December Entry

Greetings from Vila Ulongwe, the small town in northwest Mozambique where I will be living and volunteering during my one-year internship with CRWRC.

I have joined a team of four Mozambicans who make up an organization known as Sankhanimoyo, meaning “Choose Life” in Chichewa, the local language. Together we are implementing a variety of projects related to HIV/AIDS prevention in the attempt to curtail the spread of HIV among youth and young adults in the region.

During my time here, I will be co-managing the projects with Rev. Venâncio Patreque, who has already dedicated several years to the program. As I settle in and work with him and the others involved in Sankhanimoyo’s outreach, I anticipate a steep learning curve in terms of culture, language, and the process of community development here in rural Mozambique. With the goal of mutual enrichment—the ideal backbone of any development agenda—I welcome the upcoming challenges and accomplishments.