Belbur: Where the Heart Learns to Belong
When I first arrived in Belbur for my community-based training as part of my CorpsAfrica volunteership training program, I felt like I was stepping into another world. For two weeks, I traded my usual routine for life with a new host family, a family far from home, but one that welcomed me with open arms […]
Is the Cocoa Pod Teaching Me More Than the Classroom Did?
As a CorpsAfrica Volunteer, I have promised not just to serve the people but to live with them. So, when Nana Ahensah, one of the local farmers, shouted, “Agya Ayensu, today we break pods!” I grabbed a cutlass, threw my face towel around my neck like a pro, and followed him to the farm. It […]
Beyond Expectations: What My First Month as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer Taught Me About Patience, Learning, and Growth
When I first arrived in my community as a CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer, I carried with me an invisible backpack full of expectations, ideas about what I would do, lessons I would share and how quickly I would make an impact. I imagined myself stepping into the community and immediately contributing to visible change. But as the […]
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 […]
Integration Story: Gamo Doko Losha Kebele
When I first arrived in Gamo Doko Losha, I carried a quiet fear with me. I didn’t know if I would be accepted, if I could communicate, or if I would truly belong in this new place. Everything was unfamiliar: the faces, the language, the environment. I was hopeful, but also uncertain. It only took […]
Soap, Skills, and Ownership: The Journey of Kyeni Women Group
What starts as a simple skill can quickly turn into pride and confidence — just ask the women of Kyeni Group. After several visits, I spent time talking with the members about the trainings and activities they were interested in. From these conversations, the group agreed to start with liquid soap making because it was […]
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 […]
The First Months to Remember
After completing my Pre-Service Training, which provided me with knowledge and skills, I was assigned to work in Chikwawa. From the day of my arrival until now, it has been a journey of treading new paths in life. “Rome was not built in a day,” so they say, but I guess that never applied to […]
One Word at a time: Where I Was Sent, Not where I Expected
My name is Yaya Cham, a CorpsAfrica Volunteer serving in the Upper River Region of The Gambia, in a community called Yerro Bawol. The community is predominantly Fula, and the people speak the Fula dialect. When I joined CorpsAfrica, I assumed volunteers would be deployed to communities that matched their ethnic backgrounds or at least […]
Learning from Selepe: Reflections from a Community-Led Volunteer Experience
I am currently doing my community-led volunteer service in Selepe, a small and privately owned community in the Moretele District of the North West province. It is a place that may appear quiet at first glance, but once you spend time there, you realise how full it is of knowledge, resilience, and deeply rooted ways […]