Blessings from the Fields: A Tale of Gratitude on World Gratitude Day

On the beautiful occasion of World Gratitude Day, let us gather around a heart-warming tale of gratitude that embodies the spirit of unity, compassion, and community.

Gogo Gumede. a farmer; she is a beacon of hope and a guardian of kindness in her community of Umkhumbini, KwaZulu-Natal. Thanda’s representative, spoke to gogo Gumede, to understand the impact of the Nisela Farming programme. Gogo Gumede said ” The children in the community come to the plot to pick off some of the produce and eat. We have told the children to do so, especially if they are hungry. This is not only our own food; we grow food to help the people in our community.”

Her words carried the weight of a community that looked out for one another. Gogo Gumede continued, “The Mkhumbi community has a lot of child-headed homes, the children are orphans and other households are just really poor. So we try to take care of each other here. As we are standing here, can you see all these houses? Not one single household has a mother, that house there, the mother recently passed away, and at that one there, it’s been years.”

She described the challenging circumstances the community faced, “There are households that have children as little as 12-year-old heading up their households. You don’t understand how much it breaks my heart to hear and see a 12-year-old worrying about putting food on their plate.”

Gogo Gumede then shared a poignant encounter, “I gave sugar beans to her and I asked, ‘What are you going to cook with the beans?’ The child responded, ‘I’ll ask gogo next door for some mealie meal.’ Oh, my heart broke! I just thought about how and why a 12-year-old is begging for food.” But amidst the hardship, Gogo Gumede’s spirit shone bright, undiminished. She explained, “So for me, that is what keeps me going and continuing with farming. I am motivated by my community’s situation and feeding my family. We believe in Ubuntu in this community – that is us in Umkhumbini.”

She went on to describe her daily acts of kindness, “In the mornings, I cook porridge and mix it with milk, and I send it to that lady; she is one of the orphans’ neighbours. The children come to her house every morning and have that porridge and also sometimes the food cooked from our plots. It’s all a blessing.”

Gogo Gumede expressed her heartfelt thanks, “Thanda is a blessing to us, and it is only right to help and bless our community too. I was born in this community; I’ve lived here for years and I even got married here. That is why I am so passionate about what I do and about my community. I am glad I have not left my community because I am able to make a difference, and I am doing this with the assistance of Thanda. So thank you!”

In gogo Gumede’s story, we find the essence of World Gratitude Day – a day to celebrate the power of kindness, community, and the profound impact that each of us can have when we extend our hands to help those in need. Her unwavering commitment to her community reminds us that gratitude is not just a feeling; it’s a powerful force that drives positive change in the world.

 

Source: Angela Larken from Thanda.

Read more on Thanda https://thanda.org

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