A group of 20 people on a WhatsApp group spent most of the lockdown supporting over 100 people with digital food vouchers and more.
South Africa (02 March 2021) – Jacqualene Lapa and a group of about 20 people from her community helped as many people as they could during the lockdown. They united and provided food vouchers for anybody that came forward needing a helping hand.
Jacqualene hopes that their story will inspire others to do the same for people within their own communities. This is the Pay it Forward WhatApp Group’s story.
“At the beginning of lockdown level 5 (March 2020), I was suddenly inundated with Facebook Messenger requests for food vouchers from complete strangers. I responded to the one lady asking how she found me? She said that she found me on a Facebook charity group and was in desperate need of food – Her children had not eaten in 3 days. I asked her to please explain what a food voucher was? I literally had no idea at the time that Checkers had virtual vouchers which you could purchase through Computicket. I started purchasing R250 vouchers and sending them to the recipients as the requests came through.
Some months, it would accumulatively cost up to R3000. The requests became more daily, and I did not have the heart to turn anyone away and, therefore, eventually dipping into my savings.
In July 2020, the requests became unsustainable, and in an effort not to turn anyone away, I posted on my personal Facebook page asking if any of my friends would like to assist me.
The response was overwhelming, and even friends of friends have joined.
We established a WhatsApp group called PAY IT FORWARD towards the end of July 2020. We have 20 members. When either of us receives a request, we post it on our WhatsApp group and any member who is in a position to buy a voucher does.
We have not turned away a single person as yet.
To date, we have fed hundreds of people. Families that have lost everything due to fires, families who have lost their jobs and families who have lost their breadwinners.
One gentleman we’ve been assisting contacted us a few weeks ago to tell us that he’s found a job! He then offered to donate R100 to our cause so that we can help someone else like we’ve helped him. We obviously didn’t accept his money but instead asked him to PAY IT FORWARD if his path crosses someone in need. HOW incredibly amazing was his gesture?!
Another lady we’ve helped with food vouchers has since started feeding destitute dogs within her township.
Every voucher purchased has been paid for straight out of the pockets of the amazing individuals on this WhatsApp group. This already speaks VOLUMES about the incredible and selfless people they are.
I really hope that more people could consider this. R250 might not seem like a lot to you and I…. but it feeds a destitute family of 4 for almost a week!”
All that Jacqualene asks is that if you can give, that you do so. Make your own group with friends or reach out to a local charity and see if they have any families in need of a small voucher.
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