Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Silvester Kunkeyani 

Dear Readers,
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We are all endowed with great abilities, and if we put our right mind to something, surely, we can achieve a whole lot—all by ourselves. We are creative and thus can come up with brilliant ideas on ways to use our gifts, talents, skills, and abilities to produce something impressive.

However, if one is to achieve remarkable, mind-blowing results, there is a great need to collaborate with others. Working together multiplies results exponentially. There’s no comparison; what you can achieve in a good team is far greater than what you can achieve on your own. With exactly five months into my continued journey as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer, serving in Nkhatabay district, on the southern shore of the beautiful Lake Malawi, I would tell you without teamwork I wouldn’t have survived thus far. Life is about connections; it’s about relationships. And this still stands in the context of work and producing massive results. Since my deployment to my site last November 2017, I have built very strong, unshakable relationships. Famously referred to as Ada Kunkeyani (a sign of respect for an elder) my name has become a household name for many. This has made it easier for me to approach people in my area; to ask for their support and advice on the various projects we have done and those we are still pursuing.

When I came to my community I made sure that I engaged only those people that clearly understood and shared the same vision, goal and objectives of my coming; that being to meaningfully change and impact people  so they become the custodians of their own lives and their communities by facilitating different sustainable development projects. Also, I made sure each team member clearly understood their roles and responsibilities. Furthermore, I made sure they were clear about the team’s standards of excellence as well as the team’s procedures. This has made it easier for me to carry out various campaigns and projects, like Gender Based Violence Campaigns, Grassroot Soccer Camps, Girls Leading Our World (GLOW) projects, and others just to mention a few.

Commitment is indispensable to achieving great results. Team members must commit to the team’s vision and objectives as well as to one another. They must commit to helping the team reach its target with excellence. I want to give thanks to the committed Senior Group Village Headman of my area, and my working counterparts, for tirelessly working with me to develop and change people’s lives in my area. Without the commitment of these people I wouldn’t have survived thus far. You want to experience greater results, stop thinking you can make it on your own. You must seek ways to collaborate with others.