Malawi

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Stories from Malawi

Every Peace Corps Volunteer has a story to tell about their service. Read stories from Volunteers about what it's like to live and serve in Malawi, the Warm Heart of Africa.

61-80 of 126 results
An older female Volunteer teaches a older Malawian female how to ride a bike
I am sitting at my brand new table, hand-made by the local carpenter in front of my living room window overlooking a sea of jungle green that grows between my front porch and the tarmac.
Peace Corps Malawi Volunteer running to hug her host mother

I stare at the smoking mbaula with complete frustration. My watch beeps, signifying that, yes, 9am is here and, yes, I have tried to meticulously light this fire for the past hour. All I want are eggs for breakfast, but it seems like I will be drinking my coffee with charcoal smoke and an empty stomach.

Two Malawian women wash clothes at a borehole
I don’t think a place on earth exists where people don’t talk about water.
VIDEO: Highlighting home in Malawi
A group of teachers in Malawi hold hands in a line as they do a team building activity outside
I was exhausted as I prepared for my journey to a refugee camp in central Malawi in order to train teachers on teamwork and collaboration.
A teacher in Malawi teaches young children in a small classroom

I feel like my personality changes a bit when I speak in Chichewa and others have told me similar things about their own experiences speaking other languages. I make an attempt to speak in the way those around me speak and, in that way, integration and adapting to the environment around me becomes easier. Of course, I can never be Malawian. But I can try my best to understand, as an outsider, to fit in and become a member of the village and part of the extended family of community.

Looking on at some zebra at the wildlife reserve where I was posted for my Peace Corps service.

My transition from Peace Corps to Peace Corps Response felt natural.

Storm clouds accumulate over a grey Lake Malawi
It has been stifling hot for days. The kind of hot where you can’t tell where your skin ends and the hot dusty air begins.
A white, female Volunteer sits smiling with two Malawian women on a sofa chair.
It’s been a rough week, but this afternoon I decided to try and find my friend Agnes’ house to talk about some projects we are working on. I had only been there once, and her phone wasn’t working, so I set off walking in the general direction and hoped for the best.
A Malawian woman sews up a hole in a green mosquito net.
Did you know that in Malawi, malaria is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality for children under five? Our Stomp Team is here to help put an end to that! Watch out video to learn what Stomp is, and how it's helping community members and Volunteers who want to put a stop to malaria in their areas.
Peace Corps Malawi's Volunteer Support Assistant, Paul, smiles at the camera wearing a beige and green shirt.
Learning a new language can be very difficult but Peace Corps Volunteers in Malawi know it's worth working towards. Language skills can help Volunteers make friends, complete projects, and integrate into their communities. Hear what our Volunteer Support Assistant and former Education Volunteer, Paul, has to say about learning a new language in Peace Corps.
Volunteer Anna hands out bed nets to a line of Malawians.

I spent the majority of my two-year Peace Corps service in Uganda fighting the spread of malaria. After finishing my service, I knew I had started a mission that I wasn’t done with yet.

Volunteer Katlyn smiles at the camera while sitting on a brick porch with her smiling Malawian friend Katherine.
Everything looked so familiar, yet there were subtle differences; a house that was now painted blue, the new brick fence, the church that had recently been cemented.
An older male Volunteer smiles at the camera while standing under a banana tree.

Peace Corps Volunteers all over the world strive to learn the local languages in the host countries in order to earn the friendship and respect of their community members. Learning a new language is hard, and there are many mistakes to be made along the way. This doesn't deter Peace Corps Malawi Volunteers; they dare to try...and look what happens! By learning the local language, our Environment Volunteers increase communication between themselves and their neighbors--leading to better team work.

Peace Corps Volunteers all over the world strive to learn the local languages in the host countries in order to earn the friendship and respect of their community members. Learning a new language is hard, and there are many mistakes to be made along the way. This doesn't deter Peace Corps Malawi Volunteers; they dare to try...and look what happens! By learning the local language, our Environment Volunteers increase communication between themselves and their neighbors--leading to better team work.

Peace Corps Volunteers all over the world strive to learn the local languages in the host countries in order to earn the friendship and respect of their community members. Learning a new language is hard, and there are many mistakes to be made along the way. This doesn't deter Peace Corps Malawi Volunteers; they dare to try...and look what happens! By learning the local language, our Environment Volunteers increase communication between themselves and their neighbors--leading to better team work.

The weather is blissful today. 

Volunteer Zack teaches young students about HIV

In our "I Am Peace Corps Malawi" video series, we introduce you to the individuals who are working in the field here in The Warm Heart of Africa. Tune in each month to meet a current or former Volunteer and hear about their projects, what they love about Malawi, and what makes their service unique.

Peace Corps Malawi Volunteer running to hug her host mother
Ever wonder what our Volunteers wish they could tell you about Malawi? Watch our video to find out what they would say!
Peace Corps Volunteers help Feed the Future

Imagine a world without hunger...

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