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.