manage a project that was already started in
a Berber commune in the southeastern verse of the Atlas High-Mountains. I was super
excited and everything was looking promising. Moreover, I weirdly believed that everything
would go 100% smoothly. It turns out I was 100% wrong. 

Insanely happy and excited, I reached my host village for the first time with CorpsAfrica staff
members. The welcoming from the locals was pretty much warm, since they already knew
about our arrival and purpose there. Everything was as expected and maybe even
more. I found a beautiful small place to stay, warm in the cold weather and next to a
lovely family that has never left us wanting for anything. So I started my mission right away after settling down.

After spending two weeks in the village, and with great help from the youth of Douar, we
planned for a meeting with the local community in order to provide them with some updates
about the project and at the same time to ask, hear and integrate with them.
I didn’t realize that I was being reckless until the moment I found myself in front of 34
men talking in a language that only 3 or 4 of them understand. Most of the men only spoke berber and sacrificed their work in the fields to come and listen to me. I actually forgot that this is a berber village, and it was really a weird thing to forget that in the middle of excitement. But in that day I deeply knew that I’ve underestimated the whole mission from the beginning, especially when I saw some of the men leaving the meeting room.

In the middle of that difficult situation, someone appeared to me as a hero. A friend
from the village that can speak both Arabic and Berber languages came and played the
intermediary role between us. He did just save me, but perhaps the whole project.

Maybe you really have the will and the passion to make an impact, but you might be
making things harder without good planning and taking into account every
small detail. As the Greek Philosopher Seneca once said, “Preparation is everything." 

It is definitely true that the beauty of this place does not reflect the beauty of life here.  This is one of the contradictions I always have trouble comprehending. When I first stepped foot here, I kept expressing my admiration of the nature, thinking they are lucky to wake up every morning with the view of those silver mountains. But girls keep staring at me, and always their reaction was that ‘’ there is nothing special about this place—life here does not give us time to contemplate the beauty you are talking about.” At first, I thought they are just bored and want to discover new places, and that is why they were saying that. As time went on, I started seeing things more clearly. As the days faded away, I realized that they were right. However, this does not mean the place is bad or something of the sort, but living there forever is not as amazing as one may conceive from their first visit. It is wonderful to spend days, or even a few months here. It is so inspiring, the views are fantastic, and the nature is stunning. But permanent living is very hard and almost unbearable. People have very few things to do and limited choices for making a living. This fact makes life here so boring and very repetitive. At the same time, every single person in my community has to work—even children. They have to help around after school, either through herding sheep or cleaning barns. Children in my Douar are different from the children that we see in the cities, and they same wise beyond their years. 

Women in my community and the surrounding communities are a special case. I spent months here, but I still cannot understand how their small bodies could bear that every day hard work and burdens they are always carrying on their backs. Whenever I meet a woman with her child on her back and a burden of grass on her shoulder, I say in astonishment “that is too much, you are not made of iron! Have mercy on your bodies.” They say, ‘’that is our life and what we are doing is an obligation not a choice.” As time passed, I understood that they are condemned to this way of life. The sad fact that is hurting me the most is that even though they are struggling beside their husbands, their efforts are not appreciated; some of them could die simply because of carelessness and indifference. However, these women chase every simple opportuntiy to get themselves out of that daily monotonous routine. Whenever they are together, you find them singing and dancing.

I love their patience, their steadfastness and their consistency. They made me realize that life is not easy at all. This is always compelling me to stand up and walk even if I am tired. Much love and appreciation to those fighting women.

Hello dear readers and my fellows! I hope my blog finds you very well . First of all, I’m going to introduce myself to you. I’m Fatima Zahra, I’m from Marrakech but Casablanca is my hometown. I received my BA in English studies, majoring in linguistics in 2018 from Kaddi Aayad University.
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My experience as a Volunteer with CorpsAfrica for 2018-2019 giving me the opportunity to discover and improve my personality. I am becoming more confident and better at public speaking. Also, I experienced how to be patient under the challenging conditions, without some basics needs, in a remote village. Moreover, the interaction with the people of the village helps me a lot to be close to their way of living, despite their different culture, accent, food, way of dress.

The ability to face difficulties in a remote village came out of the belief in the idea that volunteering is a lifestyle and we have to invest our time and energy in something that we know will have a positive impact on others.

Finally, CorpsAfrica brings hope to marginalized people, encouraging them to persevere for positive change and invest their potential in their community. 

It has been almost three months since I started serving as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer in Kasungu District in the central region of Malawi. How time flies because it just feels like yesterday when I started my volunteering service.  It has been an awesome journey but with challenges but let me talk about how my journey started before joining CorpsAfrica as a Volunteer.
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I remember quite well it was on 8 July in 2018 when I came across a CorpsAfrica post on its official Facebook page.  The post was about calling upon ambitious young men and women to serve as CorpsAfrica Volunteers. I was so excited when I saw this post since it was my passion to serve as a Volunteer with CorpsAfrica. Around 9 in the evening I submitted my application. After about three weeks I received a phone call from CorpsAfrica office calling me for the interviews at their office in Lilongwe. I was excited and at the same time I was afraid. I asked myself, “what if I am not going to pass the interview?” I started preparing for the interviews by practicing common interview questions and did some research on the internet about CorpsAfrica.

I went to the interview with confidence and well prepared. I answered all the questions with confidence and went back home and waited for results. After three months I received an email from CorpsAfrica congratulating me for passing the interview. I was so excited and filled with joy after receiving the email since my wishes were fulfilled. My family members were also happy for me, since they knew how much I wanted to serve as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer. A week after receiving this email I received another one informing me about the Pre-Service Training.  I went to the training where I met my fellow ambitious young men and women. It was a one-month intensive training, two weeks at the CorpsAfrica office and the remaining two weeks at Dedza College of Forestry.
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After the training I went back home and waited for the training results. Lucky enough I received an email informing me that I have passed the training. The following week it was a Swearing-In Ceremony at Crossroads hotel. It was a beautiful ceremony and I was very happy since I was officially a CorpsAfrica Volunteer. Three days later, I packed my stuff and went to my designated site in Kasungu District.

Cervical cancer is the most common cancer in the women in Malawi and is one of the major concerns for the Ministry of Health as well as the public as a whole. Every year, over 2,300 Malawian women develop cervical cancer and over 1,600 die from the disease. It is estimated that, if nothing is done, the number of cervical cancer cases and deaths will increase by over 60% to 3,800 cases, and approximately 2,600 deaths per year by the year 2025. These are the words of the Secretary for Health in The Ministry of Health.
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Cervical cancer is really a burden to individuals, families, communities and the whole nation, and we ought not to be silent about it. In response to the request of some community members to sensitize them about this serious disease, I held a talk on cervical cancer. 

The message was simple and threefold. Firstly, though cervical cancer is very dangerous, it is also very preventable. Secondly, though cervical cancer is a disease that affects women, the fight against it is not only for women. Lastly, the fight against cervical cancer is communal so let us all encourage cervical cancer screening. 

I am at the middle of my service. Reflecting back, I see there are some areas that have made me excel and also, areas I needed to improve. Unfortunately, I cannot reverse time but I can advise the next cohorts.

2) No micro-management Remember, in your community, you are the Manager of yourself. There is no office to report to by 7:30, no one to tell you that you are late and generally, no one to micro-manage you. This arrangement is for your own good so you can become a responsible community worker. Therefore, learn to be responsible because with all the freedom, if you cannot be responsible you will most certainly fail. When you call for a meeting, make sure you are punctual, giving the community members the impression that you mean business when it comes to time. I can assure you, when community members see the value that those meetings will bring in their lives, you will see them being punctual. Don’t forget to take notes, make schedules, prioritize and communicate.

3) Change is not easy, but it is worthy it: There are several changes that take place upon you being deployed. You will need to adjust your living style as you meet new faces, get into a different weather and possibly start to eat and drink different kinds of food and water. Amidst all this, be sure to try to learn their language, at least the greetings and other commonly used terminologies. This goes a long way in your community integration. As you adjust, have the end in mind because what matters after everything is the smile you will leave on the faces of the community members after your service. Have fun!!!

Gulewamkulu (the big dance) is a popular cultural dance one cannot miss among the Chewa in the Central region of Malawi. Since I was born and raised in the Northern Region of Malawi, I never had a positive attitude towards Gulewamkulu, until I witnessed it in my community. This is the danger of a single story. In the city of Lilongwe, I used to meet Gulewamkulu gang with machetes in their hand, dressed in a very funny way and, my brother would always advise me to run away because he said I risk getting robbed or even stabbed. He used to tell me that Gulewamkulu guys are wild animals and they do not care about someone’s life hence my instinct to fear them and run for life whenever I saw them.

When I reached my site, I felt nervous. Why? I had arrived in a new community which practices Gulewamkulu. This being my home for the next 6 months worried me. However, I have never seen Gulewamkulu walking around my community as I used to see in the city, and this gave me a lot of questions because I was expecting Gulewamkulu to be everywhere since it is a typical village where culture is expected to be preserved. From these questions I have been interested to find out more about Gulewamkulu. And, I have learned three unique reasons for Gulewamkulu that I never knew.

To begin with, Gulewamkulu is performed during traditional leader’s inauguration. These peculiarly dressed creatures entertain the masses with different dancing styles, and people give them small amounts of money.

 Secondly, Gulewamkulu is practiced during funerals of loved ones. The family of the deceased are the ones to decide whether Gulewamkulu should be performed or not. In this scenario, where Gulewamkulu is allowed, no church activities are allowed. This is so because Gulewamkulu is also regarded as a religion on its own.

 Last but not least, Gulewamkulu is performed during political rallies to portray their culture while at the same time entertaining the masses.

Too often we focus on a single story, excluding cultural influences, and other perspectives from different experiences. This single story is limiting and make us misinterpret people, their background and their lives. It can lead to judgement, disconnection and conflict.  As a CorpsAfrica Volunteer I have learned that full integration is very important to understand the world around us—for I have learned that Gulewamkulu is not wild animals, it is a friendly cultural ceremony. Therefore, from this experience I admit that our lives and our culture are composed of many overlapping stories.

Here we are in Mzimba, Thoza! I should be honest with you; I did not like the idea of coming to Mzimba. During training, we were given an opportunity to choose where we would like to be placed. So I was like, "yes! This is the moment I had waited for." Excitedly, I opted for Kasungu, Mchinji and Lilongwe. However, my coordinator, cautioned “don’t get too excited, this does not necessarily mean you will only be placed where you have chosen, we may make changes you see?” Well, despite the warning; that inner voice in me still said, "she is just kidding, you will go to one of those areas of your choice." If only I had known.

I remember bragging to my friends how excited we would be, if they should place each of us in our respective areas of choice. We happily anticipated the day they would reveal our destinations until "Boom!" it finally dawned upon us.  The announcement was made, and for me it was a resounding “Mzimba!” And it was like a nightmare happening in broad daylight. You can imagine how disappointed I was.  You might be wondering what made this disappointment scale from 0 scales to 90. Well, I thought about the language itself, though I knew how to speak Tumbuka, but I wasn’t that fluent in it. “How am I going to make stories in Tumbuka?" I asked myself. “What about the people? Will they welcome me warmly? Where will I be sleeping and with whom? What about the food there? Am I going to manage an abrupt switch from my favourite dishes to their local delicacies? Several other inconsistent and, many times, unreasonable questions raced through my mind at the thought of going to Mzimba of all places.

To my surprise, the first day I reached my host family everyone there was evidently so excited to have me. I could even hear them comparing me to the last volunteer. One woman said “huh! Banthu aba mbamoza na, bakughanana baka namyankhe yula” (these people are just the same, this new one resembles with the other one who has since left." This quickly made me gather up a big smile within me and I secretly laughed while slowly assuring myself "I am already home after all." They greeted me and told me to feel free around them as I was at home away from home.

Home indeed I quickly found it to be. They gave me my own bungalow just right next to theirs. They cooked me Nsima with beans which turned out to be one of my favorite meals. Well I was not alone, these people made sure that I did not lack anything. They went out of their way to cater even for my personal and emotional needs. They always come to my house to greet me and make sure I am fine. With the passage of time we have become more like one family. I go to their house and eat freely, of course, on the other hand, they also come to my house and ask for anything, which if I have I will always give them.

I remember, their daughter jokingly (but seriously) putting it bluntly to me one day, “I don’t know what I will do when you leave this place, I will greatly miss you." Hearing this from her made and still makes me sad, as I should indeed soon be leaving this place, and I know I will ever greatly appreciate and miss the kindness these people have so far shown me. Their warmth, support, and kindness are a gift I never expected to receive. I now constantly find I would have to forgive myself a thousand times for the wrong presumptions I once had about Mzimba because, contrary to my wild suppositions, I am not homesick in any way perceivable; I have a home I never expected I would have here.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Dalitso Mndala

​When I look back and reflect on the time I have spent with the children at Tsalani Primary School, I don’t regret the decision to volunteer to teach.  Not only did it help me to integrate but it has also brought joy in the good moments I share with the children both inside and outside of the classroom.  Whenever I take a walk in the community, the kids always greet me with smiling faces and I never get tired of greeting them back.
 
Nevertheless, something has been happening that makes me sad.  In the past two months, there have been 2 or 3 children daily returning home from school because they have fallen sick.  I tried to find out possible risks to sickness at the school. That’s when I observed that most of them don’t wash hands after visiting the toilet. This also meant some might even eat porridge provided at the school without washing hands, which is bad for their health.
 
Luckily enough, I had a new skill I learned from my fellow volunteers at PST; making hand washing facilities from locally found resources.  I imagined this will not only be beneficial in the sense that it would help to reduce cases of sickness, but it would also be a great time to bond and have fun with my pupils.
 
So, I offered my suggestion to make the facilities available to the children. It came with a lesson on personal hygiene, and it turns out most of them were quite aware of what they have to do each time they visit the toilet.  The challenge, however, was that the borehole is some minutes away from the school.  Due to the distance, the children would rather just go straight to class than go through washing their hands.
 
The children were excited about the idea and volunteered to find the resources.  We then had a good time making the hand washing facility, and now the children are happy that they clean their hands after visiting the toilet.  Some of them loved the facility so much that they will make them at their homes together with their parents.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Chisomo Kamlopa

It was around midnight when I heard my host mother knocking at my bedroom window with panic. I knew something was wrong, so we (with my host sisters) run to open the door.
“The wall of my house is about to fall and there is water everywhere in the house, I can't sleep.” she explained.
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It had been raining continuously for the past two days and according to the weather forecast, we still had two or more days of these rains.

“I think my house is going to fall, the wall is very wet that if heavy wind blows again, that will be the end of it. How will I even manage to build my house again?” She murmured and took a deep sigh.
There was silence for a few seconds. We really wanted our Mother to calm down, but what kind of words would calm a woman who was about to lose her only house?

“Your house is not going to fall,” I didn't know what to say next, so I stopped to swallow some "wisdom" saliva and continued. “You know, we have to be grateful that you woke up before it got worse. Now what we need to do is figure out how to control the wall from falling.” I convinced myself that I somehow encouraged her.

My host sister suggested that if we covered it with a thick plastic paper, it would prevent the rain from hitting the wall, which will prevent the wall from getting more wet, eventually not falling.
But it was now getting to 2 am, and there was no way we were going to buy a thick plastic paper at that hour.

As we were about to go inside my house, my host sister thought of checking the walls if everything was okay. Boom! My sitting room wall had a crack. I panicked! There was no way I was going to sleep in a house that is showing the "I’m about to fall" signs.

My host mother tried to encourage me with words similar to what I had said to her, but at this time I didn’t consider her as a mother encouraging a child, but as a landlord convincing a tenant. So her words didn't perform the magic. But I had no choice.

So there we were, all of us in my bedroom. Scared of what will happen next but sharing stories and laughing to bottle up our fear.

As I went through this experience it reminded me of the very reason as to why I am here. To not only facilitate change, but become part of the community, understand their challenges as I experience each and every day with them.

As I read reports online about how much the rains have affected most of the rural areas, what I felt was more than just sympathy. I didn't just feel sorry for the victims and I wasn’t just trying to put myself in their shoes, but, I was in their shoes. I might have not felt exactly what thepeople usually feel when heavy rains have destroyed their properties, but I can tell you what it feels like to be in that situation. To me, that's a life-changing experience.

#ThisIsCorpsAfrica. We are not only about bringing solutions, but also immersing ourselves in rural communities, experiencing and living life together with our communities.

Written By CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Chimwemwe Nzima

As powerful as the quote sounds, it still has a story to tell. December, the month I arrived at my site I had mixed feelings as to how was I to integrate and be part of this beautiful, warm village. Little did I know that I was one of those people in the village they had been waiting for. Three months down the line I bear this testimony. When I arrived at a community day secondary school where I am teaching Life Skills as part of my community service, I never had in mind that I would introduce a computer club and that learners would have keen interest in this new development.

However, upon liaising with member of staff and the Head teacher, they welcomed the idea and it did not take long for me to introduce the idea to the students. The students were so excited and overwhelmed, as some did not even know how a computer looks. During one of our sessions one of the students asked me; “madam how does this computer we are talking about look?”  I did not know where to start from explaining or illustrating as some members mocked and laughed. Another one asked again; madam, you want to tell us that we are going to learn how to type? There I stood speechless. These are some out of the many questions I have come across from the day the computer club was introduced.

Interestingly, each session we meet (once a week) is worth it. The number of students attending keeps on increasing almost each meeting session. During one of my individual conversations with the village head, I was astonished as she asked with curiosity, "I hear you have introduced a computer club at the community day secondary school."  It caught my attention as I just smiled and proceeded asking her about the intention for the visit. "We have really been waiting for this development for our children," she concluded.

It has been a nice experience at how one can serve passionately and reach out to people in a way one never thought about. We are living in an era whereby technology is the order of the day with the coming of different social sites, including education sites, making learning more exciting. Despite this being the case, we still have some areas where people have little knowledge of how quickly this technology is trending. This is a life-changing experience, and I am glad that I am part of this, "the people they have been waiting for."

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms.  Chifundo Soko

It's been 2 months and some weeks since I have been here. In my opinion I will say I have integrated pretty well; the host family considers me as one of them. How do I know? They called me when one of the family members felt sick, and they even asked me to name a baby that was born in the family. So we have a Michael named by me. I must say I felt honoured and had that sense of belonging; we all crave for that wherever we go. Honest truth. I have many friends and they are increasing every day.

That aside. The question: what have you been doing in these two months? I had been having meetings with the community. We had come up with a goat pass project to address the financial struggles of the community. Everyone was excited about it, including me. Why? Because I felt like I will do something that I had worked together on with the community. We started working on that, reached a stage of writing a proposal, and my coordinator was then updated.

She advised that according to the past projects that other volunteers have done concerning animal husbandry, there has been no impact. So it would really be good to drop that project and do another that will address the same financial problem.

So I want you to imagine this: here I have a community that is excited that we are doing a goat pass on project and I am supposed to go back and tell them that we should drop it. How did that feel?  Fire—I was tensed.  I had to spend a day thinking how I will relay this message. When I had built courage I went to my Counterpart and explained the whole situation, and he accepted it. He suggested that we tell the Group Village Head as well. We went to his house and told him the situation.  He was like, "It is good that way. This kind of project never succeeded in the past. A person was receiving 5 goats but they all died leaving just 3 out of 53. It was supposed to be a pass-on project as well. So yes, we are witnesses to such projects not having changed our lives".

So I sat there thinking, "Goodness! I was just stressed over nothing? You knew that this kind of project never succeeded and you are saying this now?"

What I have learnt in all this, I shouldn't have been quick to start building something just for the sake of doing something. I should have taken my time. I would  have learnt sooner that this of kind of project never succeeded in the community, and I would have saved myself from all this trouble. I have learnt my lesson to be patient.

Written by CorpsAfrica/ Malawi Volunteer Mr. Billy Makombola

Whoever said "Mondays" are boring did not live in all corners of Malawi, especially some parts of Mzimba District. Here in my community, which is located in the southern part of Mzimba, Monday is always an exciting day of the week because it's Bwandilo (Market day) at the most famous trading center known as Embangweni, which is just 40 minutes cycling from my site. To cut the story short, we always have Christmas every week. Some of the interesting things about Bwandilo are:

CHEAP FOOD
While the rest of the world hates Mondays, it's actually loved by my community and other areas around Mzimba south because it's when we get cheap food items such as, Tomatoes, Fish, Meat, Rice and all other farm produce. This is the day I usually go to buy food especially bonya (small fish). A 5-liter container of bonya goes at K2 500 (US$3.4), so what does a bachelor have to do to survive? Meat is even cheaper on this side as you know it's a Ngoni (local tribe) territory and they value meat a lot.

CHEAP CLOTHES
Not only do we find cheap food on the Market day, but we also find clothes. Clothes are also very cheap on this day and some are even sold on auction. Imagine getting a nice Jacket at K300, a shirt at K150 and even trousers at below K500. What other day would you ask for?

SOCIAL DAY FOR THE YOUTH
This is also one of the day young people cherish the most as they look forward to looking nice and hanging out with friends at the market center. It reminds me of my college days when we used to have social weekends; making sure to spare some nice clothes to put on this day to impress the ladies, do you relate? If yes, this is how the day looks like here. I strongly believe that most crushes are born on this day because all the boys and girls look extra-adorable.

If you visit this place on Monday, you would think there is a social weekend or social engagement activity taking place. You would tell simply by looking at how congested the traffic gets. That's how and where I spend most of my Mondays: at Embangweni trading center. Mondays are mostly like half holidays to us, and you know how Monday holidays feel. 

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Alinafe Chikombole

“It is the friends we make along the way that help us appreciate the journey!”

Going into my second month of volunteering I have learnt to appreciate the social connections I have made this far. It can be hard to admit that you are feeling lonely away from what are your ordinary, family and friends. But what do you do? Well, I decided to make as many friends as possible. Therefore, I also have a lot more learning opportunities. While my old friends are always cheering me on and supporting me on the sidelines, it is not the same as having people in close proximity that you share common interests with, being able to share some of the smallest details of your day with.

Undeniably, friendships are important; they give you a reason to smile yet again. In my case I find that my new friends have helped me to relieve stress when I felt like things were not going according to plan. They have made me laugh to tears even when I thought I could not laugh. They have also taken it upon themselves to make sure am well fed all day so that I do not complain about being hungry.

The early morning knocks have become a trend I look forward to. If and when I do not get a knock in the morning it worries me thinking what has happened to one of my friends. I take every chance I have to make a new friend. These are the people that make my experience even more worthwhile; they are not only my one-minute friends, but my friends for life. Friends for life because they have taught me some of the most valuable life lessons; going back into my normal I will carry with me some of these lessons.

Left right and center I have made connections amidst the community with diverse people of various age ranges, from old to young, my work mates and even people I meet just once in a while.
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“Happiness is when you make unexpected new friends.”

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Peter Mndalasini

During one of my visits at my counterpart’s house I found him with his pastor making a certain traditional drink. At first I thought that they were making some tea since the drink had tea leaves and milk. Little did I know that this was not tea but a special drink.  I was rushing to the market, but I changed my plan and decided to go to the market later. I wanted to quench my curiosity by asking them some questions about the special drink. My counterpart and his pastor were very happy and excited to answer all of my questions. 
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Maybe someone might be asking why enthusiasts consider Tchombe to be a special drink. According to the Zion Church this drink is considered as medicine for several diseases or infections. Those living with HIV/AIDS can even take it in order to help boost their immune system. This drink also helps to reduce body pains and brings good luck to those who want to success in their lives. According to the pastor of Zion Church, people pray for the person before he or she is given this drink. He also said something concerning a certain person who was demoted from his senior position at work. This person came to my community; they prayed and gave himthe  Tchombe drink, and two days later, he got promoted at his workplace.

But what is Tchombe drink made from? What are the ingredients required when they want to make this drink? This special drink is made from milk, water, Tchombe tea leaves, and anointed oil. Tea leaves are boiled with water and milk for some minutes and anointed oil is also added to the mixture. After 30 minutes the drink is then filtered and ready to drink.

If you want to know what Tchombe drink tastes like and other stories related to this drink, do not hesitate come to Wimbe Community in Kasungu District in the central region of Malawi. 

Written by CorpsAfrica/ Malawi Volunteer Mr. Redson Nyondo

The Oxford dictionary defines a hero as someone who is admired for their courage and outstanding achievements. Let me introduce to you one of the heroes of Mkwachi; my host mother, who is spearheading the introduction and establishment of Village Savings and Loans (VSL) groups in Mkwachi.

She was first introduced to the VSL concept in the year 2010 when her husband was teaching at one of the secondary schools in Nkhatabay district. Having seen the benefits of VSLs, when she came home to Mkwachi she mobilized and trained 20 community members to start a VSL group. Most of these members were doing small-scale businesses but struggling to get loans from micro-financing institutions to boost their businesses because they could not afford to produce the required collaterals. At the end of the first year, the group managed to save a total of MK 2,400,000 (about US$3,240.00), which encouraged other community members to join.

As of today, she has established a total of 9 VSL groups on a voluntary basis in three Group Village Heads. She was also at one time engaged for two weeks by the Member of Parliament to train fellow women who had started VSL groups in Mzimba district. She boasts having contributed to poverty alleviation in the community, as the knowledge she shared has benefited almost every household in Mkwachi. People now have easy access to loans and have developed an attitude of saving money, enabling them to do projects that were otherwise impossible. My host mother strongly believes that one ought to be self-reliant rather than just waiting for outside support.

One outstanding example is of a carpenter whose business was going down because of lack of capital and financial management skills. Most of his proceeds were being used for beer drinking. After joining VSL, he is now a such  successful carpenter that he built his own modern house with modern household assets like television. He now supplies furniture to the community, including my host mother’s display cabinet.

“A few years down the line, last year our group managed to save MK 6,000,000 by the end of the year. There are numerous benefits and one cannot afford not to be a member”, she argued. She says that personally, she is so much more economically empowered that she has helped her husband do some major projects, including constructing a modern house and paying school fees for their children. Currently, one of their children is at Natural Resources College. She also added that CorpsAfrica Volunteers are of great importance as they are bridging the business management knowledge gap that existed among the VSL members.
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She envisions a future where community members will be collaborating to conduct one business, as a way out to poverty, arguing that most Malawian companies are built on collaboration.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Smart G. Banda

Culture is something that defines a group of people. It covers religion, food, language, clothes which people wear and how they wear them, music and dances, marriages, funerals and worship. Each group of people is known by its culture. Here in Malawi we have Tumbuka, Chewa, Yao, Ngoni and many other ethnic groups whose cultures differ from one another.

Meet Chewa people in Dedza, Malawi. People here are more welcoming and loving. I could say Malawi is called “the warm heart of Africa” because of these people’s hospitality.  Chichewa is the language which they speak, and they are well known by their traditional dance called Gulewamkulu.  This dance is well known in most parts of Southern Africa, as you can find Chewa people in Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi. The traditional dances for the Chewa are mostly performed during events like the appointment of chiefs, initiation, healing, funerals and village festive ceremonies.

Gulewamkulu is believed to be a traditional religion whereby the dancers are believed to be communicating with ancestral spirits.  The dancers wear masks which resemble faces of animals while others are humanoid. Gulewamkulu has a lot of characters which tell different stories and give different messages to the audience.

Meet Chilembwe, an antelope character which displays jokey physical moves like shaking its body while laying down like a tired antelope. Mostly when this character of Gulewamkulu is dancing people lough a lot because of its funny dancing moves.

Kasiya maliro (funeral escort) is another character of Gulewamkulu. It has a tiny antelope like a head and a tail on top of its body. The character shows up during funerals and mostly performs at night. Other characters are Chazunda, Maliya, Njinga and Makanja just to mention a few.
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Characters like Njovu (an elephant) don’t easily show up in ceremonies. Mostly this character shows up when a Chewa chief dies and it is accompanied by other Gulewamkulu characters such as Kasiya Maliro, Gandali, Nyani Makanja and Njinga (local names). Gulewamkulu is highly respected by the Chewa people. It is associated with secret rituals and only those who have gone through the cultural initiation ceremonies are allowed to become the Gulewamkulu dancers. 

​Gulewamkulu performing at funeral ceremony 

Written by CorpsAfrica/ Malawi Volunteer Ms. Zione Maweru

There is a Malawian proverb that says, “ukaipa dziwa nyimbo.” This means, when you are bad at something, know your song. This song is not one of the ordinary songs we sing, in the form of music; there is talent within it. So in short this proverb means when you are bad at something just know your talent. There is a woman in Mangochi, in my site if I am to be precise. She has a good shop, dresses nicely, and looks gorgeous. She has a lot of leadership positions in the community as well.

The time I got a chance to talk to her, she told me she is not educated and she successfully runs a hair dressing salon. I am always humbled with how she carries herself and the positions she holds. I was quite surprised! She also said, she never got a chance to go to school but she knows how to read and write. Do you know how she got those wonderful literacy credentials? Well, she was actually home schooled by one of the teachers who works at a nearby primary school. Back to the hair dressing issue, she learnt it just through observing others when doing it.

My host father is currently renovating his house. He called one of the village carpenters to help with the windows. The carpenter did a great job and people were asking my host father who did the work. That’s when my host father told me that the guy learnt carpentry by observing his elder brother who is a talented and experienced carpenter.
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So far I have noticed that a lot of people in my community who are builders, carpenters, hairdressers and others. They did not learn their skills from any recognized institution. Instead, they taught themselves through observing or just trying. Most of us feel that we don’t have talents; but have we ever tried to learn something new? Know your own song. If you think you are failing try harder. One way or the other, eventually you will make it. Remember that no one is a failure!