There is nothing as sad as seeing someone in need, and you really want to help, but you are not in a position to help. In fact, it reminds me of a joke: when we were young, we used to say, “By the age of 25 I will be helping the needy,” and yet when we turned 25, we became the needy. Funny as it sounds, I refuse to believe that we have failed to help the “needy” or that we have become the needy.
Actually, before we clocked the “intended ages” where we thought we would be helping others, we were already helping others. The reason the above-quote seems realistic is that there is a significant gap between what we thought would be the extent of our helping hand and what the reality is. But we forget that big things are achieved by doing the small things right.
My high school was right above Jinja highway, one of the roads that is a slaughterhouse for pedestrians. Sometimes we heard the loud bangs of the cars colliding, and other times we listened to the wailing voices calling for help while we sat in the comfort of our rigid wooden chairs in the classroom. But what stood out the most was the times our headmistress, Sr. Seraphine Amulen, would inteerrupt on going class sessions and kindly request us to donate to save a select person or persons from the fatal accident. The heartbreaking statement, “Doctors won’t touch the patient(s) unless they are given some money,” would make each of us pull out the little coin savings we were keeping to buy a chapu or meat pie at break time.
I don’t think in those moments we realized the power of the 500 UGX coins or the wrinkled 1000 UGX we gave. In fact, even right now, we don’t recognize how much impact we have created in little ways. As we celebrate this holiday and the end of the year, if you feel like you didn’t accomplish anything, take a time to reflect on those moments you extended a kind hand knowingly or unknowingly. I bet you have heard of the ripple effect. Try watching a small drop of water fall into a large bowl/water body. The drop disappears but causes a wider circular motion whose diameter is nearly tens of times bigger than the drop.
On that note, I am surprised when people ask how I am able to support athletes (or people) in times of need. I laugh because I know it’s not me supporting these athletes. It’s the readers of my blogs supporting these athletes. It’s definitely scary each time I set out to seek help for any athlete or person. The fear that I may not get the person the help that they need. The best I can do is amplify their need, cross my fingers at the same time in prayer and faith that someone or the right eyes will read the blog. And what a blessing it has been watching people send me 1000 Ugx, 2000 Ugx, 20,000 Ugx, (and even sometimes over 500,000 Ugx to support a cause. It’s on these grounds that I come to thank you, my dear readers, for creating the ripple effect in strangers’ lives.
Over the past years, I have amplified the following causes, and your support has been impactful.
Pad drive for Kamwokya: I was able to donate a packet of pads to over 30 girls in Kamwokya.
Sr. Suzan’s drive to restore her home: I personally received over 2,000,000 Ugx and other cohorts from Namagunga also collected lump sums of over 1,000,000, which were handed to her
The ACL drive: Each player, Pauline (rugby) and Favour (soccer), received 1,000,000 Ugx. Namagunga Old Girls Association (NOGA) contributed heavily toward this.
Trevor Mutyaba’s surgery: I didn’t actively collect the money, but the article amplified his cause, and enough money was collected for him to have surgery.
Barbara Okumu’s eye surgery: 1,000,000Ugx was donated to the cause.
Bigfoot first outreach: We were able to donate ten pairs of sports shoes, mentor, and hold a basketball training session with the JT Academy athletes.
Big Foot Athletes wouldn’t have been able to achieve this without your 1000 UGX or 500 UGX coins. Tap yourself on your back, and remind yourself that you achieved something this year. It may not necessarily have been supporting Big Foot Athlete’s causes, but that street beggar you gave your pocket change to, that mother you bought avocado from without bargaining, that house help you paid a 13th check (even if she stresses you with Okello escapades), or that friend who you showed up for at their lowest.
Remember the ripple effect. You don’t have to take on the whole ‘burden,’ but that little contribution leads to bigger wins, which in most cases you may never even know about.
Have a great holiday and a Happy New Year!
