“It takes the whole village to raise a child” African Proverb.

The first session we had, about mapping our communities awakened a sleeping beast that we’re hardly aware of. Often being ashamed of our communities, where we come from and how we were raised.

Being fearful and cautious of how others may suddenly perceive and rank us, if they were to know where we come from. The fear of being analysed and others having to assume how our backgrounds are structured may also make us feel vulnerable and not fitting.

With no doubt, It becomes a lot easier to confirm to the standards, the lifestyle, and the behavior of those around us, and forget where we come from. It becomes easier when asked, the question, where are you from?

To give a quick reply and say I am from Polokwane, instead of Ga-Rakgwatha, a small village in Polokwane, or to say from Lephalale, and not say Ga-Shongwane. This gets to a point where we put our communities in locked closets. With the passing of time, our backgrounds, heritages and the identities of our communities within us, they die and become skeletons that we never want to talk about. We become so ashamed of where we come from, we become ashamed of our identities…we become ashamed of ourselves.

The perception of our “communities” are often aligned and shaded with words such as: black, poverty, illiteracy, crime, addictions, dysfunctional families and demoralized people.I stand to correct these stereotypes! I would like to re-define community as a unified body that goes beyond being black, white, colored or Indian, a place where “Ubuntu” ignites in every soul. I would like to re-define community as one’s roots and the foundation of one’s pyramid.

How agonizing is it, that we hardly return to the dusty, cold and dark streets of our childhood once we have “made it in life”. We forget pieces of ourselves.

Growth is beautiful yes, forgetting that in isolation it does not exist. Embrace it, for it only awaits the brave. We grow, we outgrow people, habits, certain perceptions on life and sadly…our communities. It is sad that slowly but surely, we lose the ties we have with our communities and become proud strangers to the very same communities that birthed and fed us.

Honestly, no circumstance could defend the shame and the decision to neglect where you come from.We need to intervene and change the perceptions that the world has on our communities.

Imagine how our communities would be painted if all the good stories were shared. Stories of how many learners matriculated last year, how many made it to institutions of higher learning, how many have started their own businesses, how many have graduated, those who have made it to the provisional teams in sports as well as arts and culture. Those who are now doctors, professors, soccer stars, movie stars etc. Once we start owning and sharing the victory stories of humble beginnings in our communities, we will start seeing change. There will not be enough light to shine on the negative, but it will surely be focused on the positive. We need to get to a point where we proudly tell of our backgrounds, of how our communities have played a role in what and who we are today. We need to start writing and telling of our past and our present!

It would be more shameful for me to betray the whole village that groomed and shaped me by being ashamed of it.Out of humility, it is primal that we start sharing the victory stories we have in our communities, to encourage and motivate those who are coming after us, and those who need them most.

Me,I am a proud product of MY Community!