CORPSAFRICA
  • Home
  • About
    • About us >
      • The Model
      • Human-Centered Design
      • Impact
      • Development Partners
      • Junior CorpsAfrica
    • Team >
      • Staff
      • Board of Directors
      • Advisory Council
    • Work With Us
    • Press
    • Videos
    • Testimonials
    • Contact us
  • Countries
    • Morocco
    • Senegal
    • Malawi
    • Rwanda
    • Ghana
    • Kenya
  • Volunteers
    • Meet the Volunteers >
      • Morocco Volunteers >
        • Group 1 Morocco
        • Group 2 Morocco
        • Group 3 Morocco
        • Group 4 Morocco
        • Group 5 Morocco
        • Group 6 Morocco
      • Malawi Volunteers >
        • Group 1 Malawi
        • Group 2 Malawi
        • Group 3 Malawi
        • Group 4 Malawi
        • Group 5 Malawi
        • Group 6 Malawi
      • Senegal Volunteers >
        • Group 1 Senegal
        • Group 2 Senegal
        • Group 3 Senegal
        • Group 4 Senegal
        • Group 5 Senegal
        • Group 6 Senegal
      • Rwanda Volunteers >
        • Group 1 Rwanda
        • Group 2 Rwanda
        • Group 3 Rwanda
    • Podcast - "My CorpsAfrica Story"
    • Featured Projects >
      • Dzaleka Basketball Court
      • Kitchen Gardens
      • Coronavirus Response
    • Featured Volunteers
    • Alumni Association
    • Apply
  • Events
    • Events >
      • PROJECTing Resilience
    • All Country Conference
  • Blog
  • Donate
    • Donate to CorpsAfrica
    • Pay It Forward Campaign
    • Holbrooke Campaign
    • Corporate Council for CorpsAfrica
    • Planned Giving
    • Amazon Smile

​Living For Passion

12/23/2021

4 Comments

 
Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Tapiwa Khutakumutu
​
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
Picture
My host parents and me, soon after arriving.
Picture
The climate change team
4 Comments
Manuel
12/24/2021 02:15:21 am

woooow... interesting and inspiring.

Reply
Tapiwa
12/24/2021 03:16:31 am

Thank you Mannuel

Reply
Joe Katsala
1/6/2022 03:48:20 am

There's a certain magic in going into places you've never been to. all The best out there

Reply
Tapiwa
1/7/2022 02:20:44 am

Thank you Joe, all the best to you too

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Support
    Welcome
    ​to the CorpsAfrica Volunteer Blog! 
    Get an inside look at the experiences of CorpsAfrica Volunteers in the field.

    Archives

    December 2022
    November 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    August 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016

    RSS Feed

Picture