Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Hope Matilda Mawerenga

I am Hope Matilda Mawerenga, and welcome to my journey of volunteerism as a CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer for the next year.

When I received my site announcement, I did not know what to expect from my community. I didn’t even know exactly where my village was in Malawi, so of course I tried to Google it. Since arriving in a small village in Northern Malawi my time here has been interesting. I should also admit that I thought I would make a fool of myself because of the language barrier. Even though I am Malawian I couldn’t speak any Chitumbuka, which is the most common language of the north. After being here a month though I can speak some Chitumbuka and am constantly learning more. So now speaking to the community members isn’t as scary, and I’ve seen that this new language is a cool ukachimanya (when you understand it).

In my past experience it can be difficult to find people who are willing to just help you with nothing in return, but in my community I have found such people. I have made friends with ladies with whom I enjoy having conversations (in my not so good Chitumbuka), and found some people who would like to work with me. Some of my community members who understand Chichewa (the language that I speak fluently) have become my translators and life is easier. I believe strong network, easy service.

I am so excited to be working with students who are gaining a passion for the sport of basketball. Another CorpsAfrica Volunteer Chancy and I meet a group of youth weekly to teach them the fundamentals of basketball, and every session so far has been effective. It is nice that girls have signed up too and are so motivated to play just as the boys. In rural Malawi it isn’t as common for girls to be encouraged to play sports, so I am happy about this. Working with these students is not only fun, but educational even for me. I am learning more about team work and sharpening my own ball skills.
​
I miss home sometimes but my village makes me feel at home too. 

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer, Naomi Yadidi

Well, it’s been quite the month. I have been on an emotional rollercoaster; from excited, to sad, to happy, to stressed, to okay, to all the emotions out there. I got to my site on a Tuesday, and right away I knew my host family was amazing. They made me feel right at home. I have three sisters and four brothers in my host family, and for once I am the oldest in the family, which I love! On the down side though, as the big sister, I couldn't cry when I was all up in my emotions because I had kids around me all the time. But on the bright side, they helped me realize I am here for a reason!
 
I must say; I LOVE MY SITE!  However, originally when I was told where my site was after Pre-Service Training, I was not very excited at all. Upon arrival, I felt like I was going to hate it. It was hot and dusty, and very different from living in the city. But after being here for one month, to my surprise, my site is amazing! The community is so nice, and I love it!
 
Let me mention the friends I have made! My host sister is by far, my best friend, and her friends are lovely girls. I am part of the crew! Plus on top of that, there are other volunteers at my site as well. One is a CorpsAfrica Volunteer, the other is a Volunteer from Africa Directo, and the third is a Peace Corps Volunteer. Trust me these guys are amazing. We all share a common passion to make a difference in the world. I am so excited to work together with them and I am happy my site has these people. It is going to be a great experience.
 
Thus far, I have gotten to know almost all of my community members. Most of them visited me when I was living at my host family’s home and the rest of them met me at different community meetings held. I have also met with various committees that would potentially like to work with me. I must say, the community is excited to have me here to help better our community!
 
I love the girls that I have been working with in my community and I think they love me too. The stories shared by these girls have been touching and through our talks, I am better knowing the life of a girl from the village and how our society treats them. Most of the girls are really intelligent or have various sets of skills, but circumstances have forced most of them to just become housewives in their teens, or mothers to babies with ghost fathers. We have managed to create a girls group and in this group we plan to empower each other as women.  Wish us luck!

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Chris Kaudzu
​ 
The thought of moving away from home into a new place and having to meet new people made me nervous. The idea of meeting new people in itself can be nerve racking, but on top of that I didn't know what to expect from my new community. The fear and thought of how they would welcome me, how I would fit in, and where I would start, kept running through my mind. Leaving my comfort zone and living in a totally different environment, amongst people I didn't know left me worried and with anxiety.
 
All these thoughts and fears were put at ease with the amazing way my new community welcomed me. It was easy to interact with them, and the anxiousness vanished when I started talking and engaging more and more with the people who stay here.  This was not my expectation, but it worked out very well. The more interactions I made the more I felt like I understood my community and its members.

The first few days were amazing. Most people had expected me to be a white person, so they were a bit surprised to see that I was Malawian, but I used this expectation they had to get to know them better.
 
Since the day I got here, each day has been an adventure and an opportunity for me to grow with the community. I have met people who are eager for development and this reminds me of my role as a catalyst. I want to foster self-discovery among community members so they can bring about change. It is my duty to see my community develop to its full potential, and I know that this is just the beginning of something great. There is always room for development.
 
One of my favorite quotes for development is: “There is immense power when a group of people of similar interests gets together to work toward the same goals.” –Idowu Koyenikan

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ruth Chamangwana

I have always believed that I am a strong person who can endure anything life brings my way, but on November 15th tables turned. For the first time in a long time I felt like a chicken about to be killed; well I think that's how chickens feel. I was so NERVOUS to leave my comfortable life in the city and head into the village, and I was even more nervous about meeting my host family.

When we arrived to my small village in Salima on a hot afternoon the nerves continued. However, when I met my new family I fell in love with them on the first day. We instantly clicked and they have made my transition from growing up in the city to moving into a village easier than it would have been alone.

The first week dragged by. Few people bothered to ask my name. They simply called me 'nzungu, alendo or asisi,’ meaning foreigner, visitor, and sister. Some kids cried every time they saw me because they were afraid and some women said some mean things to me in Chichewa (the language spoken in Malawi) because they thought I was a foreigner. Their reactions were priceless when I then proceeded to greet them in Chichewa.
I had my first community meeting this week as well, and I must say it was a success. The people in my community were so excited to hear from me and the project ideas they had were inspiring. I have been promised a lot of visits from community members in the coming days. I think this means I should probably buy a chair for the elders to sit on, but so far a mat has been enough for me.
​
The lake is my favorite place to be in my village. I still have to gather my courage to go and swim but watching the kids laugh and dive into the water gives me pleasure at the moment. And let me talk about the fish!! Fishermen are not given enough praise in my opinion! The juicy species of fish they bring to the shores everyday are amazing and make me look forward to the next day. The shores are full of fish in different colors and shapes, and I am loving it!
 
I am really enjoying my experience so far and I know this year will be life changing not just for me, but for my community members as well. My community has amazing people and the interactions with them have left me laughing in stitches.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Wezi Kayira

​The 15th of November marked a whole new beginning for me. This new chapter involved leaving all the things that were so close to my heart. Family, electricity, running water, 3G internet, TV, and my comfy bed, were just a few of the things I left behind. Instead of all the comforts I was used to, I now had dusty roads, more dust, bad network reception, no water close by, brown land (not much vegetation around) and no electricity, and it made me sick to my stomach.

Two weeks I have been here now, but on my first day I tried to find reasons to love this place. I cannot lie; it was very difficult to find these reasons. I felt like I was being punished for something, but I was not aware of what it was (yes it was that serious). However, three days later and I was embracing the life, making new friends and calling my new community my home. If there is one thing I have learnt during my few days here, it is that every place has a pot of Gold buried within the chaos around it.

As I integrate with the people here, I discover determination and hard work. I see people doing their best to bring themselves out of poverty. I met Mr. Chisamba and his wife, a couple who learnt how to establish tree nurseries and now are able to acquire and sell various trees and fruits. According to Mr. Banda, who is the Forest Assistant in the community, “Mr. Chisamba is a role model in his village.” Over the past years Mr. Chisamba has sold enough trees to make enough money to build a good house. A house built from burnt bricks, with iron sheets and cemented floors. Mrs. Chisamba, who believes women must take an active role in the family, as well as in the community, has her own Mphonda (a type of tree) nursery and expects that after the rains fall, she will have enough money to sell the trees and generate some income. This is what I call putting the Asset Based Community Design into practice. Mr. and Mrs. Chisamba have even agreed to share me some trees to plant at my new house, and teach me a thing or two about having and sustaining a tree nursery.

Another thing I have found to make me happy in the village is chatting with the youths. When I speak with them I encounter a happy generation with big dreams and high hopes for their future. Despite the high levels of illiteracy, school drop outs, and early marriages, there are still a few who are beams of light for their community. These few have not only made it to secondary school, but have successfully passed their Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) exceptionally well and are hoping to be taken to one of the Universities in Malawi. One of them that I speak of is my friend Ulia. This young man is very optimistic and comes over to ask for guidance in making better and informed decisions for his future.
​
So if you ask me whether I would rather be in town, in my comfortable home, or here, I would definitely choose here. What I have seen, the people I have met, and the desire to make a difference gives me hope that my service will be fabulous.
​

Written by Caroline Luka, a CorpsAfrica Volunteer in Malawi
 
Imagine waking up in a place where no one knows who you are or your reasons of being there. That tight knot in your stomach, sweaty palms and a thumping heartbeat. You close your eyes for a minute and try to pinch yourself just so you may realise it is all just a dream but all you get is the same unfamiliar four walls mocking you. That is when reality struck. I was no longer home. I was in a strange place and that thought was terrifying. I sat down for a while contemplating on what my new life was going to be like. “New life! New life!” my brain kept repeating those two words. That was when a huge smile formed on my face. This was a place where no one knew me, no one knew my past. No one. My book was blank. I told myself, “You have a whole new chapter in your life to write about. Seize the opportunity and thrive.”

My name is Caroline Luka and I am a CorpsAfrica volunteer serving in a small village in Mchinji district. Before I became part of this great cause, I was just a young lady trying to find my way in this world. I was exploring my options as I had not really figured out exactly what I wanted to do with my life. I saw CorpsAfrica as an opportunity to give back to the society. My passion for community development was what drove me to give this a try. Being a part of a group of people whose aim is to become catalysts of change is something I do not take lightly. We live in a society where we are defined by what we are or where we come from and that often puts a negative thought about who we are. Who am I? I leave that question for you to answer. By the time I post my final blog, I am sure you will know exactly who Kalolini truly is. I have brought with me so many tools that I gathered during Pre-Service Training (PST) in Dedza that I intend to use during my time here in Mchinji. Wish me luck as my journey through the stranger’s land continues.

Did I mention how I got a heart-warming welcome? The Home of Hope staff that I will be working with for the next year of my service made me feel right at home. They opened their doors for me and made me feel a little less nostalgic. As if the people at HOH did not give a good enough welcome, the first visit to my community was what really put my heart at ease. The Group Village Head made me her other chief. You are looking at your new Chief here. Royalty! Integrating with the community has been going on great as well. The wonderful children I am working with both at the orphanage and at nursery school have made transitioning much easier. These children are pure gold and I am looking forward to many more activities with them. You may think I only intend to work with kids, but that is far from the truth. My community has passionate women, driven youth, and hardworking men willing to work with me as well. The ball is in my court and I know just how to use it. Until next time, let me leave you with one of my favourite quotes:
​
“Never let the fear of striking out
 Keep you from playing the game”
 
P.S. Enjoy the photo gallery below.

Written by Silvester H.C. Kunkeyani, a CorpsAfrica Volunteer in Malawi
​
“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands- One for helping yourself and the other for helping others”- Audrey Hepburn

My name is Silvester H.C. Kunkeyani, commonly referred to as Ada Silvester, and I am a part of the second cohort of CorpsAfrica Volunteers serving in Malawi. I am one of 21 current volunteers in Malawi, and our goal is to continue the mission of combating poverty in many areas across Africa.  Alongside the other African Leaders in my cohort, I was trained in Human Centered Design and Asset Based Community Development to initiate community led-development with the community I am serving.  As a Volunteer with CorpsAfrica, my aim is to help my community in discovering their full potential, and using whatever assets are already available to them to further develop themselves and where they are living.

As I begin my first blog post, I want you to know as a reader, that I plan on using this platform to keep in touch with you as I embark on this memorable journey through my CorpsAfrica Service, which is likely to change my life. Using this blog, I will be publishing my monthly updates on the progress of various development projects that together with the people of Mkwachi Village and in collaboration with CorpsAfrica partners, my community and I will be initiating. Feel free to contribute your insights in the comment section.

So how did Silvester end up being a CorpsAfrica Volunteer? Well, my journey to this endeavor started with a phone call from one of our CorpsAfrica Malawi Staff on 24th September 2017. She called to tell me that I had been successful in the interviews that I attended on in August. Once our cohort was selected, which was made up of 18 Malawians, 2 Moroccans and 1 Senegalese Volunteer; we all attended a Pre-Service Training from October to November. At this training we received knowledge on various topics to better prepare us for our one year of service in our respective sites. Then, on November 13th, we had a well decorated swear-in ceremony at the beautiful Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe. What an event this was!! It was graced by different people from all walks of life; a definite moment to remember.

A day later I was off to the northern part of Malawi where I will be spending my year of service as a Volunteer.  I travelled with Dingaan, another CorpsAfrica Volunteer and my closest site mate, and a team of other volunteers who were going to serve in a nearby district. We left Lilongwe around 9:00am and many hours later at the exact time of 5:48pm, we arrived at my community. To be frank I had a lot of expectations about my site, one of which was to learn the Tonga language, and more about the Tonga Culture, which I have already started doing. What really excited me most was that my village is about a 10-minute walk to the lake and I figured I’d be going there every day.

When we arrived in my village I was introduced to my host family which is the family of Senior Group Village Headman (GVH). They were really happy with my arrival and they welcomed me with happy faces, full of charming smiles!! I felt special with such a big welcome. Dinner was served later in the night, which was Kondowole (a local meal made from cassava flour) with fish! That night the Senior GVH also gave me a full introduction of his village, key people in the community, the different organizations that are working in his area, and also some of the cultures in the area. When it was time for bed I was shown my room and I slept through the night.

The first week of my stay in the village was all about meeting and introducing myself to the different people in the community, as well explaining to them what CorpsAfrica is all about and how it works. I introduced myself to the Health Centre, and the Primary and Secondary School in the Village. The Secondary School is the only one found in the area, but is harboring students from nearby villages as well as villages as far as 15km away. I was surprised to learn that the Secondary School only has 3 teachers and one Peace Corp Volunteer doing all the educating at the school. The Primary School was no different in terms of resources. Many students were learning under trees because the school has only 3 classrooms, one of which is used as the teachers’ office.  The whole school has a total of 8 desks that are used by a few Standard 8 pupils. Even with all the things that surprised me, I made a lot of friends at the Health Center, Secondary and Primary school who have already seen me as their role model.

In my second week, I asked the chief to organize a community meeting where he mobilized people from the village to attend. At this meeting I introduced my capacity as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer, what CorpsAfrica is all about, how it began, its mission, and how its goal is to work with a community as the center. It was a very fruitful meeting.  Many people came to attend and they asked a lot of questions in order to have a better understanding of my role as Volunteer.

Finally, guess what has happened? Oh yes, I have been swimming at the lake, and my expectations have come true. The hot temperatures here can be emotional sometimes, EEEISHH! Since I’ve been in my new community I have never covered myself with a blanket or a sheet, it’s way too hot for that!

Watch out next month, as I continue to give you updates on whatever projects will be happening in my area as I continue to serve as CorpsAfrica volunteer. Last but not least enjoy some of the pictures from different functions and places. Thank you all!!