During my first month in the community, I was scared as I knew nobody. However, within five months, I became the most confident person and got to know many people. I participated in many activities and became familiar with the entire community. I can confidently say that I have fully integrated. The love and support that I received and continue to receive from my community members since the day I arrived is something I deeply appreciate to this day. Their togetherness demonstrated the power of unity and provided me with the safest and most secure environment to work in.

Since I started volunteering with CorpsAfrica, I have seen a significant improvement in my skills and experience. I can now confidently take on any task that comes my way. Specifically, I have gained valuable experience in project management, community development, and communication skills, among others.

I worked on different initiatives with various groups of people during my integration period with my community. These included a reusable sanitary pad-making training program for women, a gender-based violence campaign, and a tree-planting activity with forest members and a primary school to restore the environment. All these experiences helped me grow professionally. As I embark on the process of project identification, design, and proposal writing, I am grateful for the support I am receiving from the community. The trust I have established with the community and the sense of security that comes with it are the key factors that will lead to success.

CorpsAfrica’s principles, which include Human-Centred Design (HCD), Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD), and Community-Led Development (CLD), have helped empower community members to collaboratively identify and solve problems. I have also realized that unity is strength, and working together towards common goals leads to great achievements. I now feel a sense of belonging.