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. An activist for economic justice and inclusion, I volunteer with several initiatives making a meaningful impact in these fields. One such initiative is Act for Senegal’s Rural Development (ADER/Sénégal), a non-profit organization founded by Master 2 students in rural economics and agricultural policy at Dakar’s Cheikh Anta Diop University (UCAD). I am a founding member and the current president of this association. Additionally, I contribute to programs such as the 313 Ambassadors for Peace and Citizenship Program and the Green Neighborhood Challenge, among others.

In this blog, I am excited to share my latest volunteering commitment: an adventure with CorpsAfrica/Senegal. Selected from among 1,706 applicants, I participated in a transformative 6-week Pre-Service Training (PST). On September 19, 2024, I officially became a CorpsAfrica/Senegal Volunteer for a year, taking an oath to honor my commitment to serve my country’s underprivileged communities.

It was with immense pride that I received my Volunteer stole as part of CorpsAfrica/Senegal’s “UBUNTU” Cohort 8, along with the national flag of Senegal. The ceremony was graced by Mr. Mamadou Sarr, former director of CorpsAfrica/Senegal, and a representative of the Minister of Youth, Sports, and Culture.

I was deployed to the village of Ndioum, in the commune of Ida Mouride, department of Koungheul, region of Kaffrine, for a 10-month mission as a CorpsAfrica ambassador.

I embarked on this mission with peace, goodwill, and commitment, grounded in values such as passion, self-sacrifice, responsibility, humility, community engagement, and rural development.

This transformative 40-day training tested us and equipped us to build more resilient and inclusive communities. Supported by an excellent team of facilitators, we acquired practical skills and innovative approaches in community development, including Human-Centered Design (HCD).

CorpsAfrica’s approach emphasizes lasting solutions and participatory, human-centered development led by local communities. During the training, we engaged in morning physical exercises, classroom sessions, team management exercises, and daily tasks in the training environment. This experience enhanced our flexibility, adaptability, resilience, empathy, leadership, and, most importantly, allowed us to discover a new version of ourselves—personally and professionally.

We attended sessions on civic-mindedness, discipline, citizenship, first aid, transformational leadership, psychological safety, public speaking, meeting facilitation, positive deviance, and development project management and evaluation, among others. The 10-day Community-Based Training (CBT) in villages allowed us to apply our learning in real community immersion experiences, highlighting the richness of CorpsAfrica’s PST and the valuable skills gained.

Volunteering is grounded in fundamental values that make it a noble and essential practice. Solidarity is at its core: Volunteers offer their time, skills, and energy without expecting financial compensation, demonstrating a genuine determination to help others and contribute to the common good. Such actions strengthen social bonds and promote a culture of mutual aid and kindness.

Volunteering also embodies citizen engagement. It enables individuals to actively contribute to the development of their communities, regions, or even the world. This commitment reflects a deep sense of responsibility, a desire for positive change, and provides meaningful engagement beyond individual interests, fostering mutual understanding, inclusion, and respect for cultural and social diversity.

Finally, volunteering fosters humility and selflessness. By serving others, Volunteers gain a sharper understanding of social realities and the challenges faced by the most vulnerable members of the community.

In essence, volunteering conveys humanitarian and universal values that strengthen social cohesion, solidarity, and the pursuit of a more equitable and just world. Asset-Based and Community-Led Development (ABCLD), CorpsAfrica’s approach to community development volunteering—rooted in the HCD framework—is essential for the sustainable transformation of rural African communities.

CorpsAfrica’s impact on volunteerism is crucial for promoting aware, competent youth and sustainable development in Africa. It serves as a wake-up call, training youth to uphold pan-African values, foster unity, and showcase the skills and capacities of rural African communities within a participatory development framework.

Policies that support citizen participation in volunteering initiatives strengthen the social fabric and solidarity of communities. We thus appeal to Senegalese public authorities and development actors, both national and international: strong institutional support is vital to cultivate a culture of engagement, ensure the sustainability of volunteering initiatives, and maximize their societal impact. These efforts hold immense potential to transform the volunteering landscape while reinforcing community bonds and resilience.