Small helping gestures can go a long way in making the world a better place to live in.
A simple citizen will sure be a superman in a person’s life if they lend a helping hand.
Helping an elderly woman who is struggling with unbearable luggage or carrying many plastic bags for her can make you a hero.
Those are fundamental morals and ethics we should be teaching to our children as they endeavor to shape their own lives.
The Tembisan set out on a hunt for a hero living next door. Do you know one?
Jamaal Nkuna is a hero in his small way.
The 22-year-old from next door is working for one of South Africa’s major cellphone networks doing ‘palletising’.
He said he loves his job but one day he wants to be an accountant and he is saving to further his studies.
“There’s a crippled old man who is often seen in the community pushing a trolley around collecting cans and bottles for recycling. He struggles with the trolley and whenever I see him coming back from collecting his consignments I feel it is my responsibility to help him push the trolley back to his house and I do just that. I lend a helping hand,” said Jamaal.
Jamaal said he also enjoys giving pep talks to teenagers of both sexes to encourage them to choose a righteous path in life.
“I encourage young boys not to smoke at a tender age because that could lead to the abuse of stronger drugs and eventually to crime. I tell young girls to study and that will ensure they don’t become dependent adults in their later relationships. I pick and use successful women neighbours as examples so that the teenagers can identify with what I am trying to teach them,” said Jamaal.
He said he also once helped a feeble sick old woman who was coming for consultation at Tskakane Clinic.
“I stood up to give her a seat. I then took her clinic card to the front desk and got her a file. She couldn’t go up and down. Out of my own free will I did that for her because I am still young,” he said.
“I once had a small talk with children living with HIV and encouraged them that this is not the end of their world. I told them they can live longer due to effective readily available HIV medications.”
Like Jamaal, you are also a hero in your own small way.
To share your story, contact Malebo Tseke or Jantji Ngwenyama at The Tembisan on 011 970 3030.
