“ALUKHO usana olungena nina,” (there will not be a motherless child in our midst) was the song sung for Kariega’s Sindile Adams, as his work “mothers” refused to let him sink into a dark hole of depression on their watch.
The staff and management of a supermarket in Kariega recently united in a touching show of solidarity and cultural pride to support one of their own.
In January, the staff, who were almost all older than the young man, noticed that Adams’ behaviour had changed; he went from being a sweet, respectful boy to drinking alcohol and withdrawing.
The former store manager, Mandlela Nodada, explained, “One of the male staff spoke to him and the boy revealed that he was 23 years old and had not gone to initiation school yet. For a boy his age, this was humiliating to him, as the normal ages for boys to go are 17 and 18—and we all know how boys can get.”
Adams told the staff that he had been trying to save money to take himself to initiation school, but it was difficult.
“His parents have since passed away and he lived with his grandmother and has responsibilities at home—we were so touched,” said Nodada.
Recognising the importance of this cultural milestone, the store’s staff, managers, and even outside service providers rallied together to ensure he could partake in this essential rite of passage.
“We are the store with a difference,” Nodada proudly said.
The team took it upon themselves to help him and make sure he gets to experience what other children do.
“Although we do not have a lot of money, we share what we have with one another.”
She added, “What matters most is the love we have among one another. It’s not about the financial contribution, but about being there for one another, standing together as a family, and ensuring that each member of our team succeeds and thrives.”
So, Nodada and the rest of the staff took to social media to ask the broader community of Kariega to help, “But we were so pleasantly overwhelmed by the response from people. People even as far as Buffalo City had a hand in making Sindile’s dream come true. More than just this one act of kindness, my hope in humanity and community was restored. Because of all the bad things that happen around us, it’s easy to miss the good, but the good is there, in abundance.”
Adams’ umgidi (coming back celebrations) happened recently, and on the day, he was surrounded by all the izibazana (mothers of the initiate/new man) that came together to make this possible for him.
Although the supermarket has since closed, “We are still a tight-knit community, and hope our story has inspired many people,” Nodada concluded.
