One of the highlights of my service has been supporting a group of women in our community who make mats and baskets. We've provided them with training and helped them access markets, which has really boosted confidence. It's been so rewarding to see their progress! I'm really proud of the impact we're making through community-led development and asset-based development. Another achievement has been expanding our youth mandazi and chapatti bakery. We've invested in new equipment and trained more young bakers, creating employment opportunities and bringing delicious baked goods to our community. It's been a win-win situation for everyone involved! By empowering individuals and groups, we're creating positive change and opportunities for everyone.

Reflecting on my journey, one word stands out: growth. This experience has fostered growth on personal, and professional levels. I am no longer the same person who started this journey in September 2023. I have evolved, learned, and become a better version of myself. The path has been challenging but immensely fulfilling. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve, to learn, and to grow alongside the community.

During my free time in the community, I join people sitting under the mango tree to chat and drink black tea (Attaya). This and doing one-on one visits have helped me to understand my community, the challenges they face, and to see a way forward on how to bring change in the community by using community-led development.

"My experience as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer so far has been incredibly rewarding in terms of both professional and personal development. Professionally, I have had the opportunity to work on impactful activities that directly benefit the community, honing my skills in project management, teamwork, and leadership, mobilization, accountability. This experience has allowed me to grow both personally and professionally, pushing me out of my comfort zone and into new challenges. On a personal level, I have gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for different cultures, perspectives, and ways of life. I have formed strong bonds with community members and fellow volunteers, creating a network of support and friendship that I know will last a lifetime. Overall, my time as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer so far has been transformative, shaping me into a more confident, compassionate, and capable individual."

"The thing I am most proud of from my CorpsAfrica experience is having been able to get out of my comfort zone and live/work in a rural community for one whole year. This has broadened my horizon on the views I had about development and helped me learn how other people live. I'm also proud of the lasting friendships and relationships which I have established with the CorpsAfrica family as well as the people in the community where I was placed. I have learnt what it is like to associate with people from different backgrounds and with different personal beliefs and values. All these experiences have shaped me into a much better person."

"CorpsAfrica took me out of my comfort zone, taught me a lot of new skills, and gave me hope that if people come together, we can accomplish anything. It made me appreciate things I took for granted."

"CorpsAfrica provided me with an incredible training that helped me integrate into my community. The training gave me the skills to identify needs in the village, and to address these needs through a project."

"Development is about the people and addressing their true needs. Mostly, we come up with projects that we think will help the people, but through observation of the community needs, we discover what may work and what may not. Sustainability is another thing that has to characterize community development. If people are not empowered to make decisions, then sustainability is at risk."