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 never imagined how deeply I would come to love the community. After the integration stage I was no longer a visitor from Uganda or even Volunteer, I had become a family. My host family treated me as a son. The women ‘threatened’ to give me a wife and never let me to go back to Uganda. Their words were playful but reflected something deeper- connection, trust and commitment to my wellbeing.

During my service in Senegal, I worked closely with 53 women to identify projects that could improve their livelihood. The women chose two initiatives. These included a home gardening initiative as well as setting up a facility for food storage and value addition. Initially we leaned towards home gardening and were thrilled when the chief of the village offered a piece of land to do the activity. We prepared documents “land deliberation” needed by the government officials to give authorisation to use the land.

However, after two months of the agreement to utilise the land, we got a hiccup in our initiative. There was a disagreement in the chief’s family which hindered the use of the land for the project. The younger brother of the chief claimed that the land under use didn’t belong to the chief.  As a person, I was shocked for two months I have been coordinating the women to get the land ready yet everything seemed at a risk.

I had always received the chief and his brother as elders and close friends. I was confused. Was the chief of the village wrong for offering the land that is not his? A few women and I visited the village for clarity. He calmly explained that the “land belonged to the entire family not his brother as an individual. The chief added that he had the authority to give the land to the community for development initiatives. I got a great lesson to always seek both sides of the story. As a leader and Volunteer, I underscored the importance understanding issues before making judgements.

Considering the land issue, the women realised it was better to shift to another project that utilised less land. This would also reduce possibility of future conflicts. They proposed setting up a facility for value addition through food storage and processing. The women mobilised and raised 415,000 CFA approximately 745 USD in cash through the weekly savings. Their commitment reminded me that leadership was not about education or status but wisdom and determination.

I am so proud to share that the facility for food processing, value addition and storage was successfully implemented. The project is contributing to reduction of post-harvest losses and boosting food security. Moreover, women are empowered to take control of their development processes.

This experience has deepened my belief in the CorpsAfrica model, Community Led Development. It is not a theory but a way of life, a culture. Community members know what they know what they need and how to lead.

This is the heart of sustainable development. It is not just about projects but people rising with the dignity, unity and purpose to develop their local communities. I am honoured to be part of the journey.