World Humanitarian Day is an important day to recognise all those who give their time to help humanity as well as emphasising the need for everyone to contribute their time in helping others Photo Event of the day
South Africa – In a world filled with turmoil and challenges, the essence of humanity lies in our ability to care for one another. World Humanitarian Day, celebrated on August 19th, serves as a poignant reminder of this fundamental principle. Beyond the realm of financial aid and food distribution, true humanitarianism encompasses a wide array of initiatives aimed at fostering positive change in society.
The theme of World Humanitarian Day 2023 was #NoMatterWhat. One of the many organisations who fit that theme is Penny Appeal South Africa. It stands as a shining example of an organisation dedicated to humanitarian causes. Their involvement in serving humanity is driven by a dual inspiration – a divine calling and the lives they touch, explained Shahnaaz Paruk, CEO at Penny Appeal South Africa.
“For me, it’s that divine inspiration. Our faith [Islam], like most other faiths, there’s a strong belief that our Creator commands us to love for your brother or sister what you love for yourself. To do good unto others. That undoubtedly becomes the first inspiration. We all know that the reward is tenfold in terms of being able to give off your charity, being able to help others. Even if it’s not of monetary value. Being good to other people, assisting people wherever possible.”
For Paruk, being able to see the good her work and others have done for communities is more than enough inspiration for her to carry on.
“When we go into the field and interact, when we see the success stories and see how people’s health, lives have been changed, transformed, undoubtedly that becomes a source of inspiration. You draw a lot of inspiration from that.”
Becoming a humanitarian and keeping faith
After completing matric, Paruk knew she wanted to do something in social work and while she was accepted for it, she went on to do media and communication. However, even picking that career path led her to being in the position she is in now. In the end, her need to serve humanity was so great that it always brought her back to social work.
“What drew me to the sector also is being able to actively change things, being able to actively go on to create projects to create meaningful change. Not really do it as a by the way thing but actually spearhead it and drive it forcefully for the greater good.”
Despite the noble intentions and impactful projects, humanitarian work is not without its challenges. The sector can become noisy and overwhelming, making it easy to lose sight of the ultimate goal. The sheer scale of need in the world can be demotivating, but Paruk finds solace in celebrating small victories.
“Sometimes it can become very overwhelming, and you can feel very helpless. You’re not reaching enough people and you can’t see the breakthroughs happening, but I think the idea that you see the small changes …you celebrate the small wins. The little things that happen, the small steps that make things better that help people whether it’s awarding a bursary, whether it’s a child who has received their school shoes, whether it’s a mom who’s received a new home, whether it’s Syrian refugees that have been provided with meals. It’s those things that keep you going, that renew that intention and renew that burning desire to want to help those most in need.”
Passing down knowledge to help humanity
While there are many organisations, big and small that help communities through monetary ways, there are those like Reveille Skills Development Center that do things a little differently. Originally oriented towards environmental concerns within the community, it later shifted gears to address a more pressing issue – the development of crucial skills among disadvantaged youth. This shift was driven by a stark reality: rising unemployment rates, increasing school dropouts, and a growing sense of hopelessness among young people, explained Greg Boas, Riverlea Skills Development Centre Office Manager.
The core mission of Riverlea Skills Development Center focuses on empowering young minds and enhancing the community’s overall well-being. They’ve ventured beyond merely imparting skills. They’ve instilled a sense of social responsibility, igniting hope in a poverty-stricken community.
“Where we are today it’s actually awesome because we’ve now actually ventured into a much more critical aspect which is looking at not just the young people as well but also our social responsibility to our community. What else is there that we can do to uplift and to also change the mindset of our people especially when it comes to the identity of being a poverty-stricken community per se. We are here to say what changes can we bring, what difference can we make in order to ensure that we as an organisation are playing our part in that role within our community positively.”
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A glimpse into daily challenges
Boas is deeply embedded within the community and faces daily challenges that reveal the vulnerability of the community. These challenges encompass poverty, unemployment, a lack of opportunities, and an overwhelming sense of despair. Witnessing these struggles firsthand can be heartbreaking, yet it fuels the determination to make a difference.
“As a skills Development Center we had to do a mindset change and not just focus on providing a skill to individuals but also looking at opportunities to create a platform. Where they either engage in a learnership, engage in a job opportunity and that is where we are at. To date we’ve had some level of success coming out of it. That for us is an encouragement. That for us is the drive for us to get up in the morning and to go and do much better. At the end of the day if there is no hope within your environment, where does it leave our communities? I don’t want to look back in one year’s time and look at myself as a failure but at least if I’ve changed a few lives, that for us is what guarantees our success.”
The personal inspiration to become a humanitarian
Boas’ personal motivation as a humanitarian stems from his desire to offer young people the opportunities he didn’t have. He envisions a world where every individual, regardless of their background, can access the opportunities that today’s youth enjoy. Even if he changes just one life each month, it’s a step toward this vision.
“I look at today’s young people. We never had the opportunities that they’re having today. We were never exposed to this. When I finished school, I couldn’t go to varsity. I always said I want our generation, even my own kids, to be able to enter into this sphere. To enter into this notion of having the opportunities that are being provided.”
The heart-wrenching moments
Amid the achievements, humanitarians often find themselves face to face with heart-wrenching moments that reinforce the urgency of their work. For Paruk there have been a few, especially when it comes to visiting Syrian refugee camps. However, her most heart-wrenching moment came during a visit to an informal settlement in South Africa where the team encountered a family living in dire conditions.
“There was a family that lived in a small camp but in an informal settlement type of area. A very small place of dwelling where there were five children and none of these children were in school. All of these children were now being sent to madrassah become here to become Hufaz (one who memorises the Quraan by heart). We were speaking to them, and I was speaking to one of the little girls outside who reminded me a lot of my niece. I spoke to her, and we were playing a bit and so I said to her have you eaten today, what did you eat today, and she said to me I had bread. I said oh lovely. Bread and? That’s when that autopilot mode, us continuing a conversation as we would with anybody else not realising the response that came back was no it was just bread. For that moment in time, I literally froze because it tugged at my heartstrings.”
The stark reality hit hard – these children were content with so little. The innocence of the girl, giving such an answer with a smile on her face, broke Paruk who could not contain her tears. It served as a stark reminder of the inequalities that persist and the urgent need for assistance.
On the other side, while Riverlea Skills Development Center is making strides, they face challenges like the recent Zama Zama issue and the persistent spectre of gang violence. These issues deeply sadden the team and Boas as they witness the impact on their community. Nevertheless, they are determined to transform the perception of their area from one of fear to one of safety and hope.
“As much as people tend to focus on the Zama Zama issue, what about our gangsterism? What about our young people that are dying? It really saddens us to see this impact it has in our community. For me, when I look at where Reveille was 10 to 20 years ago, it’s not in that state right
Now. We are saying, what can we do to change that perception, to change that notion that people can freely come and visit our areas without having to have this fear factor within them.”
Despite the challenges, humanitarians like those at Penny Appeal South Africa and Reveille, amongst many others, continue to inspire change, one small victory at a time. Their work embodies the true spirit of humanitarianism, making a tangible difference in the lives of those they touch. As we reflect on their work, let us remember the importance of compassion and the impact that even the smallest acts of kindness can have on those in need.
