“When a young girl in my Ghanaian community refused to join in a simple math game because she said she was ‘dumb’, my heart sank,” said Bellama Gado, from the other end of the call. Nostalgia starkly wove into her voice as we sat down to talk about her inspiration to volunteer at CorpsAfrica and her expectations in her placement, thousands of kilometers away from the shores of West Africa.
“Her friends agreed without hesitation, and I watched her shrink into herself,” she went on. “In that moment, I knew that if my service could help just one child believe in their potential, it would be worth everything,” she said, affirming her passion in pursuit of mindset change in children and youth across Africa.
A graduate with a Bachelor of Public Health (Nutrition) from the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) in Ghana, Gado started her career working as a research assistant, but “…I longed to live and work in a real community. Joining CorpsAfrica has been transformative. I’ve fallen deeply in love with working with children, especially those in deprived rural areas, and creating safe spaces where they feel heard.”
Among the latest cohort of volunteers at CorpsAfrica, which offers the youth a chance to serve in the community and help bring transformative change, not just in their native home but across the continent, Miss Gado will volunteer in a Kenyan rural community, and confesses that the experience has been wholesome to say the least, from her arrival during the CorpsAfrica Conference in June.
“I’d heard stereotypes that some African countries weren’t as welcoming, but Kenya proved me wrong from the start,” she says, adding that the warmth and hospitality “…here more than make up for any inconveniences, even the surprising cold weather and food cooked without pepper, which I’ve learned to enjoy.”
Even as the African continent boasts the youngest population with a potential goldmine for the labor market, Miss Gado highlights that policies play a critical role in assuring success.
“In public health nutrition, for instance, policies look perfect on paper, but often fall apart at the grassroots. I saw this firsthand when a severely malnourished boy in my Ghanaian community was met with indifference, despite the urgency of his condition. That experience deepened my resolve to see how policies truly work in rural Kenya,” she says.
Moreover, Gado says her placement in Kenya provides a rare opportunity to learn and quell her agricultural curiosity. “Back home, Ghana relies heavily on wheat products but doesn’t grow the crop. In Kenya, I hope to learn not only about wheat production but also tea cultivation, knowledge I can carry back to Ghana to spark agricultural innovation.”
As her mission to influence mindset change gains momentum, Gado applauds her lessons from CorpsAfrica.
“Co-Africa taught me that true leadership begins with listening. I don’t walk into communities flaunting my qualifications; instead, I reason with people, helping them see challenges from a different perspective so they feel ownership over the solutions,” she says.
And as she advances, she admits that challenges are similar across the continent.
“Whether in Ghana or Kenya, I see similar struggles, teenage pregnancies, school dropouts, and young people without dreams. If we can ignite ambition in even a few, we can start breaking these cycles.”
Besides her enthusiasm to learn from her placement in the country, Gado observes that Kenya’s practices in climate change and sustainability issues are inspirational, saying, “Kenya’s commitment to tree planting and protecting indigenous species is inspiring. I’m eager to explore sustainable energy solutions like using cow dung briquettes, which could reduce deforestation while providing affordable fuel.”
As Bellama prepares for her official placement in a Kenyan rural community, she carries both curiosity and conviction. She hopes to immerse herself in local life, learning how grassroots realities shape or sometimes challenge the success of well-meaning policies.
Beyond her growth, she envisions returning to Ghana with fresh perspectives on agriculture, youth engagement, and community-led sustainability, building bridges between the two nations
“Service has taught me that change doesn’t always happen in grand gestures; sometimes, it begins with listening to one person’s story. If we, as Africans, can share our challenges and our solutions across borders, we can create a continent where no child is too shy to dream, and no community is left behind,” says Ballema Gado.
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