My Last 100 Cedis

Some years ago, a former colleague came strongly to mind. We weren’t particularly close. We had each other’s contacts, but our conversations were few and far between. Still, the thought of him lingered with unusual persistence. I felt an urge to send him some money. It wasn’t prompted by a request or a social obligation. It was simply a quiet conviction that refused to leave.

Ironically, I was going through one of the hardest financial seasons of my own life. I checked my account and realised I could only afford to send him 100 cedis. The truth is, that wasn’t just all I could spare, it was all I had. If I sent it, I would be left with nothing. 

Then another thought crept in. What difference could 100 cedis possibly make to someone who seemed to be doing well? From what I saw on his social media, he had a job, looked settled, and appeared to be living comfortably. I was unemployed at the time. It almost felt embarrassing to send such a small amount to someone who seemed far better off than I was.

For several minutes, I argued with myself. Perhaps I was imagining things. Perhaps he would misunderstand the gesture. Perhaps he would even find it insignificant. Yet the impression remained. Eventually, I stopped negotiating with my doubts. I sent the money through Mobile Money with a simple message via sms expressing my care and wishing him well.

About an hour later, my phone rang. It was him. The moment I answered, I heard tears instead of greetings. Between sobs, he kept saying, “Thank you… thank you.” Then he told me what had happened. His mother and only sister had been involved in a fatal accident. 

In trying to save them, he had exhausted every pesewa he had and borrowed from friends to pay hospital bills. Despite everything, he lost them both. As the only son left behind, he had not only lost his family but had also been left financially and emotionally empty. He confessed that he had become tired of asking people for help. That day, all he needed was enough money to buy food. “All I needed was 20 cedis,” he said. “You’ve given me more than enough.”

I ended that call with a heavy heart. I had almost allowed assumptions to silence compassion. I judged his reality because of his status updates. Like many of us, I mistook appearance for well-being. That day reminded me that people often smile while carrying burdens they have not found the words to share. We rarely know what is happening just behind someone’s profile picture, polished outfit, or confident greeting.

What has stayed with me even more is the realisation that generosity is not measured by the size of the gift but by the willingness to respond when an opportunity to do good presents itself. I had spent so much time worrying that my contribution was too small that I nearly missed the chance to become an answer to someone’s immediate need. 

Sometimes we underestimate our ability to help because we compare our little with someone else’s greater capacity. We assume that if we cannot solve the whole problem, there is no point addressing a part of it. Yet many lives are changed not by grand gestures but by timely ones.

We often think charity belongs to those with abundance. But some of the most meaningful acts of kindness come from people who understand what lack feels like. When you have experienced uncertainty, disappointment, or need, your heart often becomes more sensitive to the silent struggles of others. Goodwill is less about having excess resources and more about refusing to let another person’s humanity go unnoticed.

Today, I carry this lesson with greater intention. Whenever I have the opportunity to help, I try not to measure my contribution only by its size but by its potential impact. Small acts rarely remain small in the life of the person who truly needs them.

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