I have never been to the hospital for the past 26 years of my life until November 2023. Let me take you into the past. I am someone who hardly falls sick but even when I do, I never visit the hospital. I remember while growing up, whenever I was seriously sick, I preferred not to take any medication.  In the worst-case scenario, I would resort to traditional medications rather than visiting a clinic or hospital. This behavior is so much a part of me to the extent that I don’t even see the need to visit the hospital when sick, or even need to go for regular medical check-ups. Sometimes I would rather battle illness naturally and intentionally not take any medication, just hoping to recover on my own.  

Fast forward to November 2023 when I was deployed into a rural community to serve as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer. Upon arrival, I was welcomed by developing itchy skin rashes just in the first week. During the second week, the rashes became worse, and I couldn’t sleep at night. Daytimes were manageable but always unbearable during the night. Even though CorpsAfrica provides health insurance for all their Volunteers, it still wasn’t enough to trigger me to visit the hospital. Then in the third week, the condition became critical, and I complained to my community partner and he gave me some medication but it didn’t help. Towards the end of the third week, it became unbearable, and I eventually had to resort to the hospital. I was attended to and given medications and started taking them. In no time, my condition started improving and eventually recovered. Since that day I developed the spirit of always wanting to visit the hospital even if it’s a small inconvenience I am feeling in my body. What I was overlooking is that the medication is something that will help my body fight diseases or illnesses. Aside from that, CorpsAfrica demands us to go for regular checkups as part of our responsibilities in the community. Due to this, the behavior of regular checkups is beginning to become a part of me. Due to CorpsAfrica’s health and safety policies, this behavioral change, in terms of taking my health and well-being seriously, has made a great impact on how I live my life now. Even if I don’t encounter any other personal growth for the rest of my journey as a CorpsAfrica Volunteer, this behavioral change is enough for me.