Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Margaret Magombo

I vividly remember how nervous and anxious I was when I arrived in my community for the first time. I had no idea of what my life and work was going to be like in this new environment. No friends, but flawless smiles on people's faces; faces which were to be turned into colleagues and companions. The smiles convinced me beyond reasonable doubt that I had to come out of my comfort zone to embrace the noble challenge that was before me; to serve and sacrifice for my community, a community I barely knew.

It was not long after my arrival that I was invited by Nsondole CDSS to teach. I was excited at the same time nervous by the offer. Working with the youth energized my spirit. The school environment made me realize how much impact I desired to bring to my community. I was so thrilled when I met the Area Development and Village Development Committees. Their contact, helped me to be well known in the area. Before I realized how the community prized my presence, groups and organizations found in the area were at my doorstep. I was awakened to the challenge of their expectations; a battle which has characterize my stay in Zomba-Nsondole.

My visits to meetings of different groups and organizations in the area were greeted with unspoken enthusiasm and vigor. It has been a tough and a seemingly lost battle to conquer the attitude of the members in my community. Whenever I am around them, I am seen as the one with keys to lock away their miseries forever. They view me as someone who has solutions and the resources to turn around their lives. My explanations about who really I am and my role in their community most often seems to fall on deaf ears. It has taken energy to make my community members see and understand that they are the ones pregnant with the ability to change their lives - it’s them alone.

When time came for me to write a proposal to implement some projects in my area, I became more nervous. I was engulfed with fear when we were discussing possible projects. It was very difficult to make some of the community members understand that not all funding proposals meet favorable consideration. The waiting for a response almost made me conceal myself in my room running away from questions from community members. Making a resolve to continue meeting groups and organizations in the area while waiting for a response from funding agencies.

CorpsAfrica, World Connect, Friends of Malawi, and Mastercard Foundation were beyond the courage I have known in my life. Since my arrival I have made it my sole purpose to live in service for my community. Presently am cherishing the idea of living one’s life in service to others. The funding of my proposals has affirmed my desire to impact my community. I am more than convinced now that even if my project proposals were not to meet the favorable response I was to continue being there for my community, stirring their imaginations, efforts and drives to do anything within their capacity to turn around for the better their lives. My time is never precious if I am not living for the benefit of my community. 

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Bertha Mukhuna
 
Eight months deep into 2020 and a lot of people are of the view that it is so far one of the worst years in history and almost everyone cannot wait for the 31st December to finally exit the year. Granted there have been really devastating events in the year, Australia fires, Beirut explosion, new strain of ebola and the paramount, of which is the Covid-19 global  pandemic. 

It looks like this year will justifiably be remembered for all the bad things that happened. But as Kevin Ansbro once said, "Focus on an ocean of positives, not a puddle of negatives." Here are therefore, some ways in which this pandemic era has changed our way of living for good:

1. It has helped in building and rebuilding relationships
Life sure gets busy and somewhere in between busy schedules and trying to make ends meet, we miss out on quality time with our family and friends. Limitations in movement and social distancing have reminded us of how much our loved ones mean to us. We have stayed connected both virtually and physically to check on each other to see if we are doing okay. Even globally there has been enhanced interaction.

2. Lifestyle changes to practice better hygiene
Times have changed. Sanitizing, covering mouths when coughing and washing hands regularly have now become the new normal. People are more aware of how important it is to practice good hygiene, which in turn combats a lot of other diseases such as tuberculosis, common cold and flu .I am sure that if this is practiced long enough it will turn into a habit and just like that, we will all adopt a new life style change for good.

3. Strength in our communities
There have been thousands of volunteers all over the world who have helped in fighting against Covid-19 in various communities through sharing information, providing services and food stuff, among other things. I am so glad to be one of the volunteers to take part in this fight.

Stay physically distant but socially connected. Until next time, be safe!

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Mieke Mmeya

"Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." -- Soren Kierkegaard

Dear Reader, 

Lately I have been thinking about my journey as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer and how it has impacted my life. Volunteering in community development work has its own great moments that make every moment you spend with the community worth it. However, it also has its low moments, which can overwhelm you and make you doubt yourself. It is therefore very important to often take a pause and reflect on yourself and your community. This does not serve only as a source of motivation by reminding you why you decided to become a Volunteer, but it also allows you to appreciate the work you are doing and make improvements where necessary. Thus, it helps you to continuously grow both personally and professionally. 

I was especially thinking about when I first began this journey. About how motivated and excited I was to use all the amazing ideas that I learned during my training to facilitate change in my community. About the moments when I doubted if I could really inspire my community members to take it upon themselves to bring about development. My predecessors did some amazing work and left a legacy that scared me to live up to. And, of course, I was confronted with the reality of being in the community and putting the ideas I had learned during my pre-service training into practice. To put it simply; I was frightened. But I then decided to just do the best that I can and here I am now.

A couple of things have helped me reach this far:

• First, the people in my community. Contrary to my initial assumption, I did not have a hard time trying to get people to work with me using the CorpsAfrica approach to community development (Human-Centered Design). I will confess that my work was made easier by my predecessors who introduced the approach to the community and thus people already had an idea of what I was doing. Furthermore, the people continuously motivated me with their hard work and dedication to making things better for themselves, and with the energy that they invest in the activities I do with them. They have made me realize that communities are ready and willing to do things for themselves, they just lack the opportunity and proper support.
  
  
• Second, my CorpsAfrica family. The CorpsAfrica staff have been very supportive of both my personal and professional well-being. They have exposed me to a whole new world where I can challenge myself while holding my hand through it all. I cannot even begin to explain the kind of help my fellow Volunteers have been to me. There is no other group of people that I would rather share this journey with and I look forward to sharing our amazing experiences as we continue our service.
  
  
• Thirdly, my family and friends. Their belief in my abilities even when I doubt myself pushes me to work hard at realising my potential. The emotional support they provide me nourishes my mental stability, which in turn allows me to cope with any challenges that I face when doing my work in my community. 

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Chifundo Chibaka 

Having spent a great deal of life in the city, I always thought most of the information I easily had access to, a person from a rural area would find a way to get the very same information, but boy was I wrong.

After COVID-19 was declared a global threat almost all social-economic as well as entertainment activities were put on hold. This was to contain the spread of the virus by minimizing social gatherings. As a football (soccer) fan, I was saddened by the suspension of major football leagues across the world and it was a relief when football-governing bodies announced the lift on the suspension. I was excited to see my team, Liverpool, back in action and winning the English Premier League (EPL). I recall having a conversation with a friend and the conversation went like this.

Me: I am so excited the games are back. I cannot wait to see Sadio Mane and Mo Salah back in action
Kamphongo: Who is Sadio Mane and Mo Salah?

I was surprised because this friend is a local football player and I expected him to at least know or have heard about these players.

Me: You are kidding right? Are you telling me that you do not know about these African football players?

He shook his head, indicating that he never heard of them.

Me: Which African football player do you know who plays in the EPL? 
Kamphongo: Didier Drogba

My jaw dropped in total disbelief. This was a player whose last feature in the EPL was 2015 and has retired long since. He further told me that the last World Cup he heard of was the one that took place in South Africa in 2010.

Then it hit me, what other information do these people miss? How about in these COVID-19 times, what do they know about the virus? Are they aware of the prevention measures? I was indeed on the other side of the world.

Written By CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Margaret Magombo 

The emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic into Malawi has unsettled the already troubled life of the citizens of the landlocked nation. Malawi is predominantly made up of citizens whose daily sustenance is hand to mouth. The vulnerable of its society have had their worries doubled with the pandemic. Girls from rural vicinity, specifically from Nsondole community, have had a great share of challenges during this period of the global crisis. 

Intensified by culture, girls from the area are often pressured into marriage institutions with different forms of coercion. Many tend to find solace and shield from early marriages at school. Presently, with the closure of schools, girls in the area are more than vulnerable. The story of Mercy (not her real name) a form four girl at Nsondole CDSS is a good example of the struggle girls are facing in the area. Mercy has been forced to get married after discovering that she is pregnant. Apparently, her single mother who relies on farming cannot provide for her and her yet to be born baby. Meeting Mercy, her frustrations, hopelessness and helplessness are very evident. She hardly wants to meet her teachers and her friends from Nsondole CDSS out of shame. I made an extra effort to meet and have a chat with her. Through our little chat, Mercy was at pains from the beginning to the end as her reality is too bitter to be swallowed by herself. However, I encouraged her not to lose hope as she can still go back to school after delivery to realise her dreams of becoming a nurse.

Silence of different organizations that spearhead girls education in rural communities during this time of the pandemic is too loud. One can only ascertain that perhaps this should have been the time different stakeholders claiming to have a softer spot for girls education and that of the marginalized child should have been vocal. With the dates for the re-opening of schools unknown, the uncertainty that vulnerable ambitious girl faces is just too unbearable. The temptation of succumbing to pressure from marriage suitors seems to be under sieging many of the girls. 

The introduced online platform supported by the government of Malawi is indeed a commendable effort, however it is a fact that cannot be disputed that only few learners from rural areas can have access to the same. Most guardians of the learners from these rural schools can hardly afford mobile gargets with features to access online reading materials, let alone afford the same to their children. Broadcast of lessons through radios as an initiative cannot go without being mentioned, but the household chores that burden girls alienates the girl child from benefiting the way she should have. 

The school environment experience is an advantage that is more than needed to the girl. The self-esteem, confidence and determination that comes through different forms of interactions positions learning within the walls of the school a bonus.

The CorpsAfrica Volunteer being aware of the struggle the girl child faces during this troubling time has been trying to be conducting guidance and counselling sessions with some girl learners from Nsondole Community Secondary School to equip them with skills to survive pressures in this time. Additionally, preoccupying the girl learners in the area with the opening of kitchen gardens has been another effort taken by the volunteer to rescue girls from taking the wrong path. In the face of all the girl learner is facing, it should be the responsibility of everyone in different capacities to give the girl child a hand. It is us who shall be held responsible by the end of it all if we fail to do the needful.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Eliza Chanika

There she goes, A woman of  purpose
Early as a bird, she rises to till the ground
Her fields smile with different crops she grows
Soybeans, maize, rice, cabbages, sweet potatoes, tomatoes sometimes
She produces enough to feed, and even more to spare
Her family swims in the lake of nutritious food
The smooth, shiny, eye catching bodies of her family agrees
Like a fish in water, her family takes pride in her
A woman of purpose
 
There she goes, a woman of vision
A lioness she is an eagle, she aims
Like a spider, she enlarges her income sources
She sold her ears to knowledge and gave her eyes to entrepreneurship
farm production, clothes, shoes and cosmetics selling she schedules
A little sleep, a little slumber so will poverty sit with her she knows
She invests her money in Village savings and loan
She built her house, she motivates her children and sends them to school
Wise like an ant she is,
a woman of vision
 
Her heart is golden
Like a dove, she is gentle
She relates, she understands and she gives hope
She lends her arms to the needy
Her beautiful scent hovers in the community
She is a woman, she has a name
blessed is her family and community
Meet Mrs Madeya!

The " Golden woman " is a poem written out of observation of a hard-working woman in the community, Mrs. Madeya. I met this woman at the local women's group and what she does caught my attention and inspired this poem. Mrs. Madeya is a woman distinct from her peers in the community. Her family never lacks, she is involved in farming different types of crops and businesses. She is also in several women groups where they sharpen women's lives by sharing different tips on entrepreneurship, home and food management, health and hygiene among others. She also indulges in village savings bank where she invests her money for future use. This poem illustrates her life style and hardworking spirit in summary.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Mieke Mmeya

Dear Reader,

Some time ago I received a visit from Grace and Mercy (not their real names), two of my friends from my community. Grace is a cousin to my host sisters and was the one who introduced me to all the interesting spots in the community, while I got know Mercy through Grace. Grace is in Standard 8 (Grade 8) while Mercy is in Form 3 (Grade 9). I like hanging out with Grace because she always has funny yet insightful stories that are helpful whenever I am feeling stressed. However, on this particular visit, she was beside her usual cheerful self and I assumed it was because she felt awkward since this was her first time visiting my house.

The three of us engaged in polite conversation to cover up the awkwardness we were now all feeling due to the silence. However, things got interesting when I asked the girls how they were coping with their schoolwork, to which Grace gravely replied: "Sindikufuna kumamvaso chilichonse chokhuzana ndi za sukulu panopa" (I do not want to hear anything concerning school right now). Mercy and I laughed a little at this but something in Grace's face and tone told me that she was serious. When I asked her why she said: "Mmene zililimu nthawi ikupita ndipo munthune ndikukula. Akatsegula ma sukulu sindikalemba nawo mayeso" (As it is now time is passing and I am growing older. When they open schools, I will not sit for the primary school-leaving certificate examinations (PSLCE)).

Her answer threw me off completely but I understood where her frustrations were coming from because she is repeating Standard 8 and she worked very hard this year so that she could proceed to Form 1. The reason her answer threw me off was that I realized that she had taken a life-altering decision and it was my responsibility to convince her not to go through with it. 

Instead of going through the motions and talking about the importance of education, the three of us talked about the stress the girls were going through due to the indefinite closure of schools and Grace opened up to tell us about how insecure she feels whenever she sees classmates from her previous school year (she had to enroll at a school in the  next community because she could not bear to watch them attend secondary school while she was still in primary school).

In the course of the conversation, I asked Grace what she planned on doing after dropping out of school and she laughed nervously. She had clearly not considered the implications of her decision.

One of the reasons she hates the closure of schools is that she is now required to help out at the farm all day long. It finally hit her that dropping out of school means that this will most likely become her routine for the rest of her life since she will greatly lower her prospects to pursue other careers. By the end of the conversation, Grace was back to her usual self and she reiterated the plans she had for her PSLCE holiday.

​As I was escorting the girls home, she was happily talking about how her parents will sell their cows to send her to the university and expressed hope that at this time I would have gotten a job that would allow me to also support her throughout university. This statement makes me very happy because it shows that not only will Grace sit for the PSLCE, but her dream has gotten bigger and she is excited to undertake the journey to make it come true.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Angella Chizimba

Last month we had an opportunity to explore the beautiful beach of Nkhudzi based in Mangochi for our In-Service Training (IST) for a few days. Well, such a wonderful experience to finally meet up with everyone, get to share experiences, and check how everyone is doing.

Some of the objectives for the training included: Sharing experiences of home stay and project ideas explored by the Volunteers, monitoring and evaluation training, Human-Centered Design refresher, proposal writing and project management training.

Honestly, my own objectives included: reconnecting with my fellow Volunteers and enjoying some luxury life (i.e. good food, some swimming time, and no more fish in my plate).

I left IST feeling very motivated and ready to serve even more. I finally appreciated how much my life is changing and how much my skills are improving. Before CorpsAfrica, I had poor listening skills. Working with my host community, I have to listen to understand how they feel about things. I am very curious to even ask about the most obvious things. I remember one time, I was asking why a lot of people opt for fishing or selling fish as an income generating activity. Though it seems so obvious taking into consideration that we live along the lake, I had to shut up and listen. I was never good at speaking in a big crowd, thanks to my service, through facilitating meetings, hosting meetings, my confidence level has improved and I can gladly stand in front of people with no nerves, whatsoever.

I got to appreciate all the work the Volunteers are doing in different sites. We were all given a chance to leave our sites due to Covid-19 pandemic, but none of us called it quits. This is extremely impressive. All of us are still on site striving to serve our local communities. We have built resilience in times of need. We shared experiences, the good and the bad, we all understood each other, we were empathetic and we wanted to help were we could. By the end of IST we all were closer than before, we created a strong bond that after service, most of us will remain friends.

We are now well trained in project design, management, monitoring and evaluation, and this was my favourite part of the training. Now we are back into our communities working on our project ideas and working for our grant applications. Everything we decide to do lies in our hands, there is no boss to look over our shoulders and making sure we are on task. Though this sounds great, it is a huge responsibility. We are working with minimal resources; we are not giving handouts but rather we have to build capacities in the community members. I can confidently say that our lives will never be the same after our service, we will come out even better that we are now. This is a life changing experience.
​
Here are some IST highlights in pictures:

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Chifundo Chibaka 

In my upbringing, my parents strived not to dictate gender roles when it came to household chores. It didn't matter if my female siblings were around, I would still do the dishes, cook and clean the house. As a result I have grown up to enjoy doing these chores myself. I do all these chores perceived to be for women and girls only, and because of this, men and my peers in my community have jokingly referred to me as anyaChibaka (anya=Miss and Chibaka=my surname). I always go to the borehole to draw water, clean the house and cook all by myself. Several times people have tried to convince me to find female house help to do these things for me.

I recall one particular day while doing the dishes, a 16-year-old boy came up to me and we started talking:

Him: banalume bakusuka yai mbale, he declared (men do not do the dishes)
Me: Who told you that? I asked him.
Him: banthu (people)
Me: So banalume ntchito yabo nivichi? (So what do men do?)
Him: bakuluta kumunda, kupenja ndalama olo kukhala waka nthe (they go to the farm, look for money or they stay idle)
Me: Amama bako bakulutanga yai kumunda? (Doesn't your mum go to the farm?)
Him: She does
Me: Kasi amama bako bakugulisya mphangwe? (I thought your mum also sell vegetables)
Him: Enya, na tomatoso (yes, and tomatoes too)
Me: Aren’t you contradicting yourself?
Him: Mbwee nkhani imale (let us just end this issue) he said while laughing.

I went further to explain that men and women can perform similar tasks as long as there aren't any biological limitations:
Him: I can do anything a women can do, and I can do even better, he challenged.
Me: Can you breastfeed?
​
He laughed and left. I hope he got it.

Written by CorpsAfrica/ Malawi Volunteer Ms. Margaret Chavula
 
Before being sworn in as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer, together with my fellow trainees, we went through a 1-month training formally known as Pre-Service Training (PST) where we were equipped with knowledge and skills on how we can work together with people in rural communities to develop their communities and ensure sustainability. We were told we were going to be catalysts of change in our communities. For me, a month of PST only meant preparing me to serve the community I was going to be sent to because the skills and knowledge were for community development. It's now been almost 4 months since I started this journey as a volunteer in my community, as much as I am living to make a difference in my community and catalyze development, I can confidently say that so far life as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer has been of a great service to me as an individual.

As part of our service, we are required to send in weekly reports to our coordinators and weekly fill-in forms for evaluation. This has been a life changing experience because I have learnt to be accountable and transparent in my endeavors as I engage with the community. Engaging with people in the community both during meetings and individual conversations has changed how I viewed and imagined life in the rural communities; I have become more empathetic by getting out of my own experiences and seeing the community through other people's lens. Now I know people in the rural communities have assets such as skills, ideas and the ability to enhance their livelihoods, they only lack support. Sending in weekly reports and engaging in community meetings has influenced me to learn and embrace time management because as a volunteer no one tells you what to do and at what time, but work has to be done or submitted in time. Engaging with the community through community meetings has greatly improved my facilitation skills and boosted my confidence levels.
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I have also come to realize that the knowledge and skills on community development I learnt during PST can also be applied to one's life and develop and benefit the individual. My favourite approach to development is Asset-Based Community Development, which "catalyzes change and development using the existing gifts and capacities of people and their communities." Applying the ABCD approach in my life is helping me to discover, nurture and develop the assets that already exist within and around me to attain personal and professional development. As a volunteer, I have also realized that learning is a continuous process, by learning through my experiences and readjusting to get better results. I am confident that by the end of my service as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer, there will be more professional and personal development in me.

Written  by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Eliza Chanika
 
Am a kind of my generation
Many call me young lady, some prefer girl
But I have a name
Am a sister to some one
A daughter to someone 
An aunt to few children
A nephew to my mother's brother 
And a potential wife to someone so they say
 
Am I safe, are my kind safe ?
I pause deep in my thoughts
At night, I have scary dreams  a man Chases me in my dreams
And I cry my eyes out sometimes 
Again and again I ask my self questions
"Will I make it back to school after this corona virus pandemic or will I be sold like my sister in 
chinua achebe's novel "looking for a rain god?"
Questions without answers 
Thoughts without ending
Am I safe? 

I saw a car outside  our house yesterday
I heard voices, yes Voices! Three deep voices having a conversation backing up were two sweet 
voices,
Entering into the house, slowly parting the ragged curtain that separates the sitting room 
from our room, there I saw my mother, father and two strangers
"Tawina come meet your husband to be" 
Mother said as she saw me through the wholes of the curtain
Tears all over me I ran, ran, ran as fast as my legs would carry me
What do I do? where should I go?
A cry of a broken girl 
Is she safe?
 
I feel empty inside
I see myself inside a little  bottle 
Will my voice matter?
Will my decision be respected?
Will it not be seen as disobedience? 
Will I not be scorned for denying fathers words?
But I don't want to be married off
Am not yet done with school
A cry of an average girl 
Is she safe, are her kind safe?
 
Am I safe, is my kind safe
A thought of million thoughts 
Cry of thousands of girls
An emotional torture to hundreds of girls
I worry many of us will not make it back to school
I fear many will be pregnant and married off
I cry for my kind
Are we safe, are they safe?
 
Many women tell me l am of age
Many say school will not benefit me
My uncle says he needs goats and cattles 
"You need to find yourself a man that can provide for you and your siblings, we are tired of 
feeding you"
Often i hear this phrase
What should i do?
Am just a fifteen  years old orphan with six siblings to look after
who will i run to, Should i listen, should i get married?
A cry of a broken orphan,
Is she safe, are others safe
 
I am an intelligent girl
I dream of becoming a pilot, a doctor, an accountant perhaps an engineer some day
So stop forcing me into relationships and early marriages
I want to save lives, design tallest buildings, invent new technologies 
So support me during this pandemic 
Protect me, cover me, look after me
I want to feel safe again.
A plea of a girl child.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mieke Mmeya

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." 
                                                                                                        -- The Once-lor, Dr Seuss' The Lorax 

Dear Reader,  

Before I started my service, I never really understood why it was necessary for an organisation to put individuals through the tedious process of applying, interviews and then going through an intensive training just so they can become volunteers, after all I was dedicating my time and skills to work for free. Part of the pre-service training required trainee Volunteers to commute from a rural host community to a formal training venue for the duration of the training. I assumed that this was also unnecessary because I have lived my whole life in Malawi and I have spent holidays at my village as such, I did not need to be trained on how to live in a rural community. I am not too proud to admit that I was wrong.

Volunteering is indeed about caring enough to offer your time and skills to help others. However, that is only the first step. CorpsAfrica has taught me that not all help is necessary. There have been countless cases where individuals or organizations successfully implement projects whose impact diminish once the implementer leaves the project site. Studies have shown that this failure is largely influenced by communities not taking ownership of the projects mainly because they are alienated from the project planning and design. In the end, the projects are not tailor-made solutions for the communities. 

CorpsAfrica understands that no two communities are the same and that it is only the community that can tell you what it needs. This is why all CorpsAfrica Volunteers are required to first and foremost integrate with their communities to discover which projects the community wants and the kind of assets that the community has in order to fulfil a particular project. The Volunteer acts as a facilitator and a bridge between the community and CorpsAfrica and other organizations that are willing to help, while the community takes an active role in project planning, implementation and evaluation. This approach not only allows the community to take ownership of the project hence ensuring sustainability, but also builds the capacity of the community to initiate community development projects without outside help. 

So, my dear reader, whether you are planning to help an individual or a community, make sure you take your time to listen and familiarise yourself with them because most of the times people already know how they would like to be helped. All you need to do is to support them.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Dorothy Mapira

It was a sunny day, I could hardly sit in my house because it was hot. In search of fresh air, I took a seat under a big mango tree in front of my house. I do not usually sit under the mango tree because it is close to a cow, pig and goat kraal. You can imagine the mixed smell coming from these animals dung. However, I had no option this time, I neglected the smell. All I wanted was just a breather. I had recently finished a malaria dosage and my body was still weak. Work was on standby, I could no longer push myself to work. I took my small chair, commonly known as chibwatiko in my community's local language. I leaned to the mango tree as I watched the kids play soccer. 

Then suddenly, my mind got me thinking of how life would have been without friends. Not just friends by name but those who stand with you even in the toughest times. I imagined how I could have been history today if it was not for friends who came to my rescue. I recalled the words of my father the night I was bidding him farewell as I was getting ready to start my volunteering service. He told me to honour and respect everyone irrespective of who they are. He said, "You are not going with your parents to your site, but you will find your parents there." I keenly listened to him. It was one of those rare moments. We had an interesting father and daughter conversation. I thought to myself that my dad is not just a mere man. He is a man full of wisdom and there is a lot to be desired from him. I will leave his story as he is not the subject of today.

It was a night like any other, going to bed hoping that tomorrow will be work as usual. Next day plans were properly arranged, without knowing what the night would bring. It was not cold that night but I woke up from my sleep around midnight feeling cold and I had a fever that made me shiver. I share the room with my host’s daughter, so I asked her for more beddings. It was as if I had been sick for weeks. I took some painkillers, and then slowly the dreamland stole my mind and I was fast asleep. In the morning, my head was pounding, the fever was not gone, my host’s daughter had gone. I could not manage to get up from my bed, not even call for help. The only thing I remembered doing was calling my supervisor to let him know that I was sick and I needed to get help. I also texted my fellow volunteer who we work in the same district.

After my site mate got the message, he called me, only to be greeted by the sad tone of my voice. He knew things were not fine, so he arranged to see me immediately. It is harvest time in my community, so none of my neighbours were at home, but even if they were, I still could not gather the strength to walk out and tell them about my sickness. Around midday, I heard a knock on my door, I was still on my bed. Unable to wake up and move, not even answering them. The main door was opened, they called my name, but I could not respond. Then my bedroom door was open, it was my site mate and my host father. I do not know how they had met, all I knew was they were in the house. Looking at my condition, they arranged for transport to take me to the hospital. The rest would be better explained by them as I did not know how I got at the hospital. 

I will still borrow my father's words on that night, he told me that whatever happens where you are going, we will be the last ones to know, therefore make sure you stay well with people. When you do good, the news will reach us, but if you do bad, the news will reach us faster than you know. True to his words, they were the last people to know about my sickness after I had gotten all the necessary treatment. During my time in the hospital, none of my relatives showed up, not because they would not come but I already had a big family that took care of me. I have only been in my community for three months, but I feel like I have been here for years. I would not ask for more. I got all the care I needed. My community became my family. As I write today, I am still speechless of how people would be so kind and caring towards others, especially those they do not fully know. I have realised that friendships are treasures to your life, if you nurse them well, they will become your guardian angels. Strive to make peace with people all the time.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Chifundo Chibaka

​This is an ideology that I have come to learn and believe for a while now. It portrays the cost that each of us will have to pay to achieve a desired outcome in life. 

A week after settling at my site, I was introduced to a local vibrant youth club by one of my earliest friends. The group has 13 active members and we meet twice a week to discuss issues of interest to us. I instantly felt a connection with the group of these dedicated and hardworking youth trying to change the narrative and push our dreams forward no matter the cost. I was quickly introduced to the groups' objective and the desire to improve the social economic welfare of the members. We are also involved in community sensitisation and education on various issues that range from girls education to child labor.

I found the club in the early phases of two income-generating programs and these are bee keeping and chicken rearing. The group decided to get a loan of MK30,000.00 ($40) to expand the programs to the level we desired. The money has helped us build a new chicken house large enough to house the expected number of chickens we are in the process of buying, the purchasing of 30 young hens and four young cocks, buying of chicken vaccines and purchase of materials to build four beehives. The group has members with different skills, some whom volunteered to fix the beehives at no fee. Recently a member of the same group offered a dimba land (for off-season agriculture) to the club for free to use and the group plans to plant beans and vegetables for commercial purposes to boost the earnings.

In the past weeks different individuals hired us to work on their farms in this harvesting season and this is expected to add about MK85,000.00 ($115) to the groups' account.

This group of young people has come together and formed a vibrant club with goals to improve the economic status of young people in the area and its being manifested in the actions that they are willing to work for their dreams to come true.

Written By  CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Margaret Magombo
 
It’s been a month since I got acquainted with Nsondole Youth Club. Comprising of about 30 young people, the group's vigilance during this period of Covid-19 crisis cannot go unnoticed. What the group is doing in this area is very uncommon with established community tendencies. While most people in rural areas wait on authorities to assist them, Nsondole Youth Club members are taking matters into their own hands to defy the well-known norm.

The group has been taking phenomenal steps in the group village Kumbwani to preoccupy school going youth during this period when formal schooling has been stopped. The group realizes the danger an idle youth faces in an area where culture venerates unhealthy sexual life styles. Prior to the Covid-19 crisis, meetings were held once a week. Presently, Nsondole Youth Club meets five times a week. Debate on developmental and life skills topics has been one key activity that spares the youth from indulging in risky and unproductive behaviors.

Upon noticing how the group has been priotising to help school going members, I posed to the group the idea of forming study circles. The idea considered attractive, the concerned members grouped themselves according to their class/grade and meet thrice a week to discuss different subjects. It was very easy with the flexibility of the other non-school going members to see and embrace it as their responsibility to be supervising the school going members in the course of study circles. The study circles are offering an opportunity to the school going members to be helping each other with challenging school work. Study circles seems to be the only viable option with the government's newly introduced online learning. With my connection to the secondary and primary schools, I shoulder the responsibility of linking the group with the two schools to be having access to books for them to be conducting the study circles with ease.

I have been taking an active role with the group in trying to combat the spread of Covid-19 pandemic. The youth have been sensitizing the community on the spread and preventive measures of the Covid-19. Furthermore, the group is giving a hand to their fellow community members in the installation of tip-tap hand washing technology. Seeing the group's initiative I have recently introduced it to mask sewing, taking their initiative a mile further from just an ordinary one. 
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This youthful folk is treading the untreaded path inspired by the desire to see the change they desire to see. The youth have chosen to be their own inspiration. My interaction and association with the group has revitalized my energy and zeal for impact. It’s of paramount importance that people should be empowered to think for themselves and desire to help themselves out before stretching their hands out to receive already packaged projects.

Written By  CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Bertha Mukhuna
 
"Dare to seize all the opportunities on your path." -- Lailah Gifty Akita

It is now close to two months since my country has had confirmed cases of COVID-19. The pandemic has negatively impacted a lot of activities at my site. For example, many community members depend on operating bicycle taxis as a source of income and because most people are not travelling like they used to, the income of these bicycle operators has decreased.

Among the negative impacts, the community's major concern is the schoolgoing kids. Even though the closure ofschools as one of the preventive measures for the spread COVID-19 was initially welcomed by most people in my community, with time there have been several problems that have risen, especially due to the fact that it is uncertain when the schools will re-open. Parents and guardians are concerned with their kids just playing all day. Most of the kids in our community have resorted to going to watch movies at local cinemas. 

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Angella Chizimba 

Malcom X once said that when 'I' is replaced with 'We,' even illness becomes wellness. This quote runs deep in my soul when I think about the Coronavirus pandemic. It has helped me realise that togetherness is a key factor when it comes to well-being. We need to work together to fight and contain the Coronavirus. We should all be committed to breaking the information gap and helping communities get through the situation. It is no news that the pandemic has hit the world with the hardest blow. Jobs, schools, businesses have all been affected. While we are fighting against the Covid-19 pandemic, an important issue with consequences perhaps less visible right now is continued access to education for children.  

According to Save the Children, 120,000,000 children in east, west and central Africa are currently at home because of the Coronavirus. In trying to fight the pandemic, most countries have closed primary, secondary and high education institutions affecting almost three quarters of all enrolled learners. This education shutdown tests our resilience, creativity and resourcefulness. We must stop and think of what will happen for the country's most vulnerable who cannot access technology or the Internet, which is being advocated for right now. The change is more likely to widen the learning gap between children from lower income households and those from higher income households. 

I have taken the initiative to teach primary school children that live within my community. Seeing these children play in the compound every day from morning to evening, pushed me to take this initiative to help them learn, and at the same time trying as much as possible to stay safe. These children represent the big percentage of children in rural communities across the globe. Children who have no access to technology, internet or printed materials to serve as guides in their studies. I am teaching them at home while observing social distance and getting them into a habit of washing hands. Every day when the children come through for lessons, they first wash their hands with soap. They sit at a distance from each other and wait for class to begin.

I know how desperate the need for education can be during this period, but I also know from my own experience how good it feels to help someone. I have found purpose and joy in teaching these children. I wake up every morning looking forward to another purposeful day. My students ask me "Madam, when are we going back to school?" I have to tell them every day that this is what we have to do to ensure everyone's safety. So let us learn to stay safe first. 

No matter how hard the situation is during this period, there is still room for generosity. We all have something we can render to the rural communities. Where we are is where our home is and teaching children at home during this crisis is one of the best gifts we can share with the world. We all learn from others every day and surely there is something others can learn from us, for "we​ all are teachers" ​in some way. 

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mieke Mmeya 

"If it is true that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, isn't it also true a society is only as healthy as its sickest citizen?"  -- Maya Angelou

Dear Reader, 

As we continue to protect ourselves against the coronavirus, I would like to remind you to also take care of the vulnerable in our community, especially children and the elderly. We are lucky to be living in an era when access to information is easy, a thing that has proven instrumental in the fight against the virus as people are able to get important information wherever they are. However, receiving and understanding the Covid19 awareness message is different for children and the elderly. Children cannot make an initiative to adopt the recommended measures of hygiene without having positive role models or without being supervised. On the other hand, it is difficult for many older people to change their lifelong habits on a whim. It is important to remember that the immunity of children and the elderly is low because children's bodies are still building their resistance against infections, and immunity declines as a person grows older.

Defeating the outbreak is not just about protecting oneself from getting infected but also making sure that we stop its spread entirely. Even if you successfully avoid catching the virus, there are still people getting sick. One would still feel the effects of the virus because governments would still be forced to direct resources towards containing the virus. The pressure that health care systems are facing right now would continue and it would be difficult for someone to access good health care services if one were to suffer from other diseases. 

We must therefore make sure that the fight against coronavirus is not just about us but also about the people around us. Let us set a good example for the children in our communities so that our methods for survival should become their way of life. Let us gently educate our elderly so that they will understand the importance of adopting the recommended measures of protection against the virus.

Until next time, stay safe.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Chifundo Chibaka 

From the beginning, I always knew that the opportunity to serve with CorpsAfrica was a chance for me to meet new people, make new relations, and expand my network. However, nothing prepared me for what was coming ahead. After settling in my community, my peers and the elderly welcomed me, but there was a 7-year-old kid who welcomed me with much joy and openness beyond my expectation. I later learnt that the girl's name was Macbeth. 

The girl is very warm and friendly to me to the point that she regularly pays a visit to my house to check up on me. She also stands on the veranda of her house and waves at me whenever I am coming from my morning jogs. Whenever we meet on the road after days without meeting she will rush to me and give me a hug. We also usually meet at the borehole with her grandmother and sisters and we share some light conversation filled with giggles and laughter. 

I recall, one particular day at the borehole, after I drew water and was heading home I heard her telling all the women gathered "awo mba sibweni bane" (he is my uncle). All the women laughed and agreed with her and said "enya nadi mba sibweni wako" (yes indeed he is your uncle). At that moment, I was filled with pride knowing that someone has welcomed my presence in her community and embraced me as a relative.

Going to settle in new places is always hard but having people embrace your presence in their lives with joy, love and warmth makes a stay worthwhile. This is making me grow more confident every day that my service is worthwhile and that it will be a success. 

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Chiukepo Mwenechanya
 
It all started as a rumour and others joked about it. Well, reality has caught up with Malawi. Those were some of my thoughts as I played over and over a video clip circulating on social media from the presidential press briefing on the three Coronavirus cases in Lilongwe, Malawi. Until the 2nd of April 2020, Malawi had no confirmed cases of Coronavirus. Even though others argued that maybe we didn't have the capacity to detect cases but it still stood, no cases. As of 2 April 2020, Coronavirus has affected over 896,450 people with 45,526 deaths worldwide in just four months (WHO, Situation Report #73). These numbers are expected to rise exponentially if we do not take part in sharing and adhering to coronavirus preventive measures. 

Coronavirus is not news across the globe, at least I thought but I was surprised to learn at my first Coronavirus awareness meeting in my community that other people did not know of its existence. Out of 39 attendees, only four were familiar with the name...I mean just the name Coronavirus. I paused for a second trying to take in that hard fact. I knew that there was a lot said about the virus in the media and I thought again, maybe they got the question wrong. I hoped at least everyone did listen to the radio and own a smartphone with WhatsApp, but I was wrong. Not even half of the attendees listen to radio and over three quarters of the people had no phones. At that point, I bet some of the attendees noticed the worries and fear in me.

I had questions to which the answers did drain the life out of me. Is Malawi ready to handle the virus? Are Malawians ready to follow Coronavirus preventive measures? Will my community be able to protect itself from the outbreak? My fear worsened when I recalled the many illegal migration patterns between my community and South Africa where they already had confirmed Coronavirus cases. Some senses hit me at the end and I asked myself another set of questions. Whose responsibility is it to sensitize our communities about Coronavirus? We call ourselves agents of change while our communities are still in the dark about the deadly virus, which experts have assured us that it can be contained with a little nudge of information. This made me think about those rural communities where there are no CorpsAfrica Volunteers and with communication blackouts. Who are we waiting for to save our communities from the virus? Does it require someone to be a professional health worker to share this important information on Coronavirus? We are part of these communities and it is our responsibility to help and equip our communities with necessary knowledge on how to prevent Coronavirus. Yes, we can serve our communities and save lives.

I do believe I have played my part and I will continue working with my community to make sure that everyone has the right information and is a part of the preventive mechanism. After several Coronavirus awareness meetings with my community, I am happy with how my community has responded to the outbreak. It is now a subject of talk in the streets, homes and market places. Some community members visit my place to seek information. These days I no longer organize Coronavirus awareness meetings, rather I am called to community meetings organised by community leaders in various villages to share information on Coronavirus. Interesting as it sounds, but some community members have even started to think that maybe I have worked as a health worker before. People are expressing fear and discomfort giving handshakes, they are making estimations about their distance apart when talking and encouraging each other to wash hands with soap. I do believe that sharing this vital information is key in preventing the spread of Coronavirus. I do not think it will cost us anything to share with our friends, loved ones and community members on how to prevent the coronavirus. Trust me we can save many lives in our communities.

https://www.corpsafrica.org/coronavirus-awareness.html (link to the results of the first ever CorpsAfrica Coronavirus Awareness Campaign done by its Volunteers)

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Dorothy Mapira

Many are the times that we feel like we can do it on our own. We rarely give a listening ear to those that we see as inferior to us. We think they cannot contribute positively to what we are doing; perhaps we feel we are better off without them. This mindset is what has killed most of our work, it has dragged us down to a place where we wish we should not have done what we did. Of course, just a few would think through their failures and find ways of bailing themselves out. Sometimes letting go of our ego to achieve a common goal will be more worth it. 

Like the saying goes, ‘if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ Maybe sometimes the reason we are so strict and reserved to work alone is the fact that we want to do things faster. The question might be, how far can we go if we want to do things faster. I am not saying we can't always do things on our own, but there are some things that require added effort. One of those things is development work. You really need to join hands to achieve this and more still if you are working in a community.

A word that matters most in working with the community is the word engagement. Sally Hassey has defined community engagement as based on the democratic idea that everyone who is affected by an issue that affects his or her community should have a say in the decision-making around it. This has a long impact on whatever project implemented in the community because it ensures sustainability.

You cannot certainly work in the community without engaging the people, if you want your work to be acceptable and received by all, engage them. Let them see the importance of whatever work is to happen in the community and they will surely own it. Most of the time we have missed the importance of involving the community in our projects, we think we can always impose things on them as if they cannot think on their own. Most importantly, we have to know that we are not permanent residents in the communities and we might not fully know what they really need in their community. Perhaps we might object to say that we did a survey before doing what we did, but what if the survey was a top-down approach that did not even center on the people themselves.
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Development requires efforts, and better still requires mindset change. If only we could value the people in the village and work with them in identifying the most important development projects with them, we could have seen a better Malawi by now.

Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Angella Chizimba

According to WHO/UNICEF (2012), period poverty refers to a lack of access to sanitary products due to financial constraints. Period poverty accordingly is a global issue affecting women and girls who do not have access to safe, hygienic sanitary products. According to unesco.org, in some cases women and girls have limited access, leading to prolonged use of the same pad, or improvising by using socks or T-shirts. Prolonged use of the same pad may cause infections. Period poverty affects women and girls across the world. Access to safe and hygienic sanitary products is essential for anyone who menstruates and it helps one to manage menstruation without shame. As a CorpsAfrica Volunteer, I have joined the world to end period poverty by training women and girls in NkhataBay to make their own hand sewn sanitary products. 

Periods are rarely something we look forward to every month. Painful, tiring and inconvenient, they are challenging to cope with. However, for most women and girls around the world, it is not the side effects but the bleeding itself that is the problem, something many of us take for granted. Period poverty is an obstacle for far too many women and girls who cannot afford basic sanitary pads to tide them over for the month. 

What do we do then? First of all, I am just a volunteer. I cannot distribute sanitary products to women and girls in my community. Teaching women and girls to make their own sanitary products is the option I have in order to help end period poverty. As a group, we can afford to purchase cheap absorbing materials and sew them by hand at no cost. 

In addition to having health benefits, making cloth sanitary products, helps in protecting the environment. The amount of disposable pads that go into the land everyday harms the environment. These disposable pads take long time to decompose. In fighting period poverty, we also want to protect the environment.

Cloth pads are more eco-friendly and they have a high absorbent layer that can hold about 40ml of liquid. With the global effort to go to menstrual cups, these cloth pads work well with menstrual cups, just in case one might be afraid of a leak. Most importantly, they are very cost effective and very easy to make.

"Now I can easily run around and play netball at school without worrying about leaving a stain" (This was a girl's feedback after using the more absorbent cloth pads.)         
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What I am trying to teach women and girls is that making cloth pads can be cheaper than struggling to buy Disposable pads on a monthly basis or using some old rugs. If we have to end period poverty, women and girls have to stand on their own by simply learning the skill. If they get the skill, they can make pads on their own and that knowledge will be passed on to their children.
No child should skip school during menstruation. No woman or girl should use the same pad for more than six hours. No woman or girl should experience Period Poverty.

Written By Corpsafrica/Malawi Volunteer Eliza Chanika
 
Coronavirus has hit the world with approximately millions of people infected, thousands dead and hundreds of new cases daily. People are living in fear with schools, markets and churches closed. Mobility is restricted unless you are in the category of those permitted, like health workers, fire fighters or the police. People are desperate, scared and afraid of the virus. Just few days ago, the President of Malawi issued a 21-day lockdown to try to control the spread and maybe it will not hit Malawi hard. Markets now are busy places with everyone running up and down trying to get enough food for his family in preparation for the lockdown coming in few days.

The virus has indeed disturbed our daily routines and soon it will shake our economy. My community is among the affected. Every now and then I see people running up and down, discussing the virus, sharing their fears, worries and concerns. One day, as I was seated under the mango tree, one of the students I was teaching at the local community day secondary school passed by. We had a conversation and it was like this:

"Will schools open again? Will we be able to play football again and engage in our club ?" 
"Yes soon, as long as we control the spread maybe the cure will be known soon."

He is not the first nor the last to ask questions about the virus and I believe his questions were from deep down.
"How can we keep our community safe? What can we do to reduce the spread?" A young  lady spoke up,commenting on the conversation we were having. "We can do something as a community, we can change things." She proposed that we meet. 

That was the beginning of the Girl's Club. We established the club to help our community to raise awareness on the information of the virus. We decided to take an initiative and do a door-to-door awareness campaign. Asking people to keep social distance and avoid crowded places, to always wash their hands with soap or ashes and always stay safe. Encouraging good sanitation and hygiene wherever they go. Now my community has adopted the new culture to fight against the  virus. The prevention guidelines are now songs in my community, day in and day out.
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In addition to that, as a club we also tackle issues that affect our daily lives as girls. How to achieve academic excellence, career guidance, entrepreneurship, sexual reproduction including HIV and AIDS, proper morals in relation to our culture,  and we also do special games to keep our bodies in good physical shape.

We are in our community and as a girls club we will continue to stand against the virus. I must say indeed one hand can pull ten but two hands can pull twenty. My community is being pulled out by the decisions made by a few and we will continue to fight against the virus till the end.