Where lies our hope at the moment? The last two years have been challenging for civil society. The Covid-19 pandemic heightened the inequalities of South Africa and NPOs, as always, stepped in to offer a helping hand on the ground amidst a series of corruption reports and violent eruptions in KwaZulu-Natal. Individuals came together to do this while dealing with their own challenges within their organisations and their personal lives. To keep themselves going activists need to keep in touch with their vision for the wellbeing and prosperity of South Africans. However, in the context of South Africa at the moment, it feels as though the vision is becoming more and more out of reach.
There has been an overwhelming sense of exhaustion this second year of the pandemic (2021), within civil society and within the general public. And while we have been trying to keep going, we have been dealing with feelings of disappointment with our government, guilt and pressure because we are not able to meet all the needs of our beneficiaries and hopelessness in our state overall.
This podcast does not seek to provide solutions to the challenges that NPOs may have faced during the pandemic, but it seeks to reflect and acknowledge. We hope that this episode will help create some space for people to share honestly. We want to let civil society know that we see and value their hard work and that we understand that it has been difficult.
In this episode Mam Ruby Motaung, Executive Director of TREE (Training and Resources in Early Education), who experienced a whirlwind of challenges in the last two years shares her story and what helped her to have hope and to keep going forward.
Dr David Harrison is the CEO of DGMT and in 2020 he wrote a book entitled Harnessing the Thunder which he dedicated to those who work in civil society organisations, who mobilised to protect and support families in distress during the Covid-19 crisis.
In the chapter Human Spirits, David says: “The next few years will be tough. There will be new storms and thunderous rumblings of discontent. But if we listen carefully, we will discern them as millions of voices asking to be heard, looking for opportunity, seeking to be part of our common future. And no matter how dire the present, we always stand on the cusp of new opportunity for ourselves and for our nation. We should not feel threatened by the rumblings, but find ways to channel them into a more inclusive and innovative society. The problems may loom large, but they can be overcome if we are willing to think simply and radically. And at its most radical, a caring and creative spirit is all that is required to harness the thunder.”
In conversation with Mam Ruby, David shares his observations and insights to inspire us and give us hope in this Learning Lunch session.
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The Learning Lunch features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites. Click on the tabs above to read more about them and to select a podcast that you would like to listen to from the category.
Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A 30 minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instruction for a ±30-minute group reflection