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.