Hallo Henry: The Facebook post that has inspired the country!

As South Africans, it is in our nature to be helpful. The spirit of Ubuntu is imprinted in our DNA and that is one of the many things that make us unique. We are always ready to lend a helping hand to those in need.

Meet Megan Carrie.

Megan wrote a Facebook post about Henry Masi, an accountant working as a petrol attendant. 

Here’s what she wrote.

Maybe it was the way he washed my windcreen with the meticulosity of a surgeon, or maybe it was the warm smile that stretched across his face when I handed him the only coins I had left in my wallet or maybe it was because he was tall, like me, a big, tall friendly giant. Whatever it was that prompted the conversation, I can’t be sure, but all I know is that I drove away with my heart in my throat.

It was somewhere between punching my pin code into the card machine and getting my receipt back that I asked Henry how long he’d been working at the petrol station for, he replied gently: “Just over 3 months”, to which I asked “What did you do beforehand?” “Well, I’m an accountant, but it’s very hard to get a job in South Africa, so I haven’t done my articles yet.”

An accountant working as a petrol attendant.

A thousand thoughts swirled around in my head, words poured in from every corner, but all I could muster up was “I want to help you my friend, I want to help you get a job.” I drove off, blurry eyed, tears spilling all over my dress – his story had hit a part of my heart that could not be ignored.

I spent the rest of my day trying my best to get through work but my mind kept wandering back to Henry, back to his story, back to his words, and every time it went there the tears came again.

So I went back to the petrol station that afternoon and waited for him to finish with a client, he couldn’t really remember me but I introduced myself and prodded around for more answers and got this:

Henry is from Zimbabwe, he moved to South Africa in 2008 with a degree in Accountancy. He paid his way through university with the use of government grants, but has over a year and half’s worth of tuition to pay back before he can receive his certificate to prove that he is in fact an accountant.

Since moving to South Africa he has worked as a lecturer, a car guard, a petrol attendant, and started his own business. He is a single dad with a 10 year old daughter who stays with his mother back in Harare who he sends money to every month. He sees his little girl every 6 months.

He’s been deeply affected by xenophobia.

He has his South African work permit.

He likes his tea – no milk, no sugar.

If you’ve got this far in the post you’re probably wondering why I’m writing this. Yes, there are hundreds, if not thousands of these stories walking past me everyday, but this one in particular has caused irreparable damage to my heart and I just can’t ignore it.

I asked Henry to get in contact with his University to find out how much he owes them, they replied within a few days to inform him he was indebted R35 000.

If this story has affected you as much as it has me and you’d like to get the ball rolling in this man’s life, we’ve set up a PayPal account which can be paid to [email protected] or you can email/DM me for the banking details.

I figured if this reached 1000 people and they all contributed R35 we could pay it off.

Truth is, I don’t know if anything will come of this post. But I’m going to try my hardest to make something of it, in whatever capacity I can, to pull a man back into his rightful position in society.

Once we have paid off his tuition I will be looking to set him up in an accounting role, so if you know anyone who knows anyone – get in touch!

I’ve had so many requests for banking details, so here they are:

Megan L Carrie

Bank: FNB

account type: cheque account

Account number: 62439710262

Branch: umhlanga crescent

Branch code: 220629

Can you use the reference Hello Henry.

Feel free to spread this as far and wide as possible! Thank you

What struck me the most about the post is the simple request Megan made, if 1000 people all gave R35, Henry would have enough to pay off his loan, and since the original post, almost R71000 has been raised to help Henry further his education.

Henry has also been offered 5 serious job offers to help him complete his articles and turn his life around.

Megan, I can’t begin to tell you how proud I am of you. 

You decided to take it upon yourself to assist this man and by that simple act of kindness; you have changed his life, as well as the life of his children, and future generations of the Masi family. 

You have made a great example to all of us South Africans, that although we are diverse, we are still one people. 

Megan, you have inspired me to be a better South African. To not only take care of my kin, but to take care of my neighbour too!

Thank you!