Humanity Redefined

We belong in a bundle of life. We say, 'a person is a person through other people.' It is not 'I think therefore I am' [but rather] 'I am human because I belong." I participate, I share.

–Archbishop Desmond Tutu (WOWO, 74)

Cogito ergo sum has always appealed to me in such a meaningful way until I read the narratives from South Africa and Zimbabwe. The narratives demonstrate in surprisingly great detail the significance of the sense of belonging in a community, in a culture, in a circle.

In South Africa, these ideas of unity and participation are seen from the start of the narrative. The story begins with a portrayal of a carnival. It tells of the different characters there are in a carnival and how each character plays a specific role. “It’s a carnival! There are giant puppets, clowns, jugglers, and mimes running willy-nilly all over the park in brilliant splashes of orange, yellow, green, blue and pink, teasing children and tossing balloons, bowling pins, flags, and flowers. Dancers and singer and theater troupes are warming up in different corners of the park, readying themselves for their performances. A children’s choir warms up… A percussion ensemble lays out their djembes… People are scattered everywhere… Lovers stretch out… Old women sit on a bench… Toddlers tumble off swings… Photographers carry sandwich-board signs displaying portraits (75-76). While every personality has a designated purpose at the scene, their roles itself brings the group into a whole functioning unit. Participation is clearly depicted and the idea of belonging is well conveyed. “’We operate from the fact that I am because you are,” she reflects. ‘You’ve got to be okay for me to be okay. Together we can make it’”(92). This daily mantra people of Johannesburg live by also illustrates the meaning of togetherness and sharing. It tells so much of the care and love which people are innate of.

An illustration of the idea of belonging in Zimbabwe is especially observed at Kufunda. “I slept well if you slept well (103)… Being at Kufunda has taught me a lot about who I am now and how I can help others. I’ve come to realize that what we must do is share. We know that we have everything we need; we just have to take the time to discover it” (105). In Zimbabwe, it’s more than just belonging and sharing. The people in the circle participate and share in the hopes to inspire and be inspired from their co-members. They make use of their circle to let each one grow and be the best of themselves. What makes them human is their natural urge to help their neighbors discover themselves. Their goal is to better themselves – and that makes belonging more meaningful.

In TaxAid, I think the mission alone of reaching out to people and helping them by simply filing their taxes relates back to the quote itself. Both the participation of the volunteers and clients give meaning to these ideas of belonging and sharing. Although the community TaxAid is able to offer is not a lasting circle, the extended services of the volunteers as well as of the professionals creates a sense of belonging for the clients. We make sure that, although a connection might be difficult to draw on the site, no client feels left out for any reason. Both parties benefit in belonging to a circle as the cultures of South Africa and Zimbabwe have portrayed and this is true in TaxAid. Our clients benefit from us from our services and help to them and the volunteers also benefit by learning and experiencing through participation.

There are a couple of challenges and gifts narrated throughout the stories of South Africa and Zimbabwe, from dealing with HIV/AIDS, struggling with poverty, working with the conflicts challenging systems bring in to learning to deal with the hardships life hands at them – resilience. From my interview with Bahia Vista, I have discovered a lot of things that relate back to these challenges and gifts presented in the narratives. Bahia Vista, in my own perception of their organization from the interview I conducted with one of their leaders, is generally successful in implementing their mission – that is to provide academic services (and sometimes, non-academic) especially to unprivileged children in the Canal and their families. However, similar to many organizations, Bahia Vista experiences gaps and bridges barriers that hold them back from operating their community – “a lack of funding for more staff in the after-school program,” “there’s a cultural challenge and negative communication.” Certainly, the problems narrated in the stories may seem more severe, but the idea of resilience has also been adapted in the organization. 

Kate Bolfango