Category: Newsletter | increase quality of life making community better small business community
Whether you support Donald Trump or not, there’s something to be said about his slogan, “Make America great again.” Already rallying South Africans have copied the slogan, “Make South Africa great again.”
No matter your political views, I believe we can all agree that things can be better in our beloved South Africa, to say the least. That being said, you may remember that I believe change should start in the first square meter. In other words, with myself and those in my immediate vicinity.
Recently I joined our community WhatsApp group. At first it seemed that the people on the group were obsessed with safety and security. It is understandable but can get a bit much after a while. However, I was pleasantly surprised when one of the members was looking for someone to remove some garden refuse, perfectly willing to pay for the service. Another member replied that so-and-so was going to the dump anyway and they will come by to pick up whatever needed to be removed. Free of charge. That was amazing!
Slowly but surely a pattern started to develop where one person would have a need and another person would be able to help them or recommend someone. “Hey everyone!”, is a regular start to a request or an offer. People on the group also advertise their businesses and then, when I saw the heading of this article somewhere, “Small Businesses Can Save Your Community” an idea started to form.
What if all the people in a community start to support each other’s business first? If you can’t find what you’re looking for in your neighbourhood, look elsewhere, but start in your own environment first before you shop around. Wouldn’t that create sustainable businesses which are reliable and offer good products and services?
I mean, it would be rather awkward to look your neighbour in the eye after you sold him a dud of an irrigation system, wouldn’t it?
Of course, you always have exceptions, but should we not at least try?
In 2022 about 150 municipalities in South Africa were literally bankrupt. Because we live in Cape Town, most of us don’t really know what a bankrupt municipality looks like. I’ve been to a few and I can tell you, it ain’t pretty. Potholes often are mentioned when these towns come up in discussions, but there are other, much more serious problems. For example, heaps of garbage lying everywhere and raw sewerage spilling on the streets. Poor or non-existent public health care. Public schools are in complete disrepair and are often run by criminals. The list goes on.
If our communities can stand together, against all odds. If we can support one another in business and in life. Will we not be able to create a more human friendly environment to live in?
A small business in a community like that can literally turn it around for good. Firstly, such a business can provide much needed products and services for the people. Instead of having to travel to another town or suburb, they can source their products locally. All that is needed is someone who will provide good products at reasonable prices and you can increase the quality of life for everyone.
In Mitchells Plain, Natasha Johannes, a cancer survivor, started a Garden of Hope. She started it in a dumping ground behind her house. Six years later she had a huge garden and was selling vegetables from her garden to the community around her. This was in 2021.
Natasha is a wonderful example of someone who took the nothing that she had and made something out of it.
It takes only one person to make a change. To pay it forward.
Businesses in a community can increase the quality of life for everyone. Good businesses can. Support your local business. It may change everything.
Resources:
ACDP article on collapse of services
Business success stories
Natasha Johannes cancer survivor
