Malungeni Community-A story of Compassion in Covid times

This news from Malungeni, South Africa comes from our fellow AIAIA board member, Olga Xapile. The community recently lost a beloved neighbor, Nosibabalo, to Covid. Nosibabalo was in her 40’s. Olga relayed this information to another board member, Julie Vogl. It is a heartwarming story of love, support and compassion.

Hallo, Jul. This is the donation we collected as women of Malungeni for the burial of Nosibabalo. She will be buried this coming Saturday.

The sudden death of my daughter Lydia made me take a very close care of the people around me. When rumors went around that the family is struggling to bury her and no food in the house, not enough money for the mortuary expenses, I felt so hurt as I remember how I struggled to bury her till you all came and give a big hand. So I didn't sleep that night thinking of a way to assist in that home and I sent messages to all my female contacts asking whatever donation one can give and you can't believe, Jul, we collected R3,200 ($212.00). Others brought vegetables and one of the ladies who has tents for hire donated with one of her tents so the people who are coming to console the mourners in that home sit in a tent as there was only a 2 roomed flat there. One room is a kitchen and other is a bedroom. We go to town and do groceries.

Then the father and sisters of the deceased came and gave their donation of R4,500 ($297.00). So we that adds to the R1200 remained from the groceries. I asked the widower to go and negotiate with the parlor. So the parlor agrees to give him a coffin, do dressing and transport the body home on Saturday. Can you believe a deal of R16000 ($1,057.00) goes down to R5500 ($364.00). It helps on our negotiations to find that the family had joined the funeral policy there but because of hardships to pay, it lapsed. God works in wonders.