For Solomon Semono, a crop farmer from Musina, sharing what he produces from his land with people in need gives a great sense of fulfilment and purpose to his life.
Semono, also known as Bra Solly, has a reputation for having great compassion for the poor. He donates more than half of everything he farms to the less privileged, and because of this generosity he is loved by many.
"I love money like anybody else, but I know that there are poor people out there who cannot afford to buy even the basic necessities they need. Many people do not understand why I do this, and they keep on telling me that I am running at a loss, but helping people can never be classified as a loss. It is a community-building initiative to keep the hungry fed. When you give, you feel fulfilled and the peace of mind you get from it becomes the source of hard work you put in to continue helping where you can."
Limpopo Mirror caught up with Semono at his piece of farming land next to Musina's dumping site. He was busy harvesting beetroot to be donated to patients at Messina Hospital. The day before, he also delivered a bakkie load of this vegetable at Beitbridge Primary School in Musina, and when he learnt about some needy families around Nancefield, he took three buckets full of okra and ground nuts to help them get by. "When I harvest my maize in a month's time, I will share it with these families to keep the wolf away from the door," he said happily.
Semono uses his own transportation to deliver his offerings to the disadvantaged. "Nothing makes me happier than to put a smile on someone's face. I grew up in an indigent family and I know what suffering is all about. I know the brutality of hunger and what poverty can do to destroy a person's future. This is the least I can do to help our society to grow."
He encourages local farmers and businesspeople to give back to the community. "The little that we give back can make a very big difference to those who do not have anything. If we want to be happy, we should put the community first, and the rewards of money will then follow us."