Njongonkulu Ndungane: UBUNTU
It has been said many times that any meaningful attempt to eradicate poverty must involve the poor themselves.
The truth of this was once again brought home to me during the first round of national hearings on poverty, held in four remote villages in the Northern Province last week.
Many moving accounts emerged during the four days, for instance the story of 12-year-old Lawrence from Phalaborwa – an intelligent, gifted and sensitive boy. His lack of access to education has left him way behind his peers in his formal schooling.
Lawrence and his brother spent over a year living on a rubbish dump. In spite of their struggles, Lawrence always made sure that his younger brother had something to eat before he tried to satisfy his own hunger pangs.
Their desperate plight was alleviated when they were found by a good Samaritan woman, who took them home, bathed and fed them, and then placed them in the care of a shelter.
Lawrence’s story was typical of those that emerged at the hearing. What gives us hope for the future is his dream to become a social worker, so that he can help others.
The high attendance at each session – about 150 to 200 people – was an indication of the importance that those most severely affected by poverty have placed on the hearings.
I was deeply impressed by the dignity with which they spoke of their plight, and fervently hope this exercise will raise awareness of poverty.
The hearings were tiring not only because of the long travelling distances involved, but also because of the emotionally draining experience of coming face to face with the reality of poverty. The presence of so much destitution amid so much plenty left me with a deep sense of sadness.
I was particularly struck by the stories of those with disabilities. A woman in a wheelchair spoke emotionally of how she is perceived by her community as “a nuisance”.
This newspaper has highlighted some of the hardships caused by the suspension of disability grants in the Northern Province, and the organisers of the hearings will be seeking an early meeting with the premier to bring his attention to such cases.
However, not all was doom and gloom. I was impressed throughout by the resilience of the human spirit.
The determination of poor people to ensure their survival is humbling. Women, in particular, are at the forefront of this battle – perhaps because their motherly instincts give them a special edge in protecting their young.
I was reminded of the words of Leslie Newbigin, a one-time bishop of the Church of South India.
On returning to his homeland, England, after doing missionary work on the Asian sub-continent, he was asked what his greatest difficulty was in moving from India to England.
He replied: “The disappearance of hope. Even in the most squalid slums of Madras, there was always the belief that things could be improved. In England, by contrast, it is hard to find any such hope.”
I found this quality of hope among the poor in the Northern Province. It is the same hope that Christians experience as they move through the events from Good Friday to Easter Sunday.
It is a hope that knows that whatever darkness exists in the land, we can look with certainty towards new beginnings and new life.
In spite of the harrowing tales that I heard over these few days of the hearings – indeed, in many cases, because of them – I remain confident that poverty can be eradicated.
I am convinced that, given the proper direction, and encouraged by the determination of the poor themselves, the elimination of poverty is an achievable goal.
In the human rights and gender equality commissions, we have the vehicles to protect people’s rights, provided they are applied.
We have the resources to meet the needs of the poor, provided they have access to them and there is proper management by government officials.
As churches and other religious bodies, we have the human and material ability to build capacity and empower people, provided we have the will to do so.
The message, loud and clear, from those who came to the hearings is they are human beings created in the image of God with dignity and worth. We pray that God will give us the courage, the determination and the grace to create space for that dignity to blossom.