What my douar Taught Me
I arrived in Addouz Douar thinking integration was something you do. I later learned it is something you live through. In the beginning, I went from door to door, introducing myself to women, sitting on thresholds, waiting for permission that was never spoken out loud. I wasn’t met with rejection, but with distance. A quiet […]
MY FIRST DAYS IN MY COMMUNITY KUNUNKU
The real test of everything learned during PST began on 16th December 2026. First day in my community Kununku when Theory Meets Reality. It was the second day of deployment, exactly at 12:44 p.m. on Tuesday, and I was the second volunteer to be deployed. Arriving in Kununku, I was nervous, more nervous than I […]
THE POWER OF REFLECTION: MY INTEGRATION JOURNEY AS A CORPSAFRICA/MALAWI VOLUNTEER
Integration does not just mean becoming one of the community members, but coming to understand them. For you to understand them, you need to listen deeply through the lens of empathy. Listen to the things they talk about and beyond. During Pre‑service Training (PST), I came across various concepts. However, during my integration period, I […]
Reviving old wisdom: How a Charcoal Briquettes making activity sparked new appreciation of the past
During one of my routine walks through the community, I encountered a man on the road who immediately drew my attention with his thoughtful demeanor. He greeted me warmly and asked if I knew anything about diseases affecting pawpaw seedlings, explaining that many of his seedlings had been dying. I admitted I did not know […]
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. […]
FROM FLOUR TO FUTURE: EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES THROUGH BAKING
As a CorpsAfrica Volunteer, one of the most rewarding experiences is watching a simple activity turn into a life-changing opportunity. That’s exactly what happened during a baking training session I recently facilitated in my community. What began as a hands-on lesson in making baked goods became a powerful step toward self-employment and empowerment especially for […]
NOVEMBER: A MONTH THAT HUMBLED ME… AGAIN
Here comes November, well, well… Hold your breaths, guys, because I’m about to blow your minds away! This month has been both sides of a coin. The good, the tough, the lessons, the plot twists, November packed it all. Those humility pills I had stored for emergencies? Believe me, I’m still getting a refill. Crazy, […]
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 […]