South African Good Samaritan – working in a community where what little you have is shared makes her approach to life others simple!
Western Cape, South Africa (07 September 2021) – A Good Samaritan with a good heart is doing everything she can to uplift her community!
In the small farming community of Montagu in the Western Cape, it’s easy to be deceived by the picturesque town, landscapes of orchards and vineyards and mountains that charm visitors to the area. For many who live there, the reality is somewhat different.
As Anneeda Pekeur, a long-time resident of the town and the latest beneficiary of PPC’s Building Stronger Communities’ Hero, points out, things that often look appealing on the outside are different on the inside. In this case, what usually isn’t seen, she says, is poverty, a lack of employment opportunities, and lives wrecked by alcohol and substance abuse, high rates of teenage pregnancies and other social problems.
For the average person, it’s enough to make you close your eyes and concentrate on living in a happy bubble. But then, Anneeda is not your average person.
Despite her health and financial difficulties, she has a simple philosophy that asks, “Who is going to help if I don’t?”
Working in a community where what little you have is shared makes her approach to life others simple. She digs into her own pockets and personally finances essential purchases for others. At one time, she says her husband worked in Saudi Arabia, and the money she spent on the community came from dollar-based earnings.
“But, there are no dollars anymore. My husband works locally, and life is a struggle.”
“I am needed when I am needed,” she says, admitting that when her health interferes, it becomes easy to question whether her small acts are worthwhile when they are measured against the massive social problems.
“Then I take something small to a desperately needy person. I get a hug and am told, ‘I prayed to God for help yesterday, and you arrived today. You are an answer to a prayer.’ Then I know that if I make even a small difference to only one person’s life, I am doing something right. I must carry on.”
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Despite having registered an NGO on the advice of others, her form of giving doesn’t involve developing strategies, target markets and professionally run donations campaigns.
Her NGO is all about loading up her car with bundles of parcels ranging from bread and fruit to baby clothes, adult nappies, and even the occasional packet of potatoes. She doesn’t want cash donations; she just wants anything she can pass on to supplement what her limited financial resources can buy.
However, any unexpected event can place hurdles in her way. Most recently, it has been her car whose failures brought her outreaches to a grinding halt. But undeterred, she carries on.
Pushing her on is something more than just being empathetic to the plight of others. “I know what it feels like to have nothing and to have alcoholism in the family,” she says.
Her tone changes and becomes joyful when she describes how her birthday was belatedly celebrated by the sudden arrival of a PPC Building Stronger Community Heroes team at her home.
They brought the news that she had been selected as the third beneficiary of PPC’s Building Stronger Community Heroes initiative with the accolade came the announcement that PPC had her car repaired to get her mobile again. The balance of the R10 000 award would come in the form of the essential items she needed to distribute. Her gift? A birthday cake to celebrate another year of giving.
“It is in tough times like these that true South Africans step forward and show how invested they are in their communities and the welfare of their fellow citizens. Anneeda’s story is as inspirational as it is humbling. She personifies the people that our PPC Building Stronger Community Heroes was created to celebrate,” says Clint Wicomb, PPC Sales and Marketing General Manager for the Coastal region.
“Her commitment to her community is about helping others have a better quality of life- even if it lasts for a few days or even just a few hours.”
“At a corporate level, PPC is also committed to empowering South Africans and improving their life experiences. We acknowledge, however, the true South Africans who are invested in their country’s future that often make personal sacrifices to make the lives of others better.”
“We salute Anneeda. We encourage others to follow her example and look forward to sharing the achievements of other dedicated people with the nation.”
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