Volunteer Voices

Explore stories of service, connection, and transformation directly from CorpsAfrica Volunteers across the continent.

Featured Volunteer Voices

Behind Every Grain of Gari

If you passed through Senior High School (SHS) in Ghana, chances are gari saved you at some point. Gari soakings after prep, late nights with...

Read More →

FROM TEARS TO TEA BREAKS: FINDING PURPOSE IN MBALLO TEGA

Mballo Tega, a small village in the North Bank Region of the Sabach Sanjal District predominantly wollof and fana fana became the place I am...

Read More →

Giving back to University Students

The CorpsAfrica/Uganda Alumni Association organized career development workshops at three universities, reaching over 300 students. These were from Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST),...

Read More →

What my douar Taught Me

I arrived in Addouz Douar thinking integration was something you do. I later learned it is something you live through. In the beginning, I went...

Read More →

MY FIRST DAYS IN MY COMMUNITY KUNUNKU

The real test of everything learned during PST began on 16th December 2026. First day in my community Kununku when Theory Meets Reality. It was...

Read More →

THE POWER OF REFLECTION: MY INTEGRATION JOURNEY AS A CORPSAFRICA/MALAWI VOLUNTEER

Integration does not just mean becoming one of the community members, but coming to understand them. For you to understand them, you need to listen...

Read More →

Reviving old wisdom: How a Charcoal Briquettes making activity sparked new appreciation of the past

During one of my routine walks through the community, I encountered a man on the road who immediately drew my attention with his thoughtful demeanor....

Read More →

LEARNING TO SERVE WITHOUT POWER

When I first arrived in my community as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer, I thought I was prepared. I had gone through a lot of trainings, conversations...

Read More →

FROM FLOUR TO FUTURE: EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES THROUGH BAKING

As a CorpsAfrica Volunteer, one of the most rewarding experiences is watching a simple activity turn into a life-changing opportunity. That’s exactly what happened during...

Read More →

NOVEMBER: A MONTH THAT HUMBLED ME… AGAIN

Here comes November, well, well… Hold your breaths, guys, because I’m about to blow your minds away! This month has been both sides of a...

Read More →

Finding Home in Kojokrom

When the site postings were released, I was both nervous and excited to see where I would serve. The name Kojokrom sounded simple yet unfamiliar....

Read More →

Unforgettable Moments with My Little Friends Benigne and Hervin

As I reflect on my time with my host children, Benigne and Hervin, my heart fills with joy and warmth. From the very first moment...

Read More →

‎The Reality I Feared vs. the Community I Found:My CorpsAfrica Journey

In Kenya we have a famous phrase that says “kwa ground vitu ni different” . Which basically means that it’s not until you face the...

Read More →

When the Little Things Made All the Difference

When I first arrived in Malawi as a CorpsAfrica Exchange Volunteer, I knew this would be more than just another year of service. It was...

Read More →

When Good Intentions Miss the Mark

Over the past weeks, I have found myself reflecting deeply on my work in the community where I serve. What started as a simple effort...

Read More →

Stepping into the Unknown

For as long as I can remember, I carried a quiet passion for helping others. Volunteering felt like a dream tucked away in the corners...

Read More →

From stranger to sojourn partner: My first months of learning, growing, and belonging in Emanyaleni

My name is Greciano Hezekiah, a CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer serving in Emanyaleni community in Mzimba District, Malawi. When I arrived in Emanyaleni Community after completing six...

Read More →

The Women Surveyors of Abudi

They had their pencils, pens, markers, sticky notes, and papers ready, prepared to survey the land with layered precision. Prior to this day, during my...

Read More →

From Dream To Reality: My meaningful journey as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer

The first day I arrived in the community( SouthWest Ethiopia, Shishinde (Keffa) District, Wana Bolla Kebele) as a CorpsAfrica/Ethiopia Volunteer, I was filled with a...

Read More →

My Lifetime Lessons with CorpsAfrica

In February 2023, I made a decision that would change the course of my life. Motivated by a strong desire to give back to my...

Read More →

Beyond The Approaches

You can know all the CorpsAfrica development approaches; ABCD, HCD, CLD, but without effective facilitation, none of them will truly work. Knowledge alone isn’t enough;...

Read More →

Once a Volunteer Always a Volunteer

Who signs up twice? Only someone crazy… or completely in love with service. Guilty as charged! Those that say that lightning never strikes twice, they...

Read More →

Belbur, Bicycles, and Briquettes: Walking the CorpsAfrica Path

On a warm August afternoon, the gates of St. Mary’s Pastoral Centre opened to welcome 65 of us, strangers at first but all carrying a...

Read More →

A Needle, a Thread, and an Unexpected Purpose

Can I Tell You a Story? Growing up, I was that young girl who adored fashion; always curious, always sketching, always wanting to learn more....

Read More →

Growing Dreams, Empowering Futures

During my time as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer in Ethiopia, I watched rural youth transform before my eyes. Their energy, ideas, and determination had the power...

Read More →

The Sweet Life in the Hot Heart of Chinzimbe

There’s a saying that “home is where the heart is.” For me, I found a new kind of home ,one that’s as hot as the...

Read More →

Planting and Growing Connections

One Saturday morning, after finishing my household chores, I had no particular plans for the day. I sat quietly, wondering how to make good use...

Read More →

My ‘Baby in the Manger’ Moment: How a Goat Welcomed Me into the Community

The day had been long and hot, with the kind of heat that clings to your skin and refuses to let go. I had spent...

Read More →

Embracing the Unknown: How Cultural Exchange Shaped My Leadership Journey

Sometimes in life, we stand between the familiar and the unknown and the choice we make in that moment can change everything. Leaving home is...

Read More →

Story of My Integration in Hidakaliti, Sidama

My name is Girmawit Desalegn, and I am a proud Volunteer of CorpsAfrica Ethiopia. After completing six weeks of Pre-Service Training (PST), I was assigned...

Read More →

Volunteering at the Heart of Redefinition

Ever since I saw the banner by the road side in caps written “WELCOME TO BARINGO” I have been cornered by a repetitive thought of...

Read More →

Hearts That Connect, Hands That Teach

My name is Marguerite Umutesi, a CorpsAfrica Volunteer serving in Musanze District, Kinigi Sector, Nyonirima Cell, Kanyampereri Village. My journey as a volunteer has been...

Read More →

A Language Bridge: My Journey to Winning Over My Host Mother

As I stepped into my host family’s home in the remote village of Naha, I couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions. Born and...

Read More →

The Power of a Smile

During my service with CorpsAfrica in Rwanda, I’ve come to learn that impact often hides in the simplest exchanges, like a smile. Not all smiles...

Read More →

From Ghana to Kenya: A Journey of Service, Learning, and Adaptation

Having served in Ghana as a volunteer, my journey began with a six-week intensive pre-service training that prepared me to facilitate community development using Community-Led...

Read More →