Culture and Tradition; A 21st Century Chewa Woman
Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Ireen Kanjala The Chewa people are descendants of the Bantu tribe, who widely settled in the central part of Malawi. Among many distinctive moral values and cultural norms, the Chewa people are widely known for their highly magnified traditional dances (i.e. Gule Wamkulu), beliefs, and perceptions towards women in society. Culturally, […]
Learning New Chichewa Words
Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Twambilire Kalolokesya Malawi has many different languages spoken throughout the country but Chichewa is the national language. Chichewa is most commonly spoken in the central and southern regions of Malawi, but since there are different districts the dialectics of Chichewa vary. In these different areas, some Chichewa words are pronounced […]
Invest In Girls!
Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Khwima Nyirenda It’s been four months since I settled in Mzimba district, and it’s been quite an extraordinary four months of my life. I have to say I have done more than I could ever do anywhere else and I can comfortably say I have successfully integrated into my community. […]
The Passion That Lives On
Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Hope Mawerenga Today has been a very interesting day. I got to do things I am passionate about and had so much fun. Several weeks ago, I was invited by a Peace Corps Volunteer in my community, Fiona, to make a Perma garden and paint a mural. With nothing planned […]
Engaging with the Youth
Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Mr. Chris Kaudzu There is a saying that goes, “The youth are the leaders of tomorrow.” I believe this is true, and I can see this attitude among the youth of my community. I have come to value the three points below, which are tips I have found effective when trying […]
The Benga Hammers
Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Exchange Volunteer Mr. Mostafa Essalai After I knew that I had been accepted to be a CorpsAfrica Volunteer most of my family, close friends, and people around me gave me some advice on how to integrate safely into Malawi. One of these great pieces of advice came from a 42-year-old friend of […]
My Likes & Dislikes
Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Hope Matilda Mawerenga It’s been a minute, let’s catch up. There are several things I like and dislike about my site. Today I’ll take you through them, in no particular order. One thing I like about my adopted home in Northern Malawi is that my house is close to the […]
Five Things I Love About My Community
Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Ireen Kanjala It’s been four months since I came to this community, and I am loving the experience. I have gotten so attached and have fallen in love with so many things during the process of making this place home. It is amazing how optimism can be so motivating and […]
Making Reusable Sanitary Pads: Girl-to-Girl Training
Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Mildred Chirwa “Bekako skirt yane, ndazinangisyira yaye?” asked one of the girls to her friend to check if her period had tainted her skirt. Volunteering as a teacher at the local community day secondary school has exposed me to some of the challenges that students face, especially my female students. […]
Living My Dream
Written by CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer Ms. Shyrene Kossam My passion for helping others started way back when I was a kid. I have always dreamed of having an orphanage, which required not only the heart of helping but also money. I grew up thinking I would never live up to my dream. Then my journey began. […]