Integrating with An Open Mind
Being open-minded involves being receptive to a wide variety of ideas, and information, critical thinking, and asking questions. It also involves embracing other people’s beliefs and ideas to learn and grow personally. Integration in communities has not always been easy but having an open mind while interacting and living with the community members has helped […]
Lighting the World
Imagine a mother lifting lit firewood for her child to do homework, children staying in total darkness for hours at night till they develop eye conditions, families earning 5 dollars a week through casual labor who end up spending almost half of it buying kerosene which they put inside a glass bottle with a piece […]
For the People, By the People: Re-Thinking Development and Growth Theories for Africa
The concept of development is an essentially contested one admitting to a variety of incommensurable competing interpretations. Arguably, development is not only difficult to define but also in terms of measurement. As much as development is measured by parameters such as Gross National Product per capita (GNP) or Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The truth is […]
LESSONS OF LIFE IN THE COMMUNITY
Perseverance, patience, and resilience have surely been learned and exercised. An entire three months have gone by since I became a northerner. Fully immersed in the culture, traditions, and language of this new site, I can gladly say I am a lambya and chindali speaker. In the past three months, I kept an open mind […]
Chasing Progress: A Narrative of Malawian Rural Volunteerism
Volunteering has given me a platform of expression where my deepest desire dwells, being a development enthusiast and finding the opportunity to understand community development issues at the grassroots level has propelled me to even want more knowledge of this endeavor. Serving at my site in Mzimba, I have come across several opportunities to impart […]
EMPOWERING YOUNG WOMEN: Reusable Sanitary Pad Making Training
In my community like many other communities in Malawi, access to safe and sustainable menstrual hygiene products is still a challenge that is constantly faced. As a way of eradicating this particular challenge, I trained 34 young women and girls from different youth clubs in reusable sanitary pad making, empowering them with knowledge and skills […]
Breaking Barriers: Empowering Young Girls Through Menstrual Hygiene and Education
As a CorpsAfrica Volunteer in my community for the past three months, my primary focus has been on honing essential skills—observation and listening. These skills have not only allowed me to understand the unique challenges within my community but have also propelled me to take action in pursuit of positive change. During my time here, […]
Malicounda Serere
“Malicounda Sérère”, c’est ma terre, vieille d’environ trois siècles. Elle a été fondée lors des premières migrations serères de la vallée de la rivière à la recherche de terres agricoles. Aujourd’hui, administrativement, elle est située dans la ville de Malicounda, département de Mbour, région de Thiès. C’est l’un des 22 villages de la commune, d’une […]
Taif, Mon Village; Ma Vie Autrement
TAIF est situé dans le district de Medina Sabakh, précisément dans la commune de Ngayenne, département de Nioro du Rip. Elle a été fondée en 1957 par El Hadji Abdoulaye Lô. Dans ses limites géographiques, TAIF est très enclavée par rapport au Sénégal et se situe entre la frontière de la Gambie et du Sénégal. […]
Embracing Impact: Reflections On My Initial Weeks as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer in the Heart of the Community
In the immortal words of Helen Keller, “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” These words echo profoundly as I embark on the early chapters of my journey as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer. Stepping into the heart of the community, I find myself immersed in a transformative experience, where integration, community […]