Kutlwano Magazine

Philanthropic cowboys

Source : Kutlwano

Author : Ndingililo Gaoswediwe

Location : Mahalapye

Event : Interview

They may be herd “boys” looking after stray livestock (matimela) and most probably living at the edge of life because of low wages but neither makes them mean nor indifferent. In fact, while many across the world associate philanthropy with the well heeled these “poor” herdsmen in collaboration with their supervisors seem to have subverted such conventional thinking.

For these “poor” herdsmen, it is all about taking cue from the poor widow in the Bible who, after dropping in two little copper coins worth about a penny in the offering box, Jesus said “she put more than all the others”.

“For others put in what they had to spare of their riches but she, poor as she is, put in all she had – she gave all she had to live on.”

Thus, despite relative poverty and having little or nothing to spare, these “poor” herds herdsmen from 23 matimela kraals across the Central District could not stand the debilitating emotion of sitting back and watching one of their kin wallow in abysmal poverty.

“Charity is for all despite being penniless,” they argue, noting that it only takes a benign heart to be philanthropic because such is not defined by giving large sums of money but any amount of money, property or work to needy persons.

Notwithstanding the low wages they earn and the many challenges they face to lead a respectable life, these matimela employees in partnership with their supervisors have embarked on a mission to make the world a better place for the less privileged.

For the past seven years they have been doing charity work and this month they managed to put a smile on Kaone Moepedi of Taupye village some 10km east of Mahalapye. They built her a spacious three roomed house, besides donating a blanket and two pregnant goats.

Coordinator of the organising committee, Peter Kobae, said each staff member contributed P100 while the committee embarked on intense fund raising activities, at the same time asking for donations from the business community.

At the end, P19 741 was raised while a few hardware shops donated building materials. “Ours was a short journey that required perseverance and determined ‘herds’ men and women, “ said chief matimela officer, Siyani Machuka after the team handed over the house to Moepedi.

Having been doing charity work for years, he said, this year the team aimed at elevating the standard of their donations to respond to President Lt Gen Seretse Khama Ian Khama’s housing appeal while at the same time driving towards living one of the Vision 2016 pillars of a compassionate, just and caring nation.

Regardless of the low wages, Machuka said some of the herdsmen spent days and nights camping in Taupye in order to speed up construction of the house, adding that none of them demanded subsistence allowance thereafter.

“We achieve all through the spirit of togetherness and devotion,” stressed Machuka.

Machuka advised Moepedi to give proper care to the goats that he said would multiply and serve as both a source of food and income.

He lamented that herding stray livestock is one of the least rated jobs despite individuals doing an income-generating job for the local government.

He said there are no incentives for such employees and their salaries remain stuck in one scale from the moment they are offered employment to retirement.

“Theirs is not a life one can be proud of because herdsmen’s lives are at risk because of exposure to dung dust within their areas of operations, “ stated Machuka.

For these herdsmen to continue doing charity work they need to be healthy, thus, Machuka stressed the need for quarterly checkups, empowerment with first aid skills and provision of first aid kits. Receiving the donations, Moepedi said, “ke leboga ka Psalm 133,” which reads, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity...”

One could read the happiness on her face as she explains to Kutlwano that she felt blessed amongst multitudes.

Moepedi, a 47-year-old mother of two boys and two girls, prayed that God rescue her from a mental disorder that doomed her future, plunging her into destitution unwillingly.

She said her unstable health condition is the only reason that could hinder her from cleaning her new house and caring for the goats. Moepedi said fetching water from the public standpipe that is a distance from her home remains a major challenge because her frail body does not permit her to work under hot weather conditions.

Moepedi, who was popular in the village for being brilliant during her school days, could not to live her dream because of health problems but thanks to matimela staff for providing her with better accommodation.

She said she had been living in a mud hut with her children. She does not have anyone to rely on for physical support in times of need, except her last born, who is also a pupil at a local primary school.