Finding Purpose in Service
In the past, I often felt frustrated when I saw people living in poverty and saying that their struggles came simply because they had no money. I used to wonder how they could not see the opportunities around them, the raw materials and resources they already had that could help them improve their lives. Growing […]
Village life is a gentle clock, ticking with heartbeats rather than hours
As I reflect on my integration phase, I can’t help but feel overjoyed and warm-hearted by the way the community has embraced me. The opportunity to learn, connect, and share in the simple joys of life has been one of the greatest gifts since I began volunteering with CorpsAfrica. My first week was filled with […]
True Development Begins with Listening
Today, I witnessed something that reminded me of a major challenge in rural development. Thus, the sustainability of projects. Many times, well-intentioned NGOs and organizations arrive in rural communities with the desire to help. Their goals align with admirable missions and global objectives, yet one crucial step is often overlooked: listening to the people first. […]
AMBIVALENCE: A NEW BEGINNING IN YERRO BAWOL
Ever since I was dropped off in my host community, Yerro Bawol in The Upper River Region and the deployment team drove away, I felt something I had never experienced before. As I stood there watching them wave goodbye, a strange mix of emotions washed over me. I smiled on the outside, but deep in […]
More Than a Training: A Lesson That Prepared Me to Serve in the Rural Community
When I first heard that I would be working with a rural community in Machinga, Malawi my heart danced with excitement. I pictured warm smiles, shared meals, and people living in harmony, a place where even a stranger could ask for accommodation and be welcomed like family. I imagined a community where everyone worked together […]
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 fortunate to serve and unknowingly, the place that would gently reshape me. My arrival was far from graceful. I shed tears the moment I reached my community, I was filled […]
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 from door to door, introducing myself to women, sitting on thresholds, waiting for permission that was never spoken out loud. I wasn’t met with rejection, but with distance. A quiet […]
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 the second day of deployment, exactly at 12:44 p.m. on Tuesday, and I was the second volunteer to be deployed. Arriving in Kununku, I was nervous, more nervous than I […]
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 deeply through the lens of empathy. Listen to the things they talk about and beyond. During Pre‑service Training (PST), I came across various concepts. However, during my integration period, I […]
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 about service and being resilient but nothing really prepares you for the movements when theories meet reality. One of the first experiences I encountered was living a life without electricity. […]