The Reality I Feared vs. the Community I Found:My CorpsAfrica Journey
In Kenya we have a famous phrase that says “kwa ground vitu ni different” . Which basically means that it’s not until you face the actual reality on the ground that you realize that your imagination is actually different from the reality. In my case, the weeks and days leading to my arrival at St […]
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 […]
From stranger to sojourn partner: My first months of learning, growing, and belonging in Emanyaleni
My name is Greciano Hezekiah, a CorpsAfrica/Malawi Volunteer serving in Emanyaleni community in Mzimba District, Malawi. When I arrived in Emanyaleni Community after completing six weeks of Pre-Service Training in September 2025,I carried two big realities with me: deep excitement and real uncertainty. Emanyaleni is a Tumbuka-speaking community, while my mother tongue is Chichewa. From […]
Al Haouz Earthquake Response Report
On September 8, 2023, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck Morocco’s High Atlas region, deeply impacting communities where CorpsAfrica/Maroc had long-standing ties. After careful consultation and preparation, the organization adopted a deliberate, community-centered response focused on sustainable recovery rather than immediate deployment. Over the following two years, 73 CorpsAfrica Volunteers lived and worked in 49 remote […]
Once a Volunteer Always a Volunteer
Who signs up twice? Only someone crazy… or completely in love with service. Guilty as charged! Those that say that lightning never strikes twice, they haven’t met a CorpsAfrica Volunteer yet! Here I am, serving for the second time in my own country, and I can confidently say, it’s a feeling like no other. The […]
Belbur, Bicycles, and Briquettes: Walking the CorpsAfrica Path
On a warm August afternoon, the gates of St. Mary’s Pastoral Centre opened to welcome 65 of us, strangers at first but all carrying a shared curiosity about the journey ahead. The air was alive with anticipation. We weren’t just stepping into a training program; we were stepping into a community of passionate young Africans […]
The Sweet Life in the Hot Heart of Chinzimbe
There’s a saying that “home is where the heart is.” For me, I found a new kind of home ,one that’s as hot as the African sun, yet as sweet as the sugarcane fields that surround it. Welcome to Chinzimbe, a community nestled near the Illovo Sugar Company, where life thrives in the heat, and […]
My ‘Baby in the Manger’ Moment: How a Goat Welcomed Me into the Community
The day had been long and hot, with the kind of heat that clings to your skin and refuses to let go. I had spent the morning going door to door, visiting households and checking in on families. The red earth clung to my sandals, my clothes were damp with sweat, and my legs begged […]
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. […]
Story of My Integration in Hidakaliti, Sidama
My name is Girmawit Desalegn, and I am a proud Volunteer of CorpsAfrica Ethiopia. After completing six weeks of Pre-Service Training (PST), I was assigned to my site in the Sidama Region, specifically to Hidakaliti Kebele. This marked the beginning of a new chapter in my life—a journey filled with discovery, connection, and growth. From […]