Through small acts of kindness from a community that rallies for those in need, a difficult start to the year for four families has been transformed into a season of renewed hope.
Johannesburg, South Africa (26 January 2026) – The power of kindness can brighten a day, shift the course of difficult circumstances, and even open the gateway to a better life. For four families in desperate need of a helping hand, kindness made a way where there seemed to be none.
One SMALL Act of Kindness (OSAOK) has had numerous requests come in for help in January, and shared how the respective families had reached out to the charity in their hour of need.
Two families had children sitting at home, unable to return to school due to a lack of funds. One family needed just R500 for their child to continue their schooling. In another case, a single mother was stuck waiting for a school to refund a R500 registration fee so she could enrol her child elsewhere.
Then there was a single male who had travelled to Johannesburg for a job, only to never hear back from the prospective employer. He was left stranded and without money, leaving him to fend for himself on the streets with no way to get back home.
Another cry for help came from a woman OSAOK helped take off the streets. They helped send out her CV to various places, resulting in two job interviews towards the end of last year. OSAOK has been providing temporary rental assistance to ensure she doesn’t have to return to the streets while she gets on her feet.
While these families and individuals faced a gruelling start to the year, the situation changed the moment OSAOK shared their stories. Kindness stepped in and turned the tide.
“We are absolutely over the moon to share that all the families below have been sorted! You are all absolutely amazing. Sharing the kindness and keeping hope alive is hard, but tonight we did it again. With your help, we can change a life and make life a little easier for others,” shares OSAOK Founder, Kelly-Ann Van Der Meer.
In a month that began with uncertainty and hardship, the overwhelming support for these four families proves that when a community chooses to care, hope always finds a way home.
Sources: One SMALL Act of Kindness
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