Solidarity Helping Hand aim to set new world record

Solidarity Helping Hand aims to set a new world record for most online questionnaire entries submitted in a time of 12 hours.

The aim of the questionnaire is to engage in a nationwide research among Afrikaans communities to determine what their needs are to strengthen self-sufficient communities.

The current world record was set in Taipei in Taiwan in 2020 when 8 032 participants completed a questionnaire.

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Solidarity Helping Hand’s ultimate goal is to better the record on Wednesday, August 25, with the hope that 8 500 people join in the attempt.

Helping Hand’s head office in Centurion will hold a fun day at the Sol-Tech campus on Wednesday and wants to challenge the staff of all the institutions within the Solidarity movement to take 10 minutes to read the community questionnaire online.

For each form completed on that day, R10 will be donated to the Helping Hand Study Trust (HHST) which gives needy students the opportunity to continue their studies.

Executive director Hannes Noëth explained that one of the first steps in community work is to do research to address the needs, available resources and determine strengths and challenges in a community.

“We have been doing community analysis and research in our various regions for some time.

“The purpose of this research is to improve the strengths, available resources, challenges, and determine the need for training, information and support,” he said.

“Global research has shown that random projects done without proper research on the needs of the specific community are extremely unproductive, meaningless and resource-wasting.

“This survey is the first step to get the communities involved and see how these communities can be united, as well as through programmes and activities. We know how important it is to be in the right place, at the right time to make a difference.

“This community questionnaire will help us tremendously to make a difference where it really matters. Handing out food may alleviate the immediate, daily distress, but it is not sustainable for the future. We must therefore work together to unlock community power,” said Noëth.

The research will be made available to institutions that have a social responsibility towards its community, to enable them to evaluate and adapt their own actions to develop communities.

Centurion singer and Solidarity Helping Hand ambassador, Elmé Churr said that together people can create awareness of the need of the community.

“It does not happen every day where a community can join to break a world record. I am very excited about the attempt and want to encourage the community to stand as one for the welfare of our community,” she said.

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