Pay It Forward Movement News

THE other day a friend and I were discussing my favourite word in the English dictionary: reciprocity.

Try saying it slowly and feel how it rolls off your tongue: re-ci-pro-city.

I first came across the word in a Lauryn Hill song and after falling in love with the song, I fell in love with the word. I've also recently come to the conclusion that the answer to the world's problems could also be, yep, you guessed it, reciprocity.

According to the dictionary, reciprocity is defined as: . To give or take mutually. . To show, feel, or give in response or return. . To be complementary or equivalent.

So here's my theory: if everyone was to go against their base human nature and give more than they receive, the world would be a better place.

As a keen observer of human beings, I've noted that we are a greedy, selfish species.

Never satisfied with what we have, we always want more - a better job, more money or a flashier car.

And it's always about what we can get, not what we can give.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't be ambitious or that you should feed every hungry street child you see, but I am saying that you should take time out to appreciate what you have.

And in appreciation (another good word) of what you have, offer something back to your community.

It doesn't have to be money - it could be sharing something, listening to someone's sad story or, believe it or not, just smiling.

I once saw a movie that practised this idea before knowing my favourite word.

Pay it forward tells the heartwarming story of a boy who is given an assignment by his teacher: think of something to change the world and put it into action.

The boy conjures the notion of paying a favour forward. The gist is that if I do you a favour, I won't expect one in return.

Instead I only ask you to do another good deed (or a favour) for three other people, excluding myself. And so the cycle continues.

Get it? Reciprocity.

I recently met a woman who embodies this word. The mother-of-five is a pioneer in township tourism. She runs a B & B from her three-bedroom dwelling, smack-bang in the middle of Khayelitsha.

Operating a B & B for predominantly white tourists in a township may seem like a crazy idea to most, but not only has she managed to help erode the negative stereotypes in her community by showing foreigners what life really is like in a township, she has also effected ripples of change.

Her B&B has had a domino effect: with the steady stream of tourists always loo?king to donate, she encouraged a neighbour to start a pre-school, as well as launch a sewing group to empower women in the area.

The pe-school has a constant flow of stationery and funding, undoubtedly a good base to start the toddlers' education from. The women have learnt dress-making skills which ultimately put some money in their pockets, while making a small dent in our high unemployment rate.

The businesswoman's motivation is not only to make a living, but to help her community by paying it forward. If reciprocity is too long to remember, try (and even practice) some ubuntu.