#WomenWhoChangeTheWorld: A service that brings people closer

A mom and a companion to her daughter, Anne French has spent a chunk of her life giving love, support and creating an open platform for those who need help around her.

Busisiwe Maimela spoke to French, who describes herself as an all-rounder who grew up with a fundraising background which has been the starting point of her giving nature.

“I never want to see people without anything when there is something that can be done,” she stated.

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French, who currently resides in Haenertsburg, is part of the Tzaneen Community Forum as the secretary. I got involved with the forum through a friend of mine, Corinne Sanderburg.

“I started by attending their general meetings so I could get a better understating of what this forum is and what it is about. So far it has been nothing but amazing. The impact and lives being changed through this forum is truly amazing,” she explained.

She further stated that having been part of the forum has exposed her to the giving, caring and the supportive nature of the locals from which she gets immense joy.

“People here are charitable, they are friendly and very giving. I mean, you find so many overwhelmingly generous people who want to make a difference but don’t know how to do so and that is what the forum is for. We come together with different organisations, hear what they need help with and offer them assistance. That is pure humanity right there,” she exclaimed.

Part of the things the forum does is to raise awareness of the good that people are doing in their communities.

“I personally think it is important for towns to have a forum such as this one where people are able to speak up about the challenges they are facing and get help. One cannot turn to the government all the time and that is why we encourage and promote that communities should help one another,” she stated.

She attributes part of the good work not just to her hands-on approach in helping organisations but also to Stephan van Rensburg’s good handle on the needs of the community.

“We work well together and we have the same vision for these organisatins and their communities. So what better way than to assist them to continue making such great impacts going forward? It is beautiful,” she said with a cheer.

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French is currently working on an annual function that will be dedicated to recognising more organisations in more communities that are making positive impacts and awarding them for their efforts to encourage change.

“The Unsung Heroes initiative is something very special to me and I think it is a great platform to expose people to the richness and generosity of the people around them. This will be a way of saying ‘you are doing a great job, keep it up!’ to the organisations that may think or feel as though they aren’t noticed. So we will be celebrating them as a unified community,” stated French.

With the call to get the public to join in on celebrating people who are making an impact, she also advised that organisations should feel free to join the Tzaneen Community Forum as it may be their stepping stone to interwoven partnerships with other existing organisations.

“The other part of it is that we help people register their organisations in order to become more credible. That is what community is to me, helping to build one another and that is seen within every meeting we have where there are organisations that rise to the challenges they are facing,” French exclaimed.

The forum holds meetings every last Tuesday of the month at the drop-in centre in Draai street from 16:30.