Volunteer BLOG StORIES

She Chose to Rise…

Volunteering has a way of opening doors to stories you never expect to walk into. One ordinary afternoon, while returning from the local school where I volunteer to...

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Empowering Matriculants: A motivational talk for a brighter future

CorpsAfrica came into my life at a point where I had decided that I wanted to use my story to help shape the next generation, but I did...

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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...

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Becoming Part of the Community

Before joining CorpsAfrica, I used to believe it took months, sometimes even years, to feel comfortable in a new environment. Many of my friends felt the same way....

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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,...

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From a Heart for Service to a Life of Impact: My CorpsAfrica Journey

Before I joined CorpsAfrica/Maroc, volunteering had always been part of who I was. Since childhood, I loved social work and spent my free time helping local associations in...

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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...

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From Stranger to Sister: My 7-Week Journey of Belonging as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer

Seven weeks ago, I arrived in my host community full of excitement, curiosity, and a touch of nervousness. I didn’t know the routines, and every face was new....

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Starting Small, Growing Strong

My journey with CorpsAfrica Rwanda started on May 15, 2025, when I submitted my application to become a volunteer. I didn’t know what the future held, but I...

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Learning Through Setbacks: My First Community Meeting Experience

Have you ever scheduled a meeting and no one turned up? How did that make you feel? Disappointed, perhaps, or even discouraged? As a CorpsAfrica Volunteer serving in...

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From Dream To Reality: My meaningful journey as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer

The first day I arrived in the community( SouthWest Ethiopia, Shishinde (Keffa) District, Wana Bolla Kebele) as a CorpsAfrica/Ethiopia Volunteer, I was filled with a mixture of excitement...

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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...

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From Dream to Reality: My meaningful journey as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer

The first day I arrived in the community (SouthWest Ethiopia, Shishinde (Keffa) District, Wana Bolla Kebele) as a CorpsAfrica/Ethiopia Volunteer, I was filled with a mixture of excitement...

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From Accra to Addis: My Life Changing Journey as a CorpsAfrica Exchange Volunteer in Ethiopia

The world often feels smaller and more connected than we imagine, and my current adventure is a testament to that. As a CorpsAfrica Volunteer from Ghana, I’ve traded...

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Embracing Community Integrations

Every journey has its challenges, and each challenge tells a story shaped by a different perspective. CorpsAfrica embraces this idea by placing volunteer trainees in underserved rural communities,...

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Eskindir Birhanu: A Catalyst for Change at Koite Primary School

In Faragosa Kebele, a small community in Ethiopia’s Gamo Zone, Koite Primary School had fallen into disrepair. Broken windows, damaged doors, and crumbling classrooms made it hard for...

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The Importance of Pre-Service Training: From a CorpsAfrica Alumni’s Perspective

Pre-Service Training (PST) is truly the heart of the CorpsAfrica experience, providing volunteers with the tools and insights to thrive. As a CorpsAfrica Alumni, I can share how...

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A Turning Point: How IST-1 Training Changed Communities in Keffa Zone

Before the IST-1 training, many volunteers and their counterparts faced big challenges. They wanted to help their communities but didn’t know how to design projects or write proposals....

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A Spring of Change: How a Volunteer and a Village Reimagined Water Access in Kenteri Kebele

In the rural village of Kenteri Kebele, Oromia Region, Ethiopia, clean water once felt like a luxury. Women and children trekked over an hour each day to fetch...

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A Journey of Resilience: Overcoming Challenges to Bring Water to Kelecha

When I first arrived in Kelecha as a CorpsAfrica/Ethiopia Volunteer, I knew I was stepping into a community with immense challenges, but nothing could have fully prepared me...

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Ethiopia Volunteer Stories coming soon!

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,...

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Discovering the Extraordinary in Everyday Moments

When I arrived in Korrop, I didn’t realize that the smallest moments would teach me the biggest lessons about belonging. children chasing a goat along a dusty path,...

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AMBIVALENCE: A NEW BEGINNING IN YERRO BAWOL

Ever since I was dropped off in my host community, Yerro Bawol in The Upper River Region and the deployment team drove away, I felt something I had...

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FROM TEARS TO TEA BREAKS: FINDING PURPOSE IN MBALLO TEGA

Mballo Tega, a small village in the North Bank Region of the Sabach Sanjal District predominantly wollof and fana fana became the place I am fortunate to serve...

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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...

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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...

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My Gambian Home

When I first set foot in Jiffin Village, The Gambia, I wasn’t sure what to expect. As a CorpsAfrica exchange volunteer from Kenya, I knew my journey would...

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Bridging the Digital Divide in Jiffin Community

I was welcomed with open arms when I first arrived in Jiffin Village as a CorpsAfrica/Gambia Volunteer. The warmth of the people made me feel at home almost...

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The young Volunteer Fisher lady

In a world where every day brings the chance to try something new, volunteerism has been my vision to growth, discovery, and unexpected adventure. At first, I thought...

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THE FIRST NAP INTERRUPTED

It was Wednesday afternoon , and I decided it was time for a quick nap before diving into the evening’s activities in the community. Just as I started...

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She Chose to Rise…

Volunteering has a way of opening doors to stories you never expect to walk into. One ordinary afternoon, while returning from the local school where I volunteer to...

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Learning Through Setbacks: My First Community Meeting Experience

Have you ever scheduled a meeting and no one turned up? How did that make you feel? Disappointed, perhaps, or even discouraged? As a CorpsAfrica Volunteer serving in...

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When Community Support Feels Distant

I have spent time reflecting on my journey as a CorpsAfrica volunteer in Northern Ghana, and the emotions that surface are not easy ones; frustration, disappointment, and a...

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True Development Begins with Listening

Today, I witnessed something that reminded me of a major challenge in rural development. Thus, the sustainability of projects. Many times, well-intentioned NGOs and organizations arrive in rural...

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Behind Every Grain of Gari

If you passed through Senior High School (SHS) in Ghana, chances are gari saved you at some point. Gari soakings after prep, late nights with textbooks, or days...

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Finding Home in Kojokrom

When the site postings were released, I was both nervous and excited to see where I would serve. The name Kojokrom sounded simple yet unfamiliar. On deployment day,...

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When Good Intentions Miss the Mark

Over the past weeks, I have found myself reflecting deeply on my work in the community where I serve. What started as a simple effort to strengthen engagement...

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The Women Surveyors of Abudi

They had their pencils, pens, markers, sticky notes, and papers ready, prepared to survey the land with layered precision. Prior to this day, during my mission briefing to...

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Beyond The Approaches

You can know all the CorpsAfrica development approaches; ABCD, HCD, CLD, but without effective facilitation, none of them will truly work. Knowledge alone isn’t enough; how you guide...

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A Needle, a Thread, and an Unexpected Purpose

Can I Tell You a Story? Growing up, I was that young girl who adored fashion; always curious, always sketching, always wanting to learn more. I didn’t know...

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Finding Family Under the Tharaka Sky

25th September 2025 marked the beginning of a beautiful journey; a new life in Tharaka-Nithi, located many kilometers from the capital city. This not only marked a new...

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How Simple Gutters Can Transform Water Security in Our Communities

Water is life, but in many rural communities, it is also a daily struggle. As climate change alters rainfall patterns and seasons become less predictable, every drop counts...

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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...

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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,...

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‎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...

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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...

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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...

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Volunteering at the Heart of Redefinition

Ever since I saw the banner by the road side in caps written “WELCOME TO BARINGO” I have been cornered by a repetitive thought of what actually is...

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From Ghana to Kenya: A Journey of Service, Learning, and Adaptation

Having served in Ghana as a volunteer, my journey began with a six-week intensive pre-service training that prepared me to facilitate community development using Community-Led Development (CLD), Asset-Based...

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From Fear to Family: Building Bonds through CorpsAfrica/Kenya

Since time immemorial, I’ve known I wanted to work with marginalized populations. Growing up in one, I understood early on that this wasn’t just a career choice it...

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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...

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From Stranger to Sister: My 7-Week Journey of Belonging as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer

Seven weeks ago, I arrived in my host community full of excitement, curiosity, and a touch of nervousness. I didn’t know the routines, and every face was new....

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Rural Youth, Real Potential: Reflections on African Youth Month.

Every November Africa celebrates its most dynamic resource, its young people. But as we mark African Youth Month, I can’t help but reflect on what it truly means...

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CorpsAfrica/Malawi Human Centered Design Training

CorpsAfrica/Malawi Human-Centered Design training. Produced by Volunteer Abdellah Azizi. February 2016. (06:22)

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More Than a Training: A Lesson That Prepared Me to Serve in the Rural Community

When I first heard that I would be working with a rural community in Machinga, Malawi my heart danced with excitement. I pictured warm smiles, shared meals, and...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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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...

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From a Heart for Service to a Life of Impact: My CorpsAfrica Journey

Before I joined CorpsAfrica/Maroc, volunteering had always been part of who I was. Since childhood, I loved social work and spent my free time helping local associations in...

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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...

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Heartwarming Integration

Written by CorpsAfrica/Maroc Volunteer Mr. Yassine El Akhdar As a CorpsAfrica Volunteer assigned to a novel destination, precisely to a village called Zaouiat Ahensal, in Azilal province, located...

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My Experience with CorpsAfrica/Maroc!

Written by CorpsAfrica/Maroc Volunteer Ms. Souad Laghssais I first experienced CorpsAfrica/Maroc through pre-service training, to know more about CorpsAfrica and its mission and to understand what exactly Volunteer...

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Move to Site!

Written by CorpsAfrica/Maroc Volunteer Ms. Hafsaa Ait Tabamoute The 10th of April was the day I moved to my site Tiwichi in M’Zouda commune, 75km from Marrakech city....

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Transforming Rural Life: Lessons from Community Mapping in Rwanda

Written by Mr. Essaid Meria, a Moroccan Exchange Volunteer who served with CorpsAfrica/Rwanda. Strategies and programs aimed at achieving meaningful change in rural communities are often advocated by...

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From Degrees to the Ground: How One Comment Changed Everything

Souad has always been passionate about the environment. She studied ecology, earned several academic degrees, and spoke at conferences and events about climate and sustainability. But deep inside,...

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Leadership Camp

The leadership camp we organized in Tadart was a far-fetched gathering of all high school students of the Azzaden Valley. Throughout the four days of the camp, participants...

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The Mountain’s Echo: The Voice of Amazigh Women

“The Mountain’s Echo: The Voice of Amazigh Women,” a beautiful video produced by Volunteer Soufian Aaraichi in tribute to the women of his site for International Women’s Day....

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My Integration in the Province of Tata

Written by CorpsAfrica/Maroc Volunteer Ms. Cecile Niyimenya (a Rwandan Exchange Volunteer serving in Morocco) It all started when I knew that I was deployed to Tata. I was...

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Becoming Part of the Community

Before joining CorpsAfrica, I used to believe it took months, sometimes even years, to feel comfortable in a new environment. Many of my friends felt the same way....

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Starting Small, Growing Strong

My journey with CorpsAfrica Rwanda started on May 15, 2025, when I submitted my application to become a volunteer. I didn’t know what the future held, but I...

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Alphonsine’s Story of Transformation: From Dependency to Dignity Through Volunteer- Led Support

Before the Intervention: Financial Dependence Alphonsine Nyinawumuntu, from Kigarama Village in Bukomeye Cell, lived in complete financial dependence on her husband. With no capital, business skills, or income-generating...

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Finding Purpose in Service

In the past, I often felt frustrated when I saw people living in poverty and saying that their struggles came simply because they had no money. I used...

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Unforgettable Moments with My Little Friends Benigne and Hervin

As I reflect on my time with my host children, Benigne and Hervin, my heart fills with joy and warmth. From the very first moment we met, it...

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Stepping into the Unknown

For as long as I can remember, I carried a quiet passion for helping others. Volunteering felt like a dream tucked away in the corners of my heart,...

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My Lifetime Lessons with CorpsAfrica

In February 2023, I made a decision that would change the course of my life. Motivated by a strong desire to give back to my community especially after...

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Growing Dreams, Empowering Futures

During my time as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer in Ethiopia, I watched rural youth transform before my eyes. Their energy, ideas, and determination had the power to shift entire...

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Hearts That Connect, Hands That Teach

My name is Marguerite Umutesi, a CorpsAfrica Volunteer serving in Musanze District, Kinigi Sector, Nyonirima Cell, Kanyampereri Village. My journey as a volunteer has been filled with meaningful...

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The Power of a Smile

During my service with CorpsAfrica in Rwanda, I’ve come to learn that impact often hides in the simplest exchanges, like a smile. Not all smiles come easily. Some...

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Women and Local Crafts in Baba Garage

Written by CorpsAfrica/Senegal Volunteer Mr. Boubacar Diallo Baba Garage is located in the Diourbel region in central Senegal, 120 km east of Dakar and in the department of...

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The Beginning of My Real Transformation

Written by CorpsAfrica/Senegal Volunteer Mr. Ousmane Kane It all started on August 9, 2022, when I dropped my suitcase at CorpsAfrica/Senegal with a conscience and a behavior to...

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Spirituality and Development: You Want to Find Yourself, Come and Get Lost in Ndem

Written by CorpsAfrica/Senegal Volunteer Mr. Assane Seck Lost in the middle of nowhere, between the arid climate of western Senegal, through a red and dusty clay road, 11km...

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All for the Environment: No More Plastic Waste in Our Communities

Written by CorpsAfrica/Senegal Volunteer Mr. Hameth Ndoye The April 15, 2015, Global Service Youth Day, we organized a day activity of collecting plastic waste surrounding Cabrousse, my site....

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Honoring Our Mental Health: Slowing Down to Serve Better

October 10 is World Mental Health Day, and as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer, it’s got me thinking a lot about something we don’t often talk about enough in service...

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The Power of Volunteering: Working Together to Build a Better World

As an economist-in-training focused on rural areas and a development actor, I am deeply committed to rural development, sustainable agriculture, proper management of natural resources, and environmental protection....

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Learning from failure is worth it

Yes, you heard me right: you have to learn to fail! Don’t ask me where I heard that phrase – I can’t remember. But what I am certain...

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From Extreme to Extreme; I have met Teranga in People

When I boarded my flight from Rwanda to Senegal, I was filled with excitement, anticipation, and a thousand questions. What would it feel like to leave the land...

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Today, we harvested the salad. Tomorrow, we will reap the rewards of collective awareness

Agriculture, in its most environmentally-friendly form, is today more than just a means of providing food. It embodies a way of reconnecting men to the earth, of cultivating...

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“I Have Done This Before” — The Danger of Complacency and the Power of Discovery

There is a certain comfort that comes with familiarity. Having served as a CorpsAfrica volunteer in my home country, Ghana, I thought I had it all figured out...

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South Africa Volunteer Stories coming soon!

Giving back to University Students

The CorpsAfrica/Uganda Alumni Association organized career development workshops at three universities, reaching over 300 students. These were from Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), Kyambogo University, and...

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From Land Disputes to Leadership

How I came from land disputes to leadership is a story worth telling from my service. When I first arrived in Keur Bamba Thiam- medina sabakh Senegal, I...

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The Reality of Impact: Martin Twesigye’s Volunteer Journey

With a background in nutrition and livelihoods, Martin Twesigye had already witnessed the power of community-led development. But he desired to work even more closely at the grassroots...

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Youth Engage-From Global to Local Development Actions

In the rural community of Musanze in Rwanda, social entrepreneur Adrien Manishimwe runs a growing ICT and financial enterprise- MTC Limited. The business is serving over 10,000 people....

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Home Is Where Your Loved Ones Are: My CorpsAfrica Journey

In my culture, there’s a saying: “Where your heart is, is where your feet go.” But over the past two years, I have learned another truth. Home is...

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Youth, Ubuntu and the Future of Africa

Visualize five days in Nairobi- “the Capital of Africa”. On top of that, imagine being surrounded by over 1000+ youth from over 11 African countries across the continent,...

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The Ripple Impact of my Volunteering

In every community, there are unsung heroes who serve to make a difference in the lives of others. Volunteers like me play a crucial role in driving change...

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From A Banker to CorpsAfrica/Uganda Volunteer On An Island

Buyiga Island, a wetland on Lake Victoria in Mpigi district was a world far away from a place I could call home to stay in. All you could...

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When Women Help Women

This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the incredible work of our female Volunteers among women and girls in the local communities. Like Kasia Gospos says, “Amazing things happen...

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Transformation is a continous journey

Transformation is a continous journey. “Why am I doing this again?” This is a question I asked myself a lot towards the end of my service in Uganda...

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