BLUES

" Be the reason someone smiles. Be the reason someone feels loved and believes in the goodness in people." Roy T. Bennett

Today was meant to be a good day after all, isn't it Labour day. The day we celebrate the achievements of workers but today my heart is broken. It is broken because with the pandemic so many unprecedented effects came with it. People have lost their livelihoods and hence they can not meet their basic needs. Today this hit home, it all began with watching a video of a lady boiling stones in the guise of food to ease her children's' hunger pangs. This was then followed up by a tuk-tuk ride where the unknown driver begged me for a loan as he has become desperate for money. He and his family will get thrown out for he has very few clients and has not made enough money for rent. Then I walked into one of the local supermarkets and saw a man look at his shopping list then his wallet and shake his head. He then proceeded to pick only a packet of salt and walked to the counter. Finally, my day ended reviewing a conversation with a friend of mine who has no income currently since there are no clients and has been forced to shut down his business. When one becomes keen enough to observe and to listen but can at least afford the bare minimum or more you tend to feel ignorant for all the times you took these things for granted.

I'm further heartbroken for I can not manage to help a large group of people but I am grateful that I can at least help a few. It may not be for a long time but on those days when I can, I choose to help and so should you. We have been witnessing increasing Co-VID-19 cases and this has led to an extension of the lockdown in some parts so why are the numbers still going up? They are going up because with no source of revenue people are getting more desperate to earn a living and not really caring about the measures put in place. This is predominantly true in the coastal region where some people are blatantly ignoring the put-down safety measures. The public service vehicles are still carrying excess passengers to earn a bit extra, the passengers are often not openly raising concern over this as everyone is in a rush to go earn the little money they can. Unscrupulous businesses are using soap in the guise of sanitizer hence hand hygiene compliance is a fail. Social distancing is actively not being practiced. Some people still believe that the pandemic does not exist as they are yet to witness someone close to them get unwell. All this means that more and more people will end up being in need for a long time. Abraham Maslow said it best  “When people appear to be something other than good and decent, it is only because they are reacting to stress, pain, or the deprivation of basic human needs such as security, love, and self-esteem.”

How can you and I help?

1. Charity begins at home

“Many of us dream of a better, safer, more caring world, without recognizing that it all begins with creating and maintaining a deeper love in our own home. The seeds of world peace should be planted in our own backyard.”Anthon St. Maarten
Has your neighbor, caretaker,  watchman, grandmother, a friend, etc met their basic needs? Ask do not assume. Human nature may lead to most people not disclosing their needs or problems until they get into desperation.

2. Work with what you have.

Upon having a candid conversation with one of my close friends and I vented so much on the same she reminded me of this quote “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”
Arthur Ashe.
If you have a surplus supply of cash that is wonderful but if you are also operating on a tight budget look at your shopping list. What does not meet an urgent need? Once you have identified it, replace it with an essential item for instance foodstuffs, pads, etc. If it is a local supermarket such as Naivas which has a care box at the exit drop it off there. If that is still not an option send the little you have to authentic pay bills it will get to someone in need. One can also support a friend who has identified people in need and maybe created a budget for what they may need. Pick an item on the list and buy that. There is so much we can do. we just need to take the time to think about it.

As we brace ourselves for the great depression do not forget to be your brother's keeper. We as health professionals are already experiencing a hard time emotionally and physically but we should never forget that "Strong people stand up for themselves, but stronger people stand up for others."