Little by Little We Will Get There…
| In light of GlobalGiving’s recent Little by Little Campaign, we asked some of our staff what Little by Little means to them… |
| The words little by little remind me of an old Kiswahili saying that goes ‘kidogo kidogo hujaza kibaba’ which translates ‘little by little fills a pot’. The words little by little in Kiswahili mean kidogo kidogo. No act of kindness however little it is, is ever wasted! Be it a small monthly donation that you commit yourself to, a small act of kindness, better choices that help the environment however little they are. That small donation you shy away to give, might just be that last that is needed to fill the pot! At the end of the day, what do you want to be remembered for? I for one want to be remembered as a person whose little acts of commitment made the world a little better place than it is. Live by example, call friends and family to join in and when it comes down to giving, give what you can, however little it is! “Remember, we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Winston Churchill |
| Little by little constantly comes to mind when I think of my own actions, as well as those of my family, friends, and acquaintances, towards sustainable living. The idea that ‘we don’t need a handful of people doing it perfectly, we need millions of people doing it imperfectly’ beautifully surmises the important impacts that each and every one of us can make for the benefit of the natural environment and all life that we share this world with. Each of us can start with one thing, then slowly add more, for example, start with the food you buy, then consider how you travel or look for a renewable energy supplier, then track your purchases to reduce plastics. There are so many ways that each of us can change our own lives, and for those of us that have the means to give, you can also contribute to causes that help change the lives of others too. |
| My grandad said something to me that has always stuck with me and I believe strongly influenced my outlook to life as I have grown older, and it was this “Kelly, if you try and do anything in this world, try and leave it a little better, not a little worse”. I never put much emphasis on these words at the time, but I look back and I now realise the importance of what he was trying to tell me. We cannot solve the world’s problems but we should at least try to improve the world around us, even if by a little. Those words have stuck with me and as time goes by, I feel they grow with me and is a little reminder to always be kind, be helpful, and to help even if a little, because that little smile or donation, may mean nothing to you but could mean the world to someone else! |
| When it comes to grand catastrophes, human nature is to feel overwhelmed. ‘How can what I do as a single individual make a difference?’ It is only natural. What many of us usually don’t remember is the concept of Little by Little. This year has shown us the true meaning of this more than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic has had an effect on practically every person on earth. Those who believe in the concept of Little by Little realise that every positive action has ripple effects that we do not see on our own individual levels. This is the reason that we have raised millions in funds for food appeals the world over. The situation may still be dismal, but it could have been a lot worse had the many kind donors not shared the sentiment of Little by Little. You can apply the same approach to conservation. You may not have the millions to donate like Leonardo di Caprio, but I can assure you that a little monthly donation will go a longer way than you may realise. Together we can be the better generation! |
Such inspiring thoughts. Well done. May you be blessed as you continue on life’s journey.