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?...

Written by CorpsAfrica/Maroc Volunteer Ms. Ahlam Bentaj 

As an only child, it was difficult to leave my jammed house and head to a remote area somewhere. It was the last night in MY soft comfortable and accustomed bed, that night I felt the feeling I used to on the Eid day (religious holiday). I felt a sweet-sour cocktail of excitement fear and ambiguity, I wished the morning came before its time and it really did!

As I got myself ready for the journey, making the last check, my mom made breakfast for me. I ate it with shaking hands my honey-coloured cat was invited to eat her favourite food but she stared at me for a long time, hesitating to go to have her breakfast too, like she knew its time!!!

It's time to go my mom announced. I stepped out of my home and the journey has begun!

During my first days a fluent Arabic lady asked me, after she knew my hometown, which is 467km far from my site, "Did you really come from far away to help us?" My answer may sound harsh but expressive, "If I had the chance to serve nearby my hometown within a community I belong to I wouldn't come." Hopefully she got the intended meaning then she said "We are blessed by your arrival," immediately inviting me to her house. She’d said later on I have called them my people. The somewhere has already become my town.

I wrote these words under three blankets covering every inch of my body from the coldest weather I ever faced; I hope you're feeling their warmth.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Rwanda Volunteer Ms. Ndakwizeye Mpuhwe Honorine

Dear Readers,

I would like to share with you the happiest part of my life, which is serving the community as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer in my Country, Rwanda.

I was a fresh graduate, honestly, I wished to have a permanent job. I even found one in my chosen career, but I've been dreaming of helping people my whole life. Everything changed after seeing a volunteer application link. My passion took a hold of my heart and I applied. Fortunately, I was chosen after passing the interview. I made a hard decision, which every one of my friends doubts except my family.

We started with PST (Pre-Service Training), which was to last for one month. Because of Covid-19 we were not allowed to go outside of the training site. I thought I would feel bored but what we learned, the skills we gained (which I wouldn't find anywhere else), and the people I met (whom I call my other family now) made that time very wonderful. I miss it even now. I used to help by giving direct solutions to problems but in PST I learned how to give long-lasting solutions, which will  make sustainable impact in people's lives.

After PST we were given a few days to prepare ourselves before being deployed. During these days I was curious of one thing -- where I will go to serve. Everything happened so fast and finally I left PST site heading to my serving site (Huye District). We reached there in the evening and I found myself in a place with no electricity. That was not a big issue for me since I was fully eager to serve in such a place. I met with my new host family and new people at a new place that I now call home. Frankly speaking, I was curious about what my next day will look like. With my head on the pillow, I just started questioning my mind: How will I introduce and adapt myself into this community? What will I do tomorrow and where will I start?

Truly, I can't thank enough my host family (mother and son). They received me with open hearts and we got along well so much faster than I expected. Surprisingly, some neighbors thought we knew each other before! This may sound unbelievable, but it is real. My host family became my other family. I really found another mother and elder brother in them; they call me their daughter, too.

The first activity I participated in was an international rural women's day event. What an amazing celebration! I can't forget how my heart felt after seeing the people of that community so happy despite all their problems! We sang and danced together traditional songs and at last I introduced myself and why I came there. On the same day, we did a community project where I helped by put putting clay in a chosen home and designed a simple kitchen garden for them. I really enjoyed these activities and that's when all my questions I asked myself that night were solved and next days until now got so much easier because almost everyone knows me. I attended another community meeting, which happens every week and aims to solve people's issues. That was another chance where I got know my community's needs, problems and resources, which gave me the image of this community and made my integration period so perfect.

I haven't been here for so long, but people take me as one of their neighbors. We talk freely, they ask me to visit them, and they are very excited, and they can’t wait to learn more about CorpsAfrica's approaches. I am also looking forward to hearing their ideas and opinions, because in the few days I have spent in this community I came to realize that they are stronger than I think, and everyone has the ability to change his/her life for the better. The only thing needed is just a little push and empowerment, which is what I will do as a volunteer.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Grace Sichinga

“If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavor.”  – Eleanor Roosevelt

“Expect the unexpected.” I am sure that many of us have heard this phrase, if not used it a couple of times. My experience getting to my site two weeks ago truly gave this phrase its meaning.

I was in the first phase of deployment. Deployment day couldn't have come any quicker. That day, I woke up nervous and expected that I would be spending my first night with my host family. Prior to that day, I had already started picturing my site and forming expectations. My host family consisted of a teacher (host Mother), and my host Father is ‘a mfumu’ (chief). I later learnt that he is not a chief in the typical sense. 
 
The plan was to drop two Volunteers in Machinga and Zomba. I was going to be the last to be dropped off. Before leaving and during the trip we were trying to get in contact with our host families. However, my host family could not be reached all day, so we left Lilongwe with the hope that by the time we were in Zomba, we would have been in contact with them. 

It was around 7pm, when we had just made it to Zomba and we gave up calling my host family. I couldn’t make it to my site. I thought to myself ‘what if they have changed their minds, what did this mean for me? Would I have to go back home until they found me a new host family?’ 

Luckily, since there was another Volunteer in Zomba, I spent the night with her and her host family. Her host family was amazing. They received me with kindness, although I was not in their plans. After meeting them, I started to wonder if my family will be as welcoming.

Spending my night with her helped me to relax. The next day, my apprehension was back. Early that morning, my host family contacted us. So we started off at 06:30am and arrived there around 07:45am. I was nervous the whole way. When we arrived, I was welcomed by the host father and his sister-in-law.

I spent the day with his sister-in-law who is only a couple of years younger than myself. We bonded easily. We went to the borehole (well) to get water, then the market and we cooked. It was a great day and all my nerves were gone by the time it was midday. In the evening, it was a full house. The parents were back from work and children were back from school. The house was filled with warm welcomes and happy chatter. 

The family did not match my expectations, they surpassed them. I learnt that evening that the ‘a mfumu’ was just a title given to the host father because of how he relates and makes people feel in the community. He is actually a truck driver.

My first day in my community was nothing like I could have imagined, I even got the day wrong. This just reminded me that my service will be filled with so many unexpected events. These are the things we need to embrace, life is boring when we know what is to come. Embracing uncertainty will always leave you better off. 

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Joseph Katsala

On the evening that I was told by the CorpsAfrica/Malawi Country Director that I had been placed in Karonga to Volunteer for the next ten months, my mind ran all sorts of imaginative iterations. I was literally shaken to the core. I had never really been in Northern Malawi (apart from my one-day trip to Mzuzu to my sister’s school), and the stories I had heard about that part of the country weren’t encouraging either. 

Days turned into weeks and before I knew it, I was in a Toyota Hilux with two other Volunteers, our luggage in the back, moving to the North. In the travel frenzy, we at times forgot we were relocating from the cities we knew to rural communities to start new lives. It’s surprising how you can want to do something and not want to do it at the same time.

Just as we started passing through Chikangawa, our car broke down and we had to wait for some two hours for help. During this time, and the next few hours being towed to Mzuzu, I had more than enough time to contemplate the fates that awaited the three of us in our respective sites across Rumphi, Karonga and Chitipa. After spending a night in Mzuzu, we arrived in Rumphi to drop off one of my fellow Volunteers in the village that was soon to be her home. As we bade farewell, I could see the anxiety on her face as she was being left, probably hundreds of kilometers away from her closest relatives to live with people of a different culture and language. Passing the grass thatched houses, maize fields, and curious eyes, as we sped on, the dusty road gave me a perspective of what probably awaited me in Karonga. 

Upon entering Karonga, the heat was apparent, the smell of fish unavoidable; reality of what was about to happen was slowly creeping upon me. My anxieties made me wish for a magical fast-forward button that would take me to the end of my service just at a single press.

Before three o’clock in the afternoon, we reached my site and we were warmly welcomed by my host family, the development officer, and the chief. Even though I could not understand every Tumbuka (local community language) word and phrase they said, I did manage to catch a few including; happy, welcome, feel-free, and home. It felt as though they were happy to see me. As I muttered to myself, ‘This will probably not be as bad as I thought,’ I remembered the quote; “We suffer more in our imagination than in reality.” Nevertheless, let me not get ahead of myself, it has just been a few weeks into my ten month stay.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Chiukepo Mwenechanya

It is exactly 14 months since I was deployed to catalyze community-led developments in a local community of Thoza, south of Mzimba District, yet I can’t even remember how I came across CorpsAfrica. It sounds crazy, but my memories can only go as far as the most intensive 30-day training, termed Pre-Service Training or just PST, among the CorpsAfrica family. I think my memories are still fresh not just because of the intensity of the training, rather the setting of lodging. All trainees were living in a host community, assigned a host family in what Emas Potolani (my favourite trainer) would just call “a Prototype” of the rural villages where we were stationed. We were living and eating the same food with our hosts. It sounds absurd right? I thought so too. Raised in the city, I remember one day, while I was in my tiny room on a 4-inch, single mattress without a bed for the first time in my life, asking myself, “What am I doing here?” I quickly defended myself, “How am I going to help these people if I don’t know what they are going through or feeling?” Well, living with a host family created some unforgettable memories and added a family in my life apart from preparing me in terms of living in a rural community during my actual service.

My deployment to live in Thoza marked the peak of my service with CorpsAfrica. With training materials fresh in my head, I was confident to apply everything we learnt during training and catalyze developments in my community. I cannot deny it, at first, I was filled with fears and worries on what to expect. New place, new people, and what if they reject me or what if I don’t get along with them? These were some of a million questions that almost stopped my heartbeat for a moment. If only I knew how humble and warm-hearted my community is, I couldn’t have troubled myself with such worries. I integrated quickly due to cultural similarities to mine and through volunteering at a nearby primary school. Thanks to my selfless and loving host family and counterpart, my stay in Thoza was lovely.

I quickly got along with my community and started conducting community meetings with various groups such as chiefs, the Village Development Committee, youth clubs, women's groups. The meetings helped us understand community priority needs and how we can address them together. Just when we thought things were going on well, Covid-19 broke out. Everything went into a stand-still. The risk of getting the virus was very high. Yes, in a community with a black hole of health-related information and misconceptions, I was worried about catching the virus. People did not believe that Covid-19 is real. Yet I managed to share Covid-19 information and clear myths through Covid-19 awareness campaigns. Thank you, Mastercard Foundation for the $1000 grant, which we used to conduct a Covid-19 response community project.

Despite the Covid-19 outbreak, together with my community, we managed to implement a “Youth Skills Development Project though Carpentry and Joinery,” with technical and financial support from CorpsAfrica. The project built an alternative form of livelihood for the youth who did not have a meaningful form of livelihood in the area, thereby improving their well-being and relevance to the community. We also implemented a community-led “Thoza Women's Economic Resilience Enhancement Project” with financial assistance from Friends of Malawi. The project empowered the most vulnerable and marginalized women in the area socially and economically through a bakery business. In Thoza area, almost all productive assets are owned and controlled by men, who unfortunately have migrated to South Africa for manual labour and left the women behind to take care of the families, leaving most women vulnerable to poverty. In the end, the project created a business opportunity for these women to improve their socio-economic status in the community.

The growth I have immersed personally and professionally through my service with CorpsAfrica is so enormous and I am so proud of myself for taking this journey. As Emas Potolani once said, “Small is big,” I do believe that I have done my part though I wish I had more time with my community. Saying good-bye to my community has been the hardest part of my service.

Above all, thank you CorpsAfrica/Malawi Cohort 4 Volunteers for the support and CorpsAfrica/Malawi staff for the tireless efforts to make sure that my service is a success. Lastly, a big thank you to Revlis Foundation for the financial support. Without your financial commitment, my service with CorpsAfrica/Malawi would not have been possible.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Dorothy Mapira

I could write a million words but they will all tell the same story of how grateful I am for the opportunity to serve as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer. Time has always been a great teller of all the things done. It's crazy how the world has viewed women as being weak, passive and so on. However, this stereotyped kind of thinking has been proven wrong as I have seen women demonstrating that they have the capacity to bring change. That women are like everyone else and if given a chance to perform, they can do wonders.

I am writing as a young lady who has been inspired and greatly impacted by the efforts of fellow women in changing the plight of our rural communities. They nurtured their dreams so well that it became a reality. For so long, people have despised the spirit of volunteerism, but it is through this that I, together with my fellow volunteers, have managed to reach out to the most desolate communities of our country. It has been a dream come true for me as it has revived a leader in me.

To be a part of CorpsAfrica’s dream is not only a great opportunity for me but also a turning point in my life. Many times, I had dreamt of becoming a change maker in my country but I did not have the capacity to do so. Through CorpsAfrica, I found a platform where my dream has become a reality. I have had the chance to acquire skills and use them during my service. Truth be told, these skills were not just essential to me during my service, but it's a gift that I will carry with me wherever I go and no one will take it away from me.

My service has been so impactful, my time in the community was not only about facilitating the implementation of projects but also creating friendships and partnerships. I have shared smiles with people, and believe you me, these smiles would not have been shared if the needs of my community were not addressed.

During the time in my community, I have been able to implement projects that have addressed some of the basic needs of my community. It has not been an easy journey but it was worth it. I will live to remember the work done and the impacts made. The photos shared serve as evidence of the change made in my community.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Mieke Mmeya

"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think."  -- A.A Milne 

Dear Reader,

After 14 amazing months, I have to say goodbye to you and my community. This journey is easily one of the most important experiences of my life because (to quote Julius Caesar) I came, I saw, I conquered. Though perhaps my achievements during this time are not as great as conquering a kingdom but through this service I was able to break the boundaries of what I first viewed as my limitations.

Looking back at the past year, the apprehensions of successfully integrating into the community and facilitating projects seems so funny. Do not get me wrong. The journey was not easy and the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic did not make things any easier, but I find that it was the challenges that made the whole experience worthwhile. 

To my host family, thank you for accepting me as one of your own. From the moment I arrived in your home you treated me as a daughter returned from her adventures in the world, never as a stranger taking advantage of your goodwill. You encouraged me to be myself and pushed me whenever I felt like giving up. To my family and friends, both old and new, your physical and emotional support has gone a long way in ensuring the success of my service. To my community, I hope I managed to live up to a fraction of your expectations from me. To the CorpsAfrica staff, thank you for trusting me to take up this mantle. To my fellow CorpsAfrica Volunteers, we did it you guys!  

And finally, to you dear Reader, thank you for granting me the audience throughout this time. Please remember the words of A.A Milne quoted above. Go out there and be the best that you can be. The world is waiting.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Chifundo Chibaka

I have stayed in my site for over 66 weeks now and a lot has happened. I came as a complete stranger and now as I prepare to leave, I feel like I am leaving home and people I have known all my life. I was fascinated by CorpsAfrica's approach of placing development facilitators right in the community and I believed this to be the best way to kickstart my career in the development sector.

After arriving in my site, I spent the first few days pondering how I could connect with the locals, build trust and a working relationship with them. I immediately decided to attach myself to the local football team and youth club. I developed an interest to work with the youth right at the start of my service. Looking back to this, I feel it was a best way of making my presence known and putting my foot on the ground. I worked on two projects with the youth and their commitment was beyond comprehension. 

As part of my integration process, I took a teaching job at the local secondary school. I clicked instantly with my students because of my interest to build friendships with them as peers. During classes, I opted to be called by my first name and not “teacher” or “sir,” something that helped to make our interactions relaxed and welcoming. One thing I was saddened by was the dropping out of girls from school to get married for various reasons. 

Once I was settled, I began looking for organised groups such as village savings and loans associations (VSLAs), mother's groups, farmer clubs and youth clubs to work with during my service. I believe it was much easier to work with an already existing group to pursue an intervention of their choosing. My plans to work with VSLAs failed to materialise due to the unrealistic expectation that members had but later changed after noting progress made with the groups I worked with. I also failed to work with another group I was interested in because of uncooperative and unwillingness to be engaged. Later on I learnt that our working relationship failed to take off because of my short stature, I was looked down on because of it.

I can confidently say my service was a success and everything I set out to do with the people in my community was achieved. I am grateful to be part of the development story of my community and for the lifetime friendships I have made.

I was privileged to work with a great team of fellow CorpsAfrica Volunteers who supported me left, right and center, and a great support system of CorpsAfrica staff whose support and constructive criticism made all interventions come into fruition.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Angella Chizimba 

Dear Reader, 

I believe serving comes in different forms, shapes and sizes and is triggered by a lot of things. For me, it was improving people's livelihoods and empowering the local communities. Some of us give our time, some of us our hearts, and some of us give in-kind. Some people learn to give and some learn to feel. Some provide leftovers, some provide what they have and others provide what they do not have. Yet, it's not the amount of services one gives, nor the depth of love that one shows that counts, but rather it is the act itself that matters. The true act of service is humble and devoid of pride. These were some of my reflections during our Close of Service.

At first, I didn't really understand the whole essence of extending my Volunteer service. But, the more you serve your community, the more you want to do for it.  I realized that the more I served the more I understood the needs of the community. Believe me when I say, serving is not only admirable but it is addictive too. What was stuck in my mind and heart was the priceless friendships that I had built with the community members. Fast forward, I finally went to my community, again. So funny I didn't really know where to start. I spent most of my time visiting people, checking up on some and visiting the lake. We were supposed to monitor and evaluate the projects we implemented and I never thought that this could be the only exercise I could do. 

I later realized how the projects in the community needed a very serious monitoring and evaluation. One of my projects was at the verge of falling apart, not due to the recklessness of the project beneficiaries, but due to other social factors beyond their control. When I told the project team that I will be with them for some time, they were very happy. Setting out workable solutions, required me to apply Human-Centered Design and Asset-Based Community Development tools. I have learnt that sometimes we tend to overlook small problems. They look so small, but they have a great potential of causing project failure and can easily destroy what people worked so hard to build over time. So let me please use this opportunity to share with you that no problem is small, every part of it will have an impact on your project regardless of how small it is.

Today, I stand here, to thank CorpsAfrica for the opportunity to extend my service. Achieving project sustainability is not easy, people have to be properly trained, ensuring they fully own the project, ensuring they know the best approaches to use to deal with challenges and most importantly making sure they take seriously the aspects of group dynamics. I am happy today because I am confident that my community and project implementing teams are well equipped to ensure that the projects are sustainable and I am delighted to have served well.

I now look at my host community in a totally different light, and I constantly  encourage them to be the best they can be. I feel a great sense of excitement to see the groups I have worked with accomplish significant  growth and independence,  which they never thought they would.

If we are able to harness opportunities life presents us, we can all learn to serve our communities in any kind of way. It might not be as I did, but a little support to local groups could be another way to serve.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Maroc Volunteer Mr. Redwane Hamma

It was 15th December, 2019, I woke early. It was still dark because my country uses summer time. I got dressed quickly then I did my religious obligation. After that, I drank a cup of hot coffee as I always do, and called a taxi to take me to the bus station. After a few minutes, the taxi arrived. I greeted my parents by kissing their heads and got in the taxi. As soon as I arrived at the bus station I got a ticket. Then I put my suitcase in the bottom of the bus and took my seat. The driver comes and rings to passengers to take their seats and the 8 o’clock trip began. My destination is Marrakech but I got down in Inzgen because me and Ali (who is my mate in service) decided to meet there in order to take another bus to Marrakech together. It was a very long trip but fortunately we broke the boredom by talking and we still felt the long trip. We were very tired because it took more than we expected. Finally we arrived to our destination about 8 pm. Without any hesitation we took a taxi to Jamaa El Fena and looked for an appropriate hotel to rest. A few moments later, we went out to take dinner and to withdraw some money, then came back to our room in the hotel that we booked.

The followed morning was 16th December, 2019. We woke up early I took a quick shower then directly we arranged our suitcases then we went out to meet our mate Samba who is an Exchange Volunteer from Senegal. After approximately half an hour our coordinator sent us the location of the place where we met so we joined him right away. It took about five minutes to be there. We found he already booked three seats so we just arranged to put our luggage in the trunk of the taxi, but it was not enough so we just put the rest next to our seats. We didn’t have to wait for the other seats to be full because there were two people already waiting, so the driver started the engine and went to Setti Fadma, which surprised me and we discovered the transportation to our sites. At this time, we didn’t know yet how our sites would look!

We waited more than we expected and no transportation yet. We took breakfast and lunch and we waited more than two hours. Finally the transportation came on our lucky windy day. We did not have a choice to look for better transportation thus we did not refuse to go in. We put our luggage in the back and we got in on the back above some boxes and bottle gases. We spent about two hours to reach Agrd Norton, where Ali is serving. It is the same site where we collected data during pre service training. We decided to go to Samba’s site first. 
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The first house we entered in the village was not our host family, we just enter because the driver who took us knows the owner so he helped us to find a house. The driver and another man went out while we are still setting in this home without knowing our next destination. After a while the driver and the other man came back informing us to go out with them to our host family and where we will stay during our service. It was going to be dark and was also windy and it seems it would snow. We talked for a little bit with our host father, because both of us were tired, we went quickly to sleep. I felt as if I did not sleep enough even I slept all night. I was the first one who woke up then I found the whole village white. I called my friend Samba who said it is his first time to see the snow.