Erin Grant got a letter in her postbox from a guy looking for work as a gardener; while she couldn’t employ him, she shared the letter to make sure his effort was rewarded.
Johannesburg, South Africa (16 November 2020) – Jobs are hard to come by these days, so people are getting creative to make sure they stand out above the rest. This is what Kenneth Mphande hoped when he started looking for work.
Kenneth is looking for work as a gardener. To stand out and hopefully get a job or two, he went to his local internet cafe, paid to use the computer and printer, and wrote a letter explaining that he was looking for work. He spent what little he has to find gainful employment, hopefully.
To add an extra touch, Kenneth put each letter in a brightly coloured envelope and wrote on the front to grab the homeowner’s attention.
One of the postboxes he put his letter into, belongs to Erin Grant. Erin was moved by his efforts to find a job. While she is unable to offer him anything, she hopes that by sharing his letter, he can find a good job.
“Hi, Facebook friends.
This came through our postbox this morning. Unfortunately, we are unable to help Kenneth but I am hoping someone in Observatory, Linksfield or Norwood area is able to. He has clearly gone to a lot of effort to get these letters out there.
Thanks, guys!” – Erin Grant
Erin’s Facebook post was shared over 1000 times. Thankfully quite a few people have reached out to offer him employment.
Aside from the feel-good story, the letter started an important conversation on the social media post. Kenneth referred to his job title as “Garden Boy”, something that is now considered a derogatory title. Many people spoke out about how the term saddened them. One user shared the reason why in an incredibly eloquent way and its a lesson many can learn.
“What saddens me more is the fact that he refers to the position as garden “boy”. The term boy was used by the apartheid regime to emasculate black men, implying that they never will be considered real MEN in society. I hope he finds a job where someone will cultivate his worth and help him with some type of education.” – Cindy Davey.
South Africa is still growing, learning and changing and moments like this are very uplifting. From the spirit of Ubuntu to the continued transformation and education of our people, each day, we are one step closer to a truly rainbow nation.
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