The Dykes of Mercy do it again!
After its first successful year the Dykes of Mercy (DoM) are here to tell you that book clubs and wine clubs are passé. Giving is the new cool.
What was once a wee idea in the mind of DoM’s Grand Mistress, Sally-Jean Shackleton, became a reality in September last year when she gathered together 11 of her friends, having suggested we start a modest charity organisation.
Her reasoning? There are loads of well-known charities in South Africa that receive large donations from all quarters. But even in the aid community, the concept of trickle-down is a bit of a joke. On every street corner, at every turn, people in Johannesburg are confronted by real and immediate poverty; by people who live hand-to-mouth every day with no relief in sight.
There is little research on the topic, but the guy standing at the lights or the woman selling “Homeless Talk” make just a couple of hundred rand a week, if that. And as we know, with high unemployment and low levels of skill in the country, anyone eking out this type of meagre existence is probably supporting another two to three people on the miniscule amounts of money that they make.
"Those of us who are relative 'haves' want to do something to help, but sometimes the need feels overwhelming. We wanted to do something that was manageable, and that would make a more of a difference than giving R5 at a streetlight," says Sally-Jean.
The Dykes of Mercy want to give these kinds of people and the small organisations that support them a break. The thinking goes that if someone living hand-to-mouth were to receive anything from R1000 to R2000 in one fell swoop, they would have the opportunity to pay off school fees, or maybe afford the books their kids might need, or buy the cell phone that would help them to set up a small business. Alternatively, it would be enough money to pay an aid worker for a month or two.
So how does it work? The best way to describe it is to call it a stokvel. Every month DoM gathers at one person’s house, with guests in tow if they choose.
They each throw about R150 into the kitty and put their names into a hat. The person whose name is drawn is given the cash to distribute as they see fit. They also host and set the date for the next meeting. At that meeting the giver will report back on who the money went to and the process begins again. These records are kept on our blog.
When it comes to giving there are no rules. From cleaners at work, to small AIDS orphanages and people selling fruit on the side of the road, the members of DoM give to the people who most grab at their hearts.
One of the founding members, Alana Potter, was the first person to have her name drawn out of the hat. On a trip to Mpumalanga she stopped at an organisation that had caught her attention years before. Called the iThemba Lethu, (Our Hope), HIV/ AIDS Home Based Care Group, the small organisation is doing fantastic work under difficult circumstances in the Nkomazi area of Mpumalanga. There are about 15 home based caregivers who are supporting families living and dying with HIV/AIDS in poor and rural circumstances. These caregivers work 7 days a week in Jeppe's Reef for just R250 a month. Alana gave the donation to Bridgette Moyana, the co-founder of the group, and asked her to give it to these home based caregivers.
Since September last year an average of about R1500 has been given away each month and some of the people and charities that have benefited include a cleaner at Jodie Lapidos’ workplace; Thoriso, a financially strapped student at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University; the Ethembeni Children's Home in Doornfontein; Monica Kgaphola who works on the street in Greenside; a Lesotho outreach programme; Amanda who stands on the street corner in Greymont; and Maxwell Shando and his wife Nomsa who live in the township Alex and support themselves and their child by collecting scrap metal.
Tonight DoM hopes to raise enough money to be able to make a real difference in a few people’s lives. Proceeds from the dinner, the auction and the cash bar will all go to worthy causes.
The auction items tonight were kindly donated by the members of DoM and others in the gay and lesbian community. Some of the items up for grabs include a Robert A. Hamblin photographic print; a Chris Kirchhoff photographic print; a handywoman for a day; a copy of the new Pride book ahead of release; a massage treatment; a manicure and pedicure; a night at Mo’s Place, the guesthouse in Greenside, and much much more. Thank you to all who donated their time and services!
The next event in the gay calendar this year is Joburg Pride, to be held on September 30. DoM hopes to make an impact at Pride this year in order to do what it is also aiming to do tonight - to inspire other people to give.
In the past year the members of DoM have had fun giving - it’s not all herbal teas and serious tear-jerker stories. Our meetings are wine-soaked get togethers for friends who share a similar set of values.
You don’t have to be a dyke to join DoM but the membership of DoM is to be capped at 20 members. What DoM wants is to encourage is other groups of friends to create similar organisations. Because, after all, with just a few rand and working one person at a time, we can all make a difference.
