Aaron Thornell

St. Francis Xavier University

Development Studies and History

Project location: Chilanga, Malawi

“This has been one of the most influential and tremendously intense experiences of my life…”

Facilitating Development of Praxis Malawi Community Campus

What was the initiative?

Aaron’s initiative centred around the Praxis Malawi Community Campus, a space developed in collaboration between groups from both the local community of Chilanga and Canadian undergraduate students and professors. By focusing on and fostering participatory, asset-based approaches, Aaron aimed to begin the development of a community radio station that would serve the immediate rural communities surround the campus. In addition to this, he helped facilitate and organize local soccer tournaments, as Aaron is a firm believer in the power of sport for development.

What was the community connection?

Between his third and fourth year at St. FX, Aaron had the opportunity to work with community members in Chilanga as part of a group of undergraduate students from a variety of different universities. While this experience was only five weeks long, he was able to put into perspective and practice many of the theoretical learnings from his Development Studies program. Aaron focused his efforts on the development of a soccer field for the community campus through collaborative efforts between local groups.

How was it innovative?

The community of Chilanga, like many in Malawi, has had several experiences with top-down, needs-based community development efforts, facilitated by local, national, and international actors. Aaron hoped to shift this paradigm with the approaches he and his community partners took towards asset-based, community-driven development, with the hopes that this would increase the sustainability and accessibility of various endeavors.

What is Aaron doing now?

Since the conclusion of the Pathy Foundation Fellowship, Aaron has had the opportunity to spend a great deal of time outdoors through a variety of seasonal jobs. He has become an avid supporter of volunteerism, and has gained valuable experience through opportunities in the fields of renewable energy infrastructure development, civic engagement, and immigrant services provision.