Meet Charmaine Smith/Sadie
Charmaine Smith/Sadie is originally from Pretoria and now lives in JHB. She is a Transformation Consultant at Infundo Consulting and is a proud mommy/granny.
'I didn’t grow up proud to be Chinese – it was difficult growing up in an Afrikaans neighbourhood where being non-white was a problem. But now I see that my best traits – living to principles; being committed to family and being hard working and selfless are all qualities that come from my Chinese background and that makes me very proud. I am sad that I ever thought that this was not something to celebrate.'
Read more about why Charmaine is proud to be Chinese and proud to be South African.
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Name: Charmaine Smith/Sadie
Occupation: Transformation Consultant – Management and community development consultant and mommy/granny
1. Where were you born?
Pretoria – Lady Selborne
2. What is your fondest childhood memory, growing up as a Chinese child?
Being part of a community which was small in Pretoria – in Claremont; we all knew each other; and walked to each other’s homes; we all went to school together; and played basketball together in the same team, and the greatest time with my childhood friends was at Easter Tournament where we reunited with our other friends each year. I also loved remembering the time with my grandfather in Lady Selborne eating rice with soya sauce and oil at lunch time in our/his house.
3. What is your favourite Chinese food?
This is hard; so much yummy food – love chilli calamari and crispy beef; but there is something about freshly cooked hot steamy rice from the rice pot, when the smell starts to come through the house and you know it’s almost ready – smells like home.
4. Where do you live?
Johannesburg
5. What work do you do?
I help people perform better as individuals and as teams. The company I started does this work in schools and communities across the country, with unemployed youth groups and across community and government structures. We also do this with recipients of scholarship and bursary programmes; and in corporate teams who want to perform at higher levels.
6. What do you love about your job?
That I get to work with people long term and build some long lasting friendships and relationships – and in the projects we see increasing results and impact for people on the ground. I am very blessed and honoured to do this work.
7. What is your proudest achievement?
Being chosen for the SA U/21 basketball team when I was at university. And bringing up 2 wonderful boys as a single parent for a number of years. One is success on a personal level the other is success on the level of family.
8. Why are you proud to be South African?
South Africans have a resilience and soul which makes me proud to be a Saffa. We may not get a lot right but we do it with loud and dynamic passion and heart.
9. Why are you proud to be Chinese?
I didn’t grow up proud to be Chinese – it was difficult growing up in an Afrikaans neighbourhood where being non-white was a problem. But now I see that my best traits – living to principles; being committed to family and being hard working and selfless are all qualities that come from my Chinese background and that makes me very proud. I am sad that I ever thought that this was not something to celebrate.
10. Name one Chinese tradition that you’d like future generations to continue with?
Going to the cemetery in April and August and on special anniversaries: this ensures that the bonds between the family members is retained and reminds us of the ones who went before which I am learning, more and more, is a good reminder that I am part of a much bigger system.
11. What advice would you give to the Chinese youth today in South Africa?
Be proud of who you are and where you come from. There is so much to celebrate being SA Chinese; enjoy being part of a larger tradition of respect for elders; commitment to family and family values.
Want to contact Charmaine?
Email Charmaine@infundo.co.za
