When Anna Mansfield moved from Idaho to a rural Malawian village to serve in the Peace Corps, she looked for ways to use her skills to benefit the grassroots work already happening in her community. 

In Malawi I live in Chitipa, the farthest northern district bordering both Tanzania and Zambia. 

My Peace Corps journey began in March 2013 when I left my home in Arkansas for the warm heart of Africa – Malawi.

“Will you help us?” That is the question that accompanies most of the conversations that I have every day, but as a decided idealist, I try my best to always say yes. Life in Malawi can be a challenge, but more often than not it is a rewarding country to live and work in. 

I was raised in a progressive household in a progressive country by progressive parents who fought to afford me the best opportunities possible. 

My abode sits in a little nook within the confines of my school’s campus, protected by tall walls made of brick and shaded by the canopy of fruit frees: mango, papaya, and banana. You can sprawl out on my front porch, close your eyes, and hear nearly everything.