Charity driven woman gives back
Surentha has had to overcome various challenges in her life, but leaning on God during her struggles has helped her overcome it.
The happiest people are not those receiving more, but those who are giving more. Bringing happiness to others has certainly been a blessing to founder of Being Helping Hands, Surentha Govender, who has been giving back to the community for the past 10 years.
Her journey with the organisation began when she decided to distribute Christmas hampers and conduct feedings in and around the community, with the help of her family and friends. The organisation was registered in 2018, due to the amazing response that they received from the community. There was no looking back since that fateful day. Surentha quit her permanent job after she felt it was her calling to assist others.
When asked to describe what work the organisation does, the Isipingo woman said, “We initiate feeding projects and conduct clothing drives. I am also actively involved with Cansa and many other organisations like the Place of Safety for Children and although BHH may not be there every day, we try to keep our initiatives running so that all our people and our projects are seen too without anyone being left out. We appeal to the community and other stores around for assistance in this regard. It is difficult and our sponsors are mainly working class, giving, caring and blessed people who just believe that making a difference is what they want to do. We don’t have major sponsors or stores that really come on board, we have knocked on doors, but Panjivans and Boxer partnered with us during the pandemic and we were truly grateful. Through social media individuals sponsor us generously so we were able to do more that 750 hampers as well as feeding every day. We are still feeding over 800 children and adults around Orient and Uganda. Chelsea Primary and Zarina Assan has also been a huge help to us by collecting mealie meal and clothing for our initiatives. Merlene Matthew from Jarefs Paints has also been on board BHH initiatives and has been a strong pillar with us for years.”
Surentha has had to overcome various challenges in her life, but leaning on God during her struggles has helped her overcome it.
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“I was once in a place where I did not have and I remember how it felt. Ever since I got out of that place, I believed that there is more to do, more to give and more to show other people. I have learned that people will judge you no matter how much you want to make a difference. We as a family have been judged and persecuted for our goodness on so many levels, but we have stuck together and we have never given up on BHH, we have not turned our back on people who are in need in our community and beyond,” she said.
During lockdown, the organisation has received the most sponsors and has done the most work.
“My message of hope to residents is pray and trust in God for the rest of our days, with the rate of the pandemic, there is nothing else or no other hope that we can actually cling too. Stay safe, be on guard and follow regulations, the only thing that you can do is the best that you can do,” she added.
She thanked her family, friends and all those who make her life wonderful, for all of their support.
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