Food has always been more than nourishment. It carries history, culture, identity, and community. Across Africa, CorpsAfrica Volunteers live and work alongside communities, learning firsthand that some of the most meaningful connections are built around shared meals and local traditions. For Volunteers, food is deeply connected to opportunity, belonging, and sustainable development.
As you explore these recipes from across the continent, we invite you to discover the stories behind them and the communities making change happen from within.
Malawi: Mandazi (East African Fried "Donuts")
What if a simple batch of donuts could completely change how young people think about opportunity? In Singwa, Malawi, a CorpsAfrica Volunteer worked with the Titukulane Youth Group to challenge a common belief that starting a business requires large amounts of money.
Together, 17 young women launched a small mandasi (donut) business using just modest startup capital and quickly turned their first batch into meaningful profit.
Recipe:
Inspired by the youth entrepreneurship project in Singwa.
Ingredients
- 2 to 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cardamom or nutmeg (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- Vegetable oil for frying
Directions
- Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and spices in a bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk milk, egg, and melted butter.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients to form soft dough.
- Let dough rest for about 20 to 30 minutes.
- Roll dough and cut into small circles, squares, or triangles.
- Heat oil and fry until golden brown, turning occasionally.
- Remove, cool slightly, and serve warm.
Ghana: Ghanaian-Style Tofu Suya Kebab
In Kpalikori, Ghana, a CorpsAfrica Volunteer worked alongside women and caregivers who wanted to better use a powerful local resource already available to them: soya beans.
Through hands-on food training, community members learned how soya could improve household nutrition while also creating opportunities for income generation through locally made food products.
Recipe:
Inspired by Ghana’s popular chinchinga street food and the soybean training held in Kpalikori.
Prep
Wrap tofu in paper towels and place it in a tofu press or between a heavy object (such as a cutting board) for 15–20 minutes to remove excess moisture.
Ingredients
- 1 block extra-firm tofu, cubed
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons suya spice (or kebab seasoning)
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 bouillon cube
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Bell peppers and onions for skewers
Directions
- In a bowl, combine tofu with tomato paste, ginger, garlic, bouillon cube, paprika, and onion powder. Mix well and marinate for 30 to 60 minutes.
- Heat a pan over medium heat and pan-fry the tofu for 6 to 8 minutes, until lightly golden.
- Thread the cooked tofu onto skewers, alternating with bell peppers and onions.
- In a small bowl, mix suya spice with peanut oil to form a light paste, then brush generously over the skewers.
- Grill or bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, until lightly charred and fragrant.
Senegal: Salade Côte Cap Vert (Senegalese Garden Salad)
In Senegal, a CorpsAfrica Volunteer partnered with a community to create a school garden focused on agroecology, sustainability, and environmental education.
After weeks of collective work, the community celebrated its first harvest: fresh vegetables grown through patience, teamwork, and a shared commitment to caring for the land.
Recipe:
Inspired by the community’s first harvest and the fresh produce grown in the school garden.
Ingredients
- 3 cups leafy greens (lettuce, spinach, or watercress)
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
Simple Vinaigrette
- 1/2 cup olive or salad oil
- 1/4 cup vinegar (white wine or tarragon)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried herbs (parsley, thyme, or chives)
- 1 tablespoon honey (optional)
Instructions
- Wash and roughly chop the greens. Place in a serving bowl or plate.
- Sprinkle chopped hard-boiled eggs evenly over the greens.
- Mix all vinaigrette ingredients in a jar and shake until well combined.
- Drizzle lightly over the salad just before serving, or serve on the side.