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

Twenty-Eight Years Later

12/8/2020

1 Comment

 
Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Dorothy Mapira

I was a year and some months old when the people of my CorpsAfrica community started working on a health clinic project. I was living in a different area far from theirs. Neither my parents nor I would think or know what these people had embarked upon. It was their dream to see their place develop and have a structure raised to help women and children in the community. 

The people struggled as they walked long distances to access health services for their children under five years old. They later started conducting the services under a tree. It wasn't a conducive environment for them. During rainy seasons they had no place to conduct clinic business. In 1992 they raised a structure to be used as an under-five clinic, their hopes for a better community had started. But soon, all their hopes shattered when the roof was blown off and there was no one to help fix it. They have been seeking for help ever since, but no help was to be found.

Politicians gave them false hopes, organizations came and went, some individuals did the same. They were tired of crying for help, years passed and they got used to the problem though inside them was a heart buried with pain. They've seen other nearby communities have what they long for but could not have. They thought they were doomed.

Twenty-eight years later, I arrived in their village as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer. Having introduced myself and the work I would be doing in their community, they rejoiced knowing that their outcry might finally be heard. Through the many meetings we've been having they decided that their first project would be the under-five clinic. I empathized with them after hearing the struggles they faced, the rivers they cross, the distances they walk, the miscarriages, the deaths of children that have happened during my stay. We sat down as a community and tried to look for help, I facilitated the work and we did all we could.

Rescue came their way; the funds were raised through CorpsAfrica, and we embarked on implementing a health clinic project. The hope returned; faces were filled with smiles again. They worked so hard and tirelessly to contribute to the project. Within a short time, the clinic building was raised.

As I write, I am sitting in the corner one of one of the rooms appreciating the work being done. It will soon be functional; the dreams and cries of 28 years have been answered. Many thanks to all of the CorpsAfrica donors for addressing my community's needs.
Picture
Conducting the under-five clinic under a tree
Picture
The abandoned clinic building
Picture
Renovation works has started
Picture
Inside the under-five clinic building
Picture
After renovating the clinic building
1 Comment
kodi.software link
11/6/2022 08:11:55 am

hanks for sharing the article, and more importantly, your personal experience of mindfully using our emotions as data about our inner state and knodscwing when it’s better to de-escalate by taking a time out are great tools. Appreciate you reading and sharing your story since I can certainly relate and I think others can to

Reply



Leave a Reply.

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

    Archives

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

    RSS Feed

Picture