Written by CorpsAfrica/Maroc Volunteer Ms. Aziza Himmad

Autumn is a magical season in which everything can change. At my site, everything looks lovely and charming. From the bright yellow to the flaming red, the leaves' colors will give you a new perspective of the outdoors. They slowly fall from the trees to cover the ground, creating a colorful autumn painting. The view pleases the eyes, especially when it is raining. It transforms the valley into a paradise, and I couldn’t let this wonderful painting be missed. I went out for a walk,  watched the trees, danced left and right with the wind, and got wet from the raindrops. The air interacts with my mind and body and  the mountain lifts my imagination,  making me feel inner peace.

​When you live simply, you will be lucky enough to find yourself in the essence of life. The village AZRO N’SOUQ is one of the perfect places to live if you are in search of simplicity, tranquility, and harmony with nature. It is located in the province of AL HAOUZ, in the rural commune of Ijoukak in Nefis Valley, and  is 127 KM far away from TAROUDANT and 99 KM away from Marrakech. “Souq” means the market, and it the village earned this name because it used to host the local market. 

I am so lucky to serve in such an amazing site, and I am blessed to have such a wonderful host family as well. They are  welcoming and generous, and I feel like I am home. “Mi SFIYA,” my host grandmother, is a calm, wise, kind, and energetic woman, despite her old age. She doesn’t speak Arabic but she wants to learn and will also help teach me Tamazight. “KHADIJA,” her unmarried daughter, is a funny and cheerful person, and one of the nicest and the kindest people I ever met in my life. She always tries to do what she can to make me feel comfortable in the family and with visitors. “Fatima,” Mi Sfiya’s son’s wife, is eight months pregnant and has 2 boys - I have a beautiful relationship with them. I usually help them in their studies, especially the younger one, “SOULAIMAN,” who always comes to me to learn the alphabet. 

I enjoy being with my host community, I try to help with some daily activities: feeding the goat, bringing wood from “JNAN” on the back of the donkey (using it to prepare “TANOURT”), but the activity I enjoy most is carpet weaving. The family  shows me how, and I try to do it on my own. At first it was difficult for me, but after some minutes I found it enjoyable and easy to do (but not for a long time because it’s really tiring)! 

Doing things outside of your ordinary routine can be an exciting way to spice up your life. Meeting new people and talking to them, seeing things you may have never seen, or doing things you have never done before help to refresh the day. No matter what you do, just do it with love, because nothing will happen the same way again. In all you do, make sure that you enjoy your life and don’t forget to have fun.  

Written by CorpsAfrica/Maroc Volunteer Mr. Soufiane Dayi

What am I doing here... It’s freezing cold!

What is voluntary work? What is the point of living for one year where you are a complete stranger? Am I truly a valuable asset to this community or not, and can I bring a change? 

Well, read my story and maybe I can answer some of these questions above. 

Greetings everybody. My name is Soufiane Dayi and I am 28 years old. I’m from Fes, the spiritual capital of Morocco, a city that dates back to antiquity with a twelve century old medina and a World UNESCO heritage site. I feel homesick and nostalgic for this city most of the time. After traveling all these miles and missing my family, I found myself alone in the snow-covered mountains and immersed in the discovery of Amazigh culture!

I will skip the details of the CorpsAfrica selection, interview, and PST to shed light on how I am living this volunteering experience. I will try to convey images to readers through words. After all, as Albert Einstein said, “There comes a point in your life when you need to stop reading other people's books and write your own.” I’m writing my own and it begins here.

I will start by saying that God endowed us with something precious, something we might sometimes take for granted, something that without it, our lives would be bitter and dull. It is the love of our moms, and may God bless all the moms of the world, because without their blessings we would not walk the right path. Without their advice, we would easily diverge from lightness to darkness. Honestly, I will always remember the look on my mom’s eyes as I was leaving, and how much she was heartbroken even though she tried to hide that expression of sadness while waving goodbye to her son, leaving to the uncertainty and to the unknown. 

Frankly, I had no voluntary experience before. I used to be a successful entrepreneur investing in tourism, transportation, and lodging in my company, which I built on my own. The arrival of the pandemic was an unlikely turn of events that shattered all my goals for financial freedom. I was my own boss, conducting business in an international scope, and being the freelancer that I always wanted to be. However, with such a catastrophic pandemic, my business plans needed to change, and voluntary work is a new field that I can use to give back. I hope to gain a lot from this humanitarian experience.

I have always been competitive, and have found great pleasure in accepting new challenges. 

I think the first time I felt like a stranger was when I set foot in my site, a village called Tacheddirt, but it’s okay. Not only is the culture different from mine, the language barrier is my worst nightmare. I won’t lie, while working on tourism for years I learned many different languages naturally, and I’ve been learning Chinese as an alternative to work with Chinese companies in Morocco. Nevertheless, learning Berber Tamazighit is definitely the masterpiece challenge this year. As a polyglot, it will take me a few months to learn. Now almost two months have passed, and I can understand and speak a lot of the local dialect, although it drives me crazy when I can’t understand when people mutter.

I was happy to prove to many people in my site how wrong their stereotypes were that city men are soft and not capable of doing rural hard work. I basically jumped in every activity they do over here, from collecting fertilizer, to ploughing fields, to riding mules. After many attempts, I start feeling that not only I can adapt, but I can overcome challenges and be successful in my integration process. I suppose, during this one year, volunteers can learn something precious, something we cannot find in the fast-paced city life. Over here we can learn how people persevere to earn a living and survive in hard conditions, the mesmerizing simplicity of life. I value this simplicity and have learned to love the little things, while also being grateful for city life. City life is easy and I used to take it for granted, but now I have learned the true value of appreciation.

I will conclude by saying, I am a valuable asset to my community, and I will do my best to bring a CHANGE.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Tapiwa Khutakumutu
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Dear Aspiring CorpsAfrica Volunteer,

Unlike many other Volunteers, I almost cried when I first arrived at my site. Waking up in a motel room with a beautiful view of what seemed like a deserted permaculture garden, I was wearing the most beautiful smile just like my fellow Volunteers. We were excited that morning and we took a lot of pictures and videos while walking around the garden chit-chatting and enjoying all the fruits the garden had to offer. I was looking forward to meeting my host family and the rest of the community.

After traveling for thirty kilometers from Dyeratu, which is my pick-up point, we got to my site. A group of smiling women and children had gathered waiting for my arrival. The rains had fallen two days before my arrival and so the pigs and ducks were still enjoying every filled pit they could find. This can't be real. I had visualized my community and it looked nothing like this. "At least you have access to the network," said the driver as I was striving to control my tears and the agony on my face. I forced a smile, we laughed and they drove off.

Looking for a place to dump my anger and disbelief, I remembered all the good things one of the staff had said to me about my site during the PST (Pre-Service Training) and I decided to confront him that same night, and this is a summary of our conversation:

Tapiwa: So this is my site which you praised during PST?

Staff: Good evening Tapiwa, so you have arrived.

Tapiwa: This place has no electricity, it is extremely hot and very far from the main road. I am still awake but rats are already crawling out of their holes. How am I supposed to survive here? This is not fair, some Volunteers have access to electricity and they are just a walk away from the main road.

Staff: Hahahaha, those are your new pets welcoming you. And that’s how we work Tapiwa, Remote and far from luxury. You felt that your knowledge and passion in fighting against climate change could be of use in Chikwawa. Remember the goal.

A little while later, I found myself sleeping outside the house with my host sisters and complaining about the heat. Reflecting on my passion for fighting against climate change, I knew I was at the right place. A month later, I have built a strong relationship with my community. I am working with a strong and motivated team in fighting against climate change and enhance resilience in all the neighboring villages, which are mostly affected by floods. As a community, we hope to accomplish more in the next nine months.

So dear aspiring CorpsAfrica Volunteer; "Follow your passion. The rest will attend to itself. If I can do it, anybody can do it. It’s possible. And it’s your turn. So go for it. It’s never too late to become what you always wanted to become in the first place."  -- J. Michael Straczynski

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Grace Sichinga
 
‘Gile! Mwadzuka?’  (Grace! Are you awake/ Good morning?) This is the voice of my landlady that shakes me awake usually around 5am. I answer back and continue to sleep till 7am, then I officially start my day.
 
My morning consists of me getting ready and planning that day's activities. After my morning routine, I walk a few minutes to our partner organization’s office. There, I help with the administrative work. After the office work, I go to the market to buy that days’ ndiwo (relish), which usually consists of leafy veggies, eggs, tomatoes, and onions. On a good day, I buy some meat instead of eggs. After my short trip to the market, I go home and cook that day's food.
 
By the time I finish having my lunch, I have about an hour or two to go to my community engagement activity. The usual meeting place for this activity is about 6km away from where I stay. The only thing I can complain about is the heat, it makes the 6km bike ride feel like 20km. On the bright side, I always meet people on the way who are always cheerful and offer warm greetings.
 
My community members have been welcoming since the beginning. Our meetings are always insightful and I tend to learn something new about the community each time. My favorite part about my day is the trip back home, the sun is finally setting, the wind has picked up and so the heat is not much of a problem. My day usually ends with me seeing a beautiful sunset.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Sellah Kantayeni

My heart felt a heavy weight at the announcement that I will for the next 10 months Volunteer in Rumphi. I recall wishing not to be placed anywhere in the northern part of Malawi. It was for the obvious reason of language. A typical Chewa (local tribe), raised among the Chewas would definitely find it hard to blend in among typical Tumbukas (local tribe). Well, not all wishes come true. Surprisingly, I embraced the fate quicker than I expected. Reality kicked in again on the day we left the Pre-Service Training venue for Lilongwe for the swearing in ceremony. "It is really happening," I whispered to myself. The thoughts of the adventure we were about to undertake got me teary-eyed. "We are really doing this, guys. Brace yourselves." I audibly repeated these words as I watched our bus depart for Lilongwe.

I got almost a similar response from every friend I told that I was relocating to Rumphi. "Koma ndiye kutalitu!" (meaning that’s very far). I remember my closest friends having a long conversation about my relocation on our WhatsApp group. They assumed the worse. They jokingly give me sarcastic counsel like, ‘Take heart and enjoy the network and electricity while it lasts…you will not have these when you go to Rumphi.’ We laughed about it. My parents encouraged me to embrace the journey as it is the beginning of maturity and independence. A fortnight and some days passed and it was time to begin the journey.

I loaded my luggage at the back of a Toyota Hilux. I almost filled it up alone. We then picked up two of my fellow Volunteers and we were ready to hit the road for Rumphi, Karonga and Chitipa. Chatting along the way kept my mind at ease. However, every time silence crept in, butterflies kept knocking on my stomach walls, reminding me of why I was on the road to the north. Finally, we arrived at my destination. 

After covering quite a distance on the off-road to my site, I realized that it was far from the tarmac road. There was no sign of immediate means of transportation. Surrounded by farms, the place looked so isolated. It seemed different and hard to dwell in. I snapped myself out of the negativity and engrossed my mind with thoughts of integration and adaptation. People live here just fine. I can and I will too. Then I recalled what we usually write on our job applications: ‘I easily adapt to new environment.’ Right in front of me was an opportunity to truly live this out.

I stayed with my host family for two weeks and they made me feel at home. I felt privileged to be placed in a caring family. I must admit, communication is not easy as most community members hardly speak and understand Chichewa (local language). I feel out of place sometimes, including during church services as I only grasp very little of Tumbuka (the community's dominant language). I have a full belief that things will get better with time and I will learn Tumbuka. The community is warm and welcoming.

​So far, so good. The journey has begun on a good note. Let’s do this!

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Wongani Siula.

“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples ...” Mother Teresa.

In life, we usually say we are not in competition with anyone else other than making sure we improve to be a better version of ourselves. But, I find this very inapplicable in most cases where one has to undergo a rigorous and competitive selection process to be found in the final product line. Just like any recruitment process, this was the case when many equally qualified candidates tried their luck at CorpsAfrica Volunteer interviews but never made it to the Pre-Service Training (PST). Without necessarily going through the bits and pieces of the recruitment and PST experiences, let me take you through site announcement day.

The day which sites were due for the announcement had come, it was yet another silent and breath-taking moment in my life. I was filled with tension as I waited for my fate that would finally test my prior commitment to serve the underserved and marginalized Malawians in rural communities. Using alphabetical order, the Volunteer names were listed against their destined sites (one by one), followed by oral announcements by our Country Director. As expected, my name appeared, and boom! It was a southern region district that I had never visited in my life, let alone stayed in. But regardless of the foregoing, I was eager to go and facilitate change in my capacity as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer whilst exploring the district’s flora and fauna.

But here I was, facing two “imaginary” realities as regards my site that will be my home for the next ten months. Firstly, I thought to myself that this is the site that CorpsAfrica has previously deployed two Volunteers since 2015, I being the third. Secondly, I realized that this is the site that has had its previous Volunteers becoming “big cats” within the ranks of CorpsAfrica/Malawi staff, the first one being the HCD/ABCD Consultant and the other being the Program Coordinator.

These two have undoubtedly raised the bar in my site as such standards ought not to be compromised at all cost. As evidenced from these Volunteers’ and community members’ speeches and also reading from other information sources respectively, one can see that the two in collaboration with the community have left a highly reputable legacy that needs to be maintained or surpassed. However, it is not that all I have been engulfed in is complete fear and tall orders ahead, rather this has also revitalized the strength and hunger to do more for the sole aim of benefitting the lives I dearly swore to serve. 

During his welcoming remarks, I recall my host father saying, “You being the third Volunteer, we are very grateful to CorpsAfrica/Malawi management for considering us once again. We are more challenged now to do more to continue changing our lives and this, I am hopeful, will be achieved through cooperation and utilizing the existing local assets.” On a lighter note, he told me to feel most welcomed so long as I am ready to brave the hot and dry weather that is associated with this southern part of Malawi.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Patricia Lily Nyirenda

I still remember the atmosphere of the room I was being interviewed in on 21st June 2021. It was the very first interview in my life. You can imagine how I felt. I received an email on 11th August 2021. I made it! I was now a CorpsAfrica Trainee. My uncle kept congratulating me on this new path of my life. Somewhere in the email read “Pre-Service Training is a time for trainees to prepare to serve in a rural community without the luxuries of the city.” I pictured myself in the remotest area. Fast forward to Naming'azi Training Centre, the training was intense and full of fun. I made some new friends and learned new things.
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By the time I was going home after the training and swearing in, I was aware of my career growth path. I was to be deployed in Mulanje. Going through the site description, I noticed the difference between the culture I grew up in and the place where I was heading to. I had heard some stories about Mulanje that got me scared. I could not imagine myself being part of this community. I felt like quitting before I even began the journey but, I remembered the Country Director’s words that “everywhere you get posted is in Malawi,” this fueled the courage in me to go out there as an agent of positive change.

About how I felt traveling to Blantyre on my birthday to proceed for my site drop off the next day is a story for another day. Two hours after my arrival in the community, the Chief of the village, Community Based Organization’s chairperson, and an uncle to my host mother came to see me. I felt welcomed. I said to myself, “I am here for a purpose -- to work with the villagers and grow.” I have been at my site for three weeks now. My host mother and her whole family have so far been very supportive. Every single morning, I have almost every member of the family coming to check up on me. Interacting with members of this family has made me realize the importance of empathy building. As I go around the community; I at least know what life is to the people here. “A single story is dangerous,” Chimamanda Adichie said.

I would not say it is too early to judge, but the stories I heard about this place are different from what I am experiencing. I keep learning new things daily, experiencing some of the rural hardships with the people. I read somewhere that “we cannot overcome what we do not face,” so I have wholeheartedly embraced this path. CorpsAfrica has indeed provided me with a path for my growth.

​Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Umusa Ng’oma

It seemed like all fun and games; when the first round of deployment was done. I did not understand why some Volunteers were anxious or having their emotions all over the place. Wasn't this what we wanted? So why the tears? We wished them luck and I continued my "holiday" as though that daunting text message from the Country Director would never arrive.

Alas! The message came. I still remember that day. It seemed like time stood still for a while, the heat ceased for a moment. I was blank. Two days later, the bank alert came in. It became real! All these emotions came in. Now I understood why those guys felt the way they did. The shopping was done and the day arrived.

I was picked from Mzuzu on a Tuesday morning. We dropped off two Volunteers in Mzimba, two in Kasungu, then we proceeded to Lilongwe. All along, jokes and encouragements were held in the air. Such moments helped ease some of the pressure of those we were leaving behind as the rest of us proceeded to the next site. I spent that night and the whole of Wednesday in Lilongwe because I was to be dropped off on Thursday that week.

Thursday arrived too soon, Chikondi (not her real name) arrived too soon to pick me up. This day, it was my fellow Volunteer and me.  I remember I was running a lot of algorithms in my mind. We were told to manage our expectations, but how does one begin to do that? Unlike the other day, there were more of us being dropped and the jokes were always there. This time around, things were different. My friend was the first to be dropped in Dedza, then we were off to Ntcheu. Now nerves kicked in. I started asking myself questions like; do I have to do this? What did I get myself into? Will I manage? Why do these people trust me this much to do this? Interestingly, I was also filled with excitement, looking forward to leaving a mark in someone's life. I encouraged myself that I can do this.

By 1:30 pm, we were in Champiti, Ntcheu. About 20 minutes later, Chikondi left. It felt like a joke. That I would wake up and still be in my bed in Mzuzu. My host mother is a wonderful woman and she made me feel at home. She introduced me to many people and, I was no longer a stranger but part of the community.
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Almost a month down the line, I am more relaxed and at ease and made meaningful friendships. I think I like it here.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Maroc Volunteer Mr. Ayoub El Fadili

A few days ago, I was approached by a man. “Are you a teacher?” he said. I responded “No, I am not. I am a CorpsAfrica Volunteer in Imn Gourzi village.”

Before I continue, let’s back up a few days. 

Let me introduce myself. My name is Ayoub. Five days ago, I moved to my site in the Ijoukak commune. While my colleague and I were enjoying our first coffee in our new home, I saw someone asking about a cup of tea, but unfortunately our “BRAD” (teapot) was empty. The man who asked for the tea had dirty clothes and an untidy beard and moustache, but the way he asked was so nice:

Him: “Is there still a cup of tea?”
Me: “I don’t know, Asmae could check.” ALBARAD (the teapot)

Asmae checked the pot and found it was empty. I apologized and offered to give him some money to get a cup of tea from the shop. He told me they didn’t offer single cups, but Asmae and I gave him some money anyway. He said kindly: “Oh, thank you, and forgive me.”

The next day we came to the souk (shopping day), and the same thing happened again. This man is crazy about tea, just like me. He passed by me while I was eating and I asked him if he wanted tea. “Yes, sure,” he said,  “but I will leave you until you finish your dish.”

He came back right when I finished, perfect timing. Lol.

We then had tea together and I got the chance to have a quick conversation with him. His name is Khalis, he is from Casablanca and he has a baccalaureate degree. I noticed that he is super kind and has good manners. Yes, good manners! Undoubtedly, my first impression of him was different. Because of his appearance, I thought that he would be a quarrelsome person. However, we all know judging people from first sight is unfair. Eventually I realized my mistake and I promised that I would always respect that man. Behaviors are more important than appearances. Some people with a good appearance could turn out to be evil and dirty, and people who appear dirty could have extremely kind hearts.

I hope this will be a lesson to all of us. See you.

PS1: ALBARAD = teapot
PS2: I don’t have any picture with Khalis.
PS3: I changed his name, due to privacy.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Maroc Volunteer Ms. Salima Anjar

Hello everyone, I hope that you read this blog and you are in the best condition.

On November 14, 2021, I received a call from CorpsAfrica/Maroc staff telling me that I will join my site in the following two days. At that moment, I felt mixed feelings - joy, fear and enthusiasm. On the night of the 15th, I started packing my clothes and everything I will need in my new site. My mother prepared some sweets for the road so I would not feel hungry. I went to sleep and, in the morning, I said goodbye to my family and headed towards Asni. That was our first destination and where we will meet the staff.
 
The first person I met was Asmaa Berkia. When I saw her, I was so happy that I hugged her, then we took the double van to go to Ijjokak. As we got into the car to go to our host family's we bid each other farewell and felt overwhelmed with longing. The staff started advising me to take good care of myself and to be responsible. When I heard that, I looked at Asmaa again and at Mr. Abdelaziz and started crying. We said goodbye to each other, and I entered the house of my host family, where there is no noise and no shouting. I just heard the murmuring of the valley’s water.

The host mother and her husband came to me, and we took the plunge together. When darkness fell, I went to sleep and felt a feeling of loneliness and nostalgia. I was waiting for tomorrow when I would meet my volunteer friends in the weekly market. When I met them, we had a great time and had a lot of fun, but soon it was time to leave. Honestly, I did not want to get back to my host family house. I said to myself, I am going to get bored and feel lonely again. That is indeed what happened.  It was just me, my host father, my host mom and their 5-year-old child. At first, I had no one to talk to, but suddenly the granddaughter of the host father came to visit. When I saw her, I felt very comfortable. Fortunately, she spent the whole night with me. The next day all the good things started. I decided to go out for a walk to discover the village and meet the locals. While I was walking around, a woman invited me for a cup of coffee. It was delicious and I enjoyed talking to her. Her welcoming words, which were full of love, made me feel warm. I told myself that surely, I would like it here eventually. All I need is time to figure out all the beauty and the blessings in my sites.         

I forgot to tell you about the 5 years old child, my cutest host brother. Abdul Samad, my little angel, is the child who often makes me smile because I see him every morning. I began to love him and treat him like my younger brother. Abdul Samad is more intelligent than adults are. He is only 5 years old, but he has the characteristics of sane people. He is smiling; his mother told me that when he gets up, he asks about me, saying, "Where is Salima?"

I admire his manners, as I admire my host family. They are so kind. They are treating me as if I were their daughter, and I treat them as my real family.

This is my short story from my first week at my site. Now, here I am after spending a month, saying what if my service ends? I will miss my village, the vibes, my host family and especially Abdul Samad.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Maroc Volunteer Ms. Aziza El Aazizi

Lao Tzu once said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” From Dakhla Moroccan Sahara to the High Atlas Mountains, it took me 867 miles to get to my site where I will serve my community for nine months with CorpsAfrica/Maroc. Even though the road was long and arduous, and I was very exhausted by the 24 hours of hitting the road to Marrakech, I didn't take a break to rest because I was too excited to start my volunteering service.
 
I have to say the first thank you goes to CorpsAfrica's experienced staff and their diligent efforts to support me, because I went to my site with them. I still remember the amount of anxiety that hit me when I was close to my site, and I remember hoping I would fit in well with my host family and with the community. I didn’t have to worry, because everybody was so welcoming - they were really nice to me.
 
My first friend there was an aged woman who can speak both Amazigh language and Moroccan Darija, called Lala Rqia. I once asked her to teach me the Amazigh language to ease my integration, and she said calmly, “I can be your teacher.“ I believe that talking to people using their language will be easier than using a language they don't speak well. As Nelson Mandela once said, "If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his hand. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart." He was so right. When you make the effort to speak in someone else's language, even if it's just basic phrases here and there, you are saying to them, I understand that you have a culture and identity that exists beyond me. I see you as a human being.

I applied to become a CorpsAfrica Volunteer for many reasons. The most important reason that urged me to seek a volunteer opportunity was the warm feeling I get when giving back. That is the feeling I get whenever I can offer a smile to a sad face and know that I'm contributing and helping people. Even if I could only help 1 person out of 100, I would come out a good person, because only good can come out of helping someone in need.

Another reason why I wanted to become a CorpsAfrica Volunteer is because I believed it would be an opportunity to take me out of my comfort zone and teach me about myself. Besides, volunteering with CorpsAfrica will help me broaden my cultural horizon, learn new ways to approach existing problems, new ways of looking at the world, and learn a new language, which are some of the best ways to grow.
 
I'm so delighted and ecstatic to be a CorpsAfrica Volunteer, to serve my community, and to be the change that I want to see in the world.

The feeling of community and the kindness of people I meet when volunteering is absolutely great. The idea that something I do makes this world better, kinder, and happier is even better. I do believe that volunteering is not something I can explain through the model of reason and consequence. This is rather a state of mind, and a lifestyle.
 
You can read all about my volunteering journey in my WordPress blogs, you can find it through the following link: https://azizaelazizi.wordpress.com/

Written by CorpsAfrica/Maroc Volunteer Ms. Fatiha Tachakourte

I always had this idea of working in the social field. In my last years of college, I started working as an environmental educator with two programs for children who came from disadvantaged backgrounds in the Aitbaamrane region. I taught them about environmental challenges that the region is facing, and how vital it is to be involved in sustaining local natural resources. 

I believe that these kids are the future social and political actors who will put these environmental issues on the public policy agenda. Words cannot describe how my heart feels at home when I get a WhatsApp message or a call from one of my past students.

A few years later, I learned about the CorpsAfrica volunteering opportunity, and I told myself that this is my chance to get involved and be the change I wish to see in the world. When I first heard about volunteerism, I thought the volunteer should do everything and bring the project to the community, but CorpsAfrica's philosophy is different. It is you, the volunteer, who needs to rediscover yourself - to find skills you didn’t realize you had. I myself have so much to learn about places and people, and, most importantly, gratitude for my own life. Yes, the community still needs skills and experiences, however, the service could be more impactful and sustainable when it is accomplished collaboratively and comes from within the community.

To succeed in a humanitarian mission, you better arrive with an open heart, listen to peoples' stories, and feel their history. Life teaches us and tests us in different ways, moving us out of our comfort zones and pushing us to step foot in a new environment could be challenging. Volunteering provides learning opportunities; we learn about ourselves, local communities, and how to make change, as well as new, unexpected approaches to make that change happen.

Written By CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Elvira Mdoka

In an agricultural-dependent country, most communities crave the rains as a recipe for plant growth. Such was the case with cock village, which happens to be my site. As I arrived on a hot sunny day, I could see well-prepared fields. Spending more time, I realized they lacked one thing, the rains. Everyone was looking forward to the rains. I started looking forward to the rains, I was slowly blending in, feeling their pain and fears. Together we hoped.

Several times the sky would look promising. It would clothe itself in dark clouds, looking expectant to deliver rain to the anticipating ground. We waited and waited, the skies would disappear as they came. But we remained hopeful.

Finally, one evening the rains fell, but only for a short while. Everyone whined about the few drops of rain, no one was going to be able to plant with such rains. The ground remained un-soaked. Fortunately, the whining was heard by the Supreme. The clouds reformed, and the rains fell, only that it was escorted by a chariot of a mighty wind. Not only did the ground get soaked, but the houses also fell, people got injured, roofs were reaped off from housetops, people scattered around trying to keep safe, and moving items in the rains. Our house got reaped off and our items got drenched.
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I could say this surpassed all my fears before I came to my site. At this moment, I was no longer worried about how I am going to cope with the people, or how to get started on my Volunteer journey. A far more important thing were running in my mind; life and the well-being of the people.

​All in all, the people still expressed joy at the rains. Early in the morning, everyone went to their fields to plant their maize in their soaked fields and left their sodden items to be solved later. It was a bittersweet moment and I could say it was a more real integration experience. I was reminded of the goal: ‘to live where they live, eat what they eat, to have the firsthand experience of their life and help…' Now that we are here, perhaps something could be done to help such bittersweet moments become sweet. May we let life unfold…

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Harriet Lynn Kumbani
 
I used to think I lived in one of the hottest places in Malawi until I moved to my site in Phalombe. My goodness! Chileka is pretty hot but, it pales in comparison to my site in Phalombe.
 
I have never sweated so much in my life, not even when we were forced to run a 1.5km race in school. I even have pictures of a bruise I got wiping my forehead too frequently and too profusely to prove it.
 
The heat aside, it hasn't been terrible. I would say it has been great. I have been here for almost a month now and I must admit, I have been pleasantly surprised. The people are chatty and kind. They stop by to say hello so I don't ever get lonely. They take me around to show me places. I get to watch some of the most magnificent sunsets I've ever seen right from the veranda of my house. This has become one of my favourite things to do here. I’ve also been loving that I don't have to cook, so most days I don’t.  But don't worry, I have not been starving myself. I am Just surviving on junk, (I'll try to do better, I promise).
 
I love gardening and we had the opportunity to plant some bamboo trees a few weeks ago with some members of the community. I'm excited to see them grow and flourish, and I hope I do too.
I am sure the journey ahead will not be without its challenges but, I am certain that it will be worth it. I look forward to the lessons, joys, and growth ahead of me. I can't wait to be able to say in the words of Robert Frost, "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference".
 
Zikomo!

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Jolex Chicco Kaundama

When the exciting and rigorous one-month Pre-Service Training was over, I eagerly waited for the swearing-in ceremony. My colleagues and I were to finally be confirmed as CorpsAfrica Volunteers. The three days of waiting for the swearing-in ceremony seemed like a whole year of waiting. It was a long wait. Again, I felt like years passed before the date to deploy me to my site finally came.

Since my site falls within the radius of the Southern part of the warm heart of Africa, I had to travel from Lilongwe City to Blantyre two days before my deployment date. Everything seemed so slow, perhaps because of the excitement and enthusiasm of trying to see what lies ahead.

My day came for me to go to my site. My colleague and I packed our bags into the back van of the vehicle that was used and we started off. From this time onwards everything was fast. We reached Neno before I could manage to recollect myself from the wonderings and imaginations of my site. I did bid farewell to my friend and I waved goodbye as we headed towards Mwanza District.

Now, reality crept into my mind. My friend was dropped and I was all alone in the backseat. The car was gearing forward leaving me with no chance to put myself together. I failed to differentiate whether it was my heart beating fast or it was actually the car cruising at a supersonic speed. Was it too late to change my mind or my mind was already made up? “I got my mind made up and I won’t turn back…goodbye world I stay no longer with…” this was part of the lyrics of the background song in the car. Now everything made sense. Am going to a new world where I have to live a life for others too, not for myself alone.

Soon we branched into a dusty road towards Chikwawa, where my site is located. It appeared as if we had lost our way considering the quietness and the desolate kind of places along the road. We passed through hills and valleys. As we approached the fenced borders of Majete game reserve, my site appeared into view. The first thing to welcome me was the scorching heat of the Lower Shire District, echoed by the background song in the car by one of the famous local artists titled, “Dziko lili pamoto”, literally translated as “The world is on fire.” A lovely place surrounded by mountains with cheerful people who accompanied my host family to welcome me. I waved goodbye to my escort and the driver. The beautiful smiles, good hearts, strange tasty food, and the readiness of the community to work with me has made my integration so easy. Am loving my community already. This long shortest journey seems to be worth it.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Witness Chawinga

A child's quality education is every parents' dream. Parents are happy when their children perform well at school. A lot of organisations nowadays are advocating for girls’ education. One way of achieving this has been to encourage girls/women to go back to school even after giving birth. This is usually supported by a quote that says, "When you educate a girl you educate a nation." This is good, but what is the motive behind all this? And what about a boy child? Are we not the same people who are advocating for youth empowerment? How are we empowering the youths without including boys' education?
 
I started asking myself these questions after my first meeting as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer. This meeting was organized by a certain organization that is working with people in my community. The meeting aimed to address harmful cultural practices (specifically Initiation ceremonies) that encourage Gender-Based Violence and violence among youths in the community. Among the issues raised was education. Mr. Banda (Not his real name), who is the Operations Manager for the organization, was the one facilitating the meeting. In the course of our discussion, he encouraged two boys who were just staying in the community to go back to school. He told them to meet him another day to discuss the way forward. After a few days, the two boys went to meet with him. ‘Wow! Interesting,’ I thought to myself. Interesting in the sense that, I am used to seeing and hearing a girl child being encouraged to go back to school. This was different.
 
Later on, I had a conversation with Mr. Banda and learned that he has been doing a "Back to School" campaign that included both boys and girls. I asked why he chose to include boys in the campaign when a majority of individuals and organizations are focusing on a girl child. With so much passion, he said he has a genuine concern for others. He further explained that he has always felt sorry seeing children/youths not going to school. In his approach, he sits down with those youths and tries to understand why they are not in school. In most cases, he discovered that these children/youths lack support and motivation from their parents. He has so far managed to put 15 boys and 20 girls back in school. There is so much to learn from him: his passion for youth empowerment, community development, and improved livelihood for everyone.

It is good that we advocate for a girl child’s education, but let’s not leave the boy child behind. The boy child also needs attention, support, and motivation. If we don’t address these issues with care, our effort will be fruitless. ‘He for She’ should be our fight. Together we can empower the girl child. To achieve Youth Empowerment, the boys’ education must be supported.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Lucky Katundu

Lying on the Bulambya plains and on the tip of the map of Malawi, Chitipa district is a beautiful place with diverse people, languages and cultures. Dear reader, if you are considering to visit Malawi or if you are already in Malawi, I will encourage you to make a trip to Chitipa. But until then, I will offer you a glimpse of its beauty and uniqueness.

Consider that it is your first time to visit Chitipa, how would you respond to the greeting, ‘Mwawona’? I can submit to you that although I was born and raised in Malawi, I had never heard this greeting until I came to Chitipa. Mwawona means ‘Good morning’ in English and ‘Mwadzuka bwanji’ in Chichewa (Malawi’s official language). I was dumbfounded when I was greeted this way in my first week in the community. Imagine being part of a community that speaks more than 19 languages.  Envision the confusion I had when I was just a new arriver. Sharing boundaries with Zambia and Tanzania, Chitipa has more than 19 languages and the most notable ones are Chilambya, Chindali, Chinamwanga, Chinyiha, Kiswahili, Chibemba, Chichewa and Chitumbuka. It is this rich diversity of languages that makes Chitipa unique from other districts in Malawi. I have already started learning Chilambya. As Nelson Mandela once said, "It always seems impossible until it is done." I am confident that soon I will be able to converse with my community members in their language.

One unescapable fact about people in Chitipa is that they love their heritage. I recently watched a Mapenenga dance. This dance is a celebration of the official close of the harvest period. I also witnessed the Kupereka nguwo ceremony. This is one of the cultural ceremonies in my community and it happens when a first-born daughter has given birth to her first born. Her family led by her mother visit her new home, carrying different types of food, traditional beer, and gifts to celebrate the birth of the child. Her in-laws also prepare food to celebrate together with the visitors. However, the ceremony is dominated by women.
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Through the community and individual meetings I have conducted, I have learnt that the people here are respectful and welcoming. They have a way of making you not miss home. I look forward to a great and impactful service in Chitipa.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Sibongile Nyirenda

That long awaited journey was finally here… a throwback to 16 October, 2021, the day of swearing in, a day any CorpsAfrica Volunteer surely remembers as the day they took their oath of service. In unison we repeated the words: "I do solemnly swear that I will fulfill my duty… To do no harm when I can do no good, to give no answer when a question is yet unasked, to have an open mind and an open heart… and I will try, to the best of my ability, to live up to the highest standards of honour, integrity and dedication. So help me God.” These words do hit home and as I remember them now, I think to myself, “Can I really do this?” Fast track to 16 November, after waiting for almost a month to be deployed to my site, I am finally here. I am definitely and undeniably feeling a whole load of emotions right now. As I lay on my 4-inch mattress, I hope the next day I will feel better than I am feeling right now.

I have a new morning routine now. The sun shines through my window and I open my eyes to my new surroundings. I check my time and it’s only some minutes past 5 in the morning. I hear my community very much awake and I think to myself, “Am I really up for this?” I cheer myself to get up, take my bucket and go to the borehole. I am met by friendly people with, “mwauka wuli?” a greeting that I am used to now. I muster up my best Chitumbuka (local language) vocabulary and answer the morning greetings and they notice right away that I am not originally from their community. They always appreciate my efforts to answer them in their language but I can assure you that I usually feel like I am about to bite my tongue. Being a tumbuka myself, I can officially call myself “fake” with a bit of humour. Never in my lifetime, did I think I would have to learn my language but I will get up and do this.

I like my host family very much. They are so accommodating and offer help whenever I need it. My host father helped me with what I dreaded the most, namely meeting the community leaders. I dreaded the speech I had to give to introduce myself and my work as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer. Of course, I am not the first Volunteer to be at my site but you can never know what they are really expecting with each Volunteer that comes. As I waited while my host father introduced me to the community leaders, I became a nervous wreck. “Can anyone get used to public speaking?” But I just had to get up and do this.

No one ever said that being a CorpsAfrica Volunteer was going to be easy but I have the great and supportive CorpsAfrica staff and my amazing fellow Volunteers to support me as I take on this journey. As I continue with my service, I know that I will do things that are out of my comfort zone. I am up for the challenge because I know that I got this.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Maroc Volunteer Ms. Ikram Douaou
 
My journey as an official CorpsAfrica Volunteer started on the 12th of November 2021. Not so long! Yet, long enough to make me question myself. As a 23-year-old city girl from Marrakech, the "Red City" known for tourism, I have chosen to leave my comfort zone and dedicate one year of my life in a rural area. People think that doing so is for the sake of the development of a village of the High Atlas within my site. That’s what I thought at first too! Little did I know that this experience that did not start a long time ago will affect me so much.

My parents are both Amazigh. They were born in the city but their parents, my grandparents, were not. For so long, I felt the pride of being a Marrakechi with Amazigh ancestors. However, people here did not see me the way I saw myself. They helped me see the differences between me and them, differences that I have never noticed before! As Ryszard Kapuscinski said in one of his major works, The Other: “After all, not only is he an Other for me, I am an Other for him too.” I felt that. Although we all hold the same nationality, same religion and same culture, these elements aren’t enough. Having Amazigh ancestors and a family that speaks the language fluently was not enough for them to count me as one of them. Although I do understand it, I had to speak it!

With all the welcoming greetings, the invitations to wedding and circumcision ceremonies, I was the Other! Let me be clear, people here, my own people, are nice, welcoming, very accustomed to foreigners as it is one of the most popular paths to Toubkal, the highest mountain peak in North Africa. However, I am not a tourist nor a foreigner. I am a Moroccan who resides about 84.5 Km from the village I volunteer in. I was someone known to them but yet not part of them. I was someone that looks like them but yet strange to them. I was another type of Other.

This made me question myself. Who am I if I am not a Moroccan Marrakchi girl with an Amazigh background? Is it my looks? Is it my language? Is it my background that they know nothing about apart from what was told to them? How come prejudice make people so distinguished yet so close. Although they knew nothing about me, they made sure to make me feel physically comfortable. It is my host family that tried to make me feel emotionally and mentally comfortable to a certain degree. I noticed that my host mom tried to protect me from some people by not translating local idioms that were said to me about me. Still, I did understand.

“My identity is what prevents me from being identical to anybody else” this is a quote taken from Amin Maalouf’s book, On Identity. We, as human beings, we are not the same. We belong to a culture, in my case the Moroccan culture. However, subcultures are THE ruling cultures within small communities like the one I live in for the moment. I have to adapt to the subculture to fully integrate. Yet, I must not lose myself.
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But who am I first to not lose myself?...