Introducing you to the community I live in

In my experience, a community is a group of people who live in the same area who understand each other and share some similarities. 

For the past 22 years, I have lived in my little close-knit community in Ottery, Cape Town. There is only one way in and one way out to ensure safety in the area. When I was younger, the community held frequent fundraisers for security aids such as the neighbourhood watch groups and security guards to monitor the activity in the neighbourhood. Up until today, we still have security guards and patrol groups. There is a park at the centre of the area surrounded by houses so that kids can safely play and bond with each other. They love to play soccer, rugby or cricket on the field and ride their bicycles around the cul-de-sac. There is a house shop within walking distance from everyone’s houses where we can get essentials without having to get into our cars. It is very convenient and most of the residence would rather support our local shopkeeper than go to another shop. As a result, the shopkeeper is always open to suggestions on improvements in his shop and caters to our needs as best as he can. It’s a win-win situation for everyone. 

There is a wide range of professions practiced in my community such as construction workers, teachers, plumbers, electricians, nurses, mechanics, and many more. If you need any services done, chances are we will find one of our trustee neighbours are qualified to do it. Everyone knows everyone and everyone always has each other’s backs. Don’t get me wrong – there have been a fair share of instances where this was not the case. But for most cases, we all look out for each other. We have a neighbourhood group chat on WhatsApp where we discuss concerns, opportunities, and enquiries. If someone is unwell or in trouble, they receive support from the community. Everyone attends funerals of neighbours and provides care and comfort throughout the grief process.  

As you can see, my community is safe and quite intimate in the sense that everyone is familiar with each other and looks out for one another.