Nelly’s Story | Meadowlands Community

This is Nelly’s story. She is part of the Meadowlands community in Soweto. Her testimony reminds us why we do this work - not just to uplift communities, but to walk alongside individuals as they discover their own potential, and create lasting change for themselves and those around them.

One Sunday morning, exhausted from an all-night vigil, I decided to return home earlier than usual. My body ached with tiredness, and all I wanted was rest. When I got home, I was told there was a meeting at the nearby park. I told my cousin, “Please go and let me know what they say. I’m too tired.”

I lay down, ready to sleep.

But barely a minute passed.

Something inside me would not let me rest. I stood up, changed my mind, and went to the meeting.

When I arrived at the park, it was overflowing with people - faces everywhere, voices buzzing with anticipation. Then the announcement came: only twenty men and two women were needed to volunteer for the project. They selected the men using a raffle method, then did the same for the women. And somehow, unexpectedly, my name was called.

We were told to report for work on Monday.

It was 2019, one of the hardest years of my life. I had repeated the matric many times and kept failing. In March 2019, I had given birth to my son, and by October, when the project began, I was carrying responsibility, fear, and uncertainty about my future.

But once the work started, I worked harder than ever before. I wanted to be noticed, not for praise, but for opportunity. I showed up early, stayed late, and gave my best.

During that time, Mr S, Neil, and the entire team didn’t just support my work, they supported my life. While we were working in 2019, they would buy clothes for my son, making sure he never lacked anything. Whenever work required travel, Mr S made sure a nanny was paid to look after my child so that I could focus without worry. As a young mother, that care meant more to me than words can explain.

One day, while Happiness and I were cleaning the park, we spoke to Jack about the project. He explained that they wanted to uplift the community.

I smiled and asked,

“Can’t you uplift me so that I can uplift the community?”

We all laughed, but that question came from my heart.

Not long after, Neil approached me and asked my age.

“I’m 19,” I said.

He was surprised. “Aren’t you too young to be working? Shouldn’t you be at school or university?”

I told him the truth - that I had been rewriting my matric but kept failing.

Instead of judgment, he offered hope:

“Find the best school with the best teachers. I will pay for everything.”

It felt like a dream.

Soon after, I was called into a meeting with Shaun (Mr S), Happiness, and Neil. That day, Mr S made me a promise:

“If you do your best and get your matric, I will support you all the way until the end, and you will become a primary school teacher.”

And he kept that promise.

I rewrote the two subjects I had failed and passed them. Throughout that year, they bought my stationery, provided allowances, and made sure I had everything I needed to succeed.

In 2021, after passing my matric, I tried to enroll for a bachelor’s degree. I was wrongly told my results could not be upgraded and that I had only a diploma pass. Because of that misinformation, I registered for a bridging course costing about R25,000, excluding transport, textbooks, and food.

Still, Mr S and Hashtag Big Smile stood with me, right until the last day.

Later, at the Department of Education, my certificate was printed and clearly showed a Bachelor pass. The mistake had cost time and money, but it did not stop my progress. I completed the year and passed my Human Resource Practice course with a distinction.

All my studies had been in Braamfontein, but when it was time for my teaching course, I was told to enroll in Rosebank, Pretoria, because my home language, Northern Sotho, was not offered where I was.

This meant relocating, and even more financial burden.

Without hesitation, Hashtag Big Smile once again covered my tuition, accommodation, and weekly allowances - until the very last day.

Today, I stand as a qualified pedagogical practitioner.

My gratitude is deeper than words. I am grateful for the belief shown in me when I doubted myself, for the support given not only to me but to my child, and for the consistency of people who chose to walk with me until the end.

What began as a moment of obedience, standing up when I was tired, became a life-changing journey. Because someone believed in me, I now have the power to believe in others. This is my testimony. And I will carry this gratitude for the rest of life. Thank you Hashtag Big Smile.