I have spent time reflecting on my journey as a CorpsAfrica volunteer in Northern Ghana, and the emotions that surface are not easy ones; frustration, disappointment, and a quiet sense of self-doubt.
My community is meant to be the heart of my service. Lately, however, it has felt distant. Community meetings are often met with silence, and the few faces that do appear sometimes carry indifference. Each experience leaves me asking difficult questions I never expected to face so early in my service.
Am I the problem?
Did I fail to explain our approach clearly?
Are my efforts simply not enough?
These questions weigh heavily, especially at a time when we should be beginning our project journey; identifying ideas, building momentum, and taking collective steps toward a brighter future for the community.
The CorpsAfrica model is community-led and grounded in Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD). It emphasizes local ownership, shared responsibility, and empowering communities to drive their own change. Yet, when a community appears to step back, it is hard not to internalize the silence and feel as though I am failing the very people I came to serve.
Still, I remind myself that I am not alone. Every Volunteer encounters moments of resistance, uncertainty, and doubt. Every community carries its own history, challenges, and reasons for hesitation. Progress does not always arrive loudly; sometimes it unfolds quietly, slowly, and beyond immediate view.
What keeps me going is the bigger picture, the possibility of positive change, the untold success stories waiting to be written, and the impact that can emerge when trust begins to take root. I believe the community has strengths worth uncovering, voices worth amplifying, and solutions worth nurturing.
This reflection is both a pause and a commitment: to keep listening, to keep learning, and to keep showing up. It is about acknowledging the hard moments, learning from them, and finding ways to reignite the spark within the community.
Our goal remains unchanged, to achieve success, tell meaningful stories, and uplift the community from within.