Planting Seeds, Growing Change — My First Month in Service
When I first got deployed, I was filled with a mix of excitement, nervousness, and curiosity. I didn’t know exactly what to expect, but I knew I wanted to make a difference. Stepping into a new community, meeting unfamiliar faces, and adjusting to a new environment was both humbling and energizing. I quickly realized that […]
Finding my place in Siwol
I had spent hours—maybe days—rehearsing my speech. Sticky notes everywhere. Imagining the perfect Wolof accent. That morning, my friend Maty Mbaye BA called. Her voice full of patience and drama. “Emily, are you ready? Just relax.” I tried. I really tried. However, my internal monologue had other plans. What if I forget everything? Why do […]
From Stranger to Sister: My 7-Week Journey of Belonging as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer
Seven weeks ago, I arrived in my host community full of excitement, curiosity, and a touch of nervousness. I didn’t know the routines, and every face was new. But today, as I walk along the community paths to the nursery school, children call me madam, women wave from their stalls, and youth stop me to […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 going to test my adaptability, openness, and willingness to learn. Coming from Ghana, I thought I understood what integration meant. But Malawi taught me that true integration is not about […]
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 never easy. Leaving behind the place where you were born, where every face feels familiar, and where every sound carries a memory, takes courage the kind we rarely talk about. […]
MODERN GHANA | 67 Rural Communities to Host CorpsAfrica Volunteers
MODERN GHANA | Written By Sulemana Zakaria Sixty-seven rural communities across the Northern, Central, and Volta Regions are set to welcome new CorpsAfrica/Ghana Volunteers to facilitate community-led development. The Volunteers, recently trained in community-led development approaches, will work with residents to identify local needs and assets, empowering them to design and implement sustainable solutions using […]
A Journey of Strong Emotions and True Joy
My first trip to my community in the Upper River Region (URR) of The Gambia took us two days. The journey from Greater Banjul Area, where I live, was filled with a mix of anticipation and reflection. Led by our Volunteer Liaison Associate, we were deploying as G2 Volunteers, having completed our Pre-Service Training (PST) […]
From Uganda to Senegal: My Journey of Service
In July 2024, I embarked on my journey as an Exchange Volunteer from Uganda to Senegal. I was ready to embrace a new culture and serve a community I had never met. The hardest obstacle I had to overcome was the language barrier. Furthermore, the hot conditions and different diets tried my resolve to serve. […]