This week we look at putting the human back into rights, as we figure out how we begin to right the wrongs. The basic conditions in communities where millions and millions of our people are living is so shocking that it has become a subject that is rarely spoken about. It appears to be a case of out of sight – out of mind.
The lack of service delivery and social injustices are unfathomable, especially when you consider that it is 64 years since the days of the ‘dompas’, and we are still grappling with basic human rights.
In amongst the despair Danny shares a story of hope:
The conditions that people live in saddens me and I wonder if there is even a point to having a Human Rights Day holiday. I wonder what this even means … when we have so many people living in poverty.
Yet a glimmer of hope creeps through a crack in the chaos when I visit the heroes in our communities. These are the people that keep our nation standing and I am in awe of their courage and filled with gratitude.
On Wednesday we went to visit one of these community heroes, Elizabeth Malope at her Nyakallo Daycare Centre in DuNoon to introduce her to a new Ladles of Love benefactor.
The backstory is that out of the blue a young man called Iman Gadzhi reached out about ten days ago, and after a quick search we realised he is a massive social media influencer and a do-good Dollar millionaire, with over 4.5 million subscribers on his YouTube channel alone. After chatting to him online we could not believe our ears, when he generously offered to fund food to feed 100 children for one year at one of our ECD Centres.
We put together plans for his visit to Cape Town and he arrived with his team at our Warehouse on Wednesday, he explained his purpose and passion to help others less fortunate. Then he rolled up his sleeves to help pack and load food with our logistics team, before driving out with us to DuNoon to visit the ECD Centre we selected to be his beneficiary organisation.
We were greeted warmly at Nyakallo by Elizabeth who had arranged all the children to sing and dance beautifully to welcome us with joy, smiles, and high fives. We walked into the ‘house’ and visited each cramped little classroom before it was time to help serve lunch with the food we supply, which the kids polished off in no time at all. Then in a quieter moment, Elizabeth started sharing her extraordinary story with us. Listening to her, you cannot imagine how she and her husband plus foster children live in her tiny home and manage to create enough space to teach, feed and provide safety to 100 children every day.
Images: Elizabeth, Danny, Iman and his team at Elizabeth’s ECD called Nyakallo in Du Noon
Elizabeth’s face lit up as she shared her dream of how she would like to build an ECD so that she can take on more kids and create a place of shelter and learning. Iman was listening to her intently and when she finished, he looked at her and said: “I will build you a new ECD”. My hairs on my arms stood up and tears welled in my eyes as I watched Elizabeth stand silently, I and wondered whether Elizabeth realised the enormity of the promise. She eventually replied: “From now on Iman I will call you Inam, which means gift of God in my language”.
Iman, this unassuming kind-hearted young man’s face filled with a smile and as he hugged Elizabeth, I turned to wipe the tears from my eyes and in that moment, I was reminded of how powerful love can be. It reminds me that we are one and Ladles of Love has the power to bring people together, open incredible opportunities for giving and receiving, and most of all – provide a platform for human kindness that keeps hope alive.
With our gratitude and appreciation,
Danny & the entire team at Ladles of Love
