Taxis & Barber Shops: Opportunity and Hope

Two or so weeks ago, on the way home from a long day at the office, a SAWIP event and a stint on the town I climbed into a Taxi. Sighing loudly as I collapsed on the back seat I let the driver know where to take me. I have developed a habit of chatting to taxi drivers. Generally they are friendly, some are clearly irritated at the bother of a talking cargo – all are interesting.

I spent a lot of time with the first driver I met whilst escorting Dinika (in the pursuit of chivalry and all) back to her home in Virginia. This proved to be a complicated affair as, being in the early stages of our trip, her house (and the upper half of 13^th street) where not where they professed to be. Eventually we found them, and, $60 later, both of us were home safely. On the long drive back to Bethesda I started talking to the driver. He was from Nigeria, had been in DC for x years, hoped to do y etc. The most he knew about South Arica was that we had Sun City. He was under the impression that it was a vast, golden and flashy city of gambling and ‘sin’, akin to Las Vegas. I tried hard to let him down lightly, and said that there were far better things to do in South Africa than visiting said resort. He was visibly disappointed. Driving past a deer ignited conversation on the topic of wildlife: he informed me that he had once hit a deer. He expressed his dismay and clear irritation at the events of that night. “Somebody called the police. They took the deer away. All I wanted was the hind leg! You eat deer in South Africa?”

Of the many, one driver stands out amongst the others. The story of our meeting and the subsequent interaction between him and various members of the SAWIP team somewhat bizarre. After another long day and night I hailed a taxi from their usual hangout outside the Hyatt in Bethesda. I jumped in, told him where I wanted to go and off we went. We chatted a bit and I learned that the Man’s name was George* and that he was from a familiar country in Africa. Being a ‘fellow African’ is always a good talking point. It was a short ride so we never got much further than general small talk. Arriving at my house I reached for my wallet. It was empty. I had no money. Given the hour my hosts were definitely asleep so I could seek no funds from there. No bother I thought – I had my father’s “only for emergencies” card. This warranted a small emergency I reasoned... But the dratted thing did not work in the cab’s machine. Multiple swipes yielded more and more failure slips. I was in a bind.

After a short discussion the driver agreed to write me an IOU. I handed him my business card (feeling very professional and guilty) and he gave me his details. The following morning we were set to leave for New York – so he would not be getting paid for a little while. Nevertheless he trusted me and off he went.

The following week I got a call from Tess. “Guess where I am?” she asked. Goodness, I thought; I had no idea. “With George!” said she. “He has your business card!” Interesting. A strange coincidence. A few days later I was chatting to Mangaka. She had got a taxi the previous day and, feeling somewhat uneasy, had asked the driver to let her out. She called another cab and, of all the drivers in DC, she was picked up by George. He heard she was South African and asked if she knew me. Of course she did!

So, after that string of coincidences and having heard a little of his life, it was necessary to investigate a little more deeply. His story is fascinating.

George is a taxi driver by night and a student by day. He is currently completing a master’s degree. He drives throughout the night, finishing up at 06:00 in the morning. He then steals away for a few hours of sleep before getting down to his studies and classes, about six hours worth, during the day. How he manages it all eludes me. He is constantly smiling and friendly, but I suppose he must be exhausted.

A little bit of internet exploring yielded another astounding piece of information about the man. He started an education foundation that sends resources back to his home country. How he has the time is a mystery.

His foundation believes in the promise that: “every child, everywhere in the world has the right to live and grow in a stable environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love, understanding and security. That every child has the basic human right[s] of education, health care, adequate shelter, food and clothing... it is the responsibility and duty of all people to ensure that every child has these basic human rights. We [believe that]... even those who have chances to go to school [should] get quality education.”

The brief continues:

“Their care and protection, therefore, calls for multi-sectoral and intra-sectoral approaches for action. Communities, families, and children in this epic struggle urgently need stronger commitment and sustained effort. There is no credible evidence that the end of the [HIV/ AIDS] epidemic is in sight. The fight must be vigorously pursued while at the same time measures must be put in place to fulfil the rights of women and children.”

He plans to return to his home country upon graduation and to run for political office. I have no doubt that he will.

His situation and a discussion with a barber got me thinking about hope, opportunity and by extension, capitalism. Said Barber (Jerome) was talking about what life was like in America. “Things are bad man. The rich have got it all and the poor don’t got nothing. That’s the problem with the Republicans—they just care about the rich.” His views on Obama’s situation were interesting too. But one thing that he said stood out. “There’s always gonna be rich and poor, right, there’s gotta be. But so long as there is opportunity, then that’s alright. People don’t expect you to give it all to them – but so long as they got the opportunities to make it themselves then that’s okay.”

Opportunity. And hope. Those are the two words that drive humanity. They are the things that we need to keep motivated and to keep our lives running in this messed up world. They are two things that the poor and those who are down, in particular, cling on to. When things are bad and looking bleak all there is to hold on to is hope. The hope that things will improve. The hope of a better life. The hope that things will be different. And so too, I believe, it is in the lives of the SAWIP team: the hope of a brighter future for South Africa and the world; the hope that we will make a tangible difference. Hope is a powerful thing: Obama won an election on that one little word.

But hope needs opportunity in order to have any practical application. Without opportunity hope is a dream that fools us and will end up betraying us as its once bright light fades away and turns dark. Opportunity is key (to use a Mambaism). Opportunity for people to move up in the world. To change their lives and those of their families. To change the world.

George’s story for me is a story of (theoretically) the finest characteristic of capitalism. “The American Dream”. The notion that through hard work, dedication and strategic sacrifices one can do whatever they want to do, be whoever they want to be; create their own opportunities and realise their hopes and dreams. (On the American Dream I would say that I fear that America may be awakening from its dream and realising that its transformation into a nightmare is a real possibility. A duscussion for another blog)

In South Africa we need to fight for and create opportunity. Often the statistics of youth that are “unemployed and unemployable” are bounced around. They are distressing and worrying. So many young people have no opportunities to change their lives for the better. As a result of poor education, socioeconomic circumstances and other hangovers of the Apartheid years people find it hard to see and hope for a brighter future; or at least find the opportunities that will allow them to get there. It is a tragic situation.

It is also potentially dangerous: without hope and opportunity people have little to lose. They have little to look forward to and work towards – so anything that promises to better their situations (whether feasible or not) is seductive. People have been “down so long that the down don’t bother them”. There is an air of hopelessness. It is this discontent and hopelessness that people like my good friend Julius have tapped into and are using to further their agendas. The integrity of their aims is questionable and a discussion for another time, but the promise of restoring hope and giving opportunity to all is a delicious draw card to the dispossessed and down-trodden of our country.

So I would propose that a characteristic of our endeavours as a team and as individuals going forward is to strive towards the creation of opportunities for those who have none. The creation and encouragement of hope in a brighter future: a brighter future that is attainable. For my part, as a ‘finances man’, I see the economy and business as a vehicle to create these opportunities and hope. I see my role as one of helping to bring more people into the economic fold; to ensure that South Africa has a sound and stable economy that is creating jobs and lifting people from poverty. Indeed, a sound economy that provides the government with adequate funding is vital so that they are able to implement and carry out the work that they need to do. Employees need stable employers. Employers and Entrepreneurs need a steady and correctly regulated economic environment in which to grow and prosper, creating jobs in the process.

The fifteen of us are enrolled in SAWIP because we believe in South Africa and its future. We recognise the need for ethical and committed leaders and strive to fill the gap. We realise that the current situation is one that cannot last. We know that things need to change. We want to be, and believe that we can be, that change. We have hope. And we have opportunity (enter SAWIP).

As a developing leader and someone thrashing out all of the issues faced by our country and continent it is inspiring and heartening to meet a man like George. Someone who is on track to being one of the leaders we so desperately need. If only there were more like him.

*Pseudonym.