Episode 2: Sunshine and Fynbos
Continued from Episode 1: My Introduction to the Pitchfork Club
I got busy building a social media presence for the website, and soon enough, it caught the attention of a few locals. Their encouragement and appreciation for the standard and professionalism of our work were uplifting. In fact, our efforts led to something incredible—we won a major project to design a website for an international organization. It was perfectly aligned with our values and quickly became a labor of love for an organization doing beautiful work for humanity.
Around the same time, our efforts reached the radar of the local museum. As we became more involved, Hopefield began seeing more of us on Voortrekker Street. By the time my car became a familiar sight outside the museum doors, we’d been offered the opportunity to take over its management, including its marketing.
The offer included a modest grant—just enough to keep us ticking over. But the icing on the cake? We were also invited to fill two ward committee seats. The stipend provided to ward committee members was a nice bonus, but we were most excited about the chance to contribute meaningfully to the community through an official platform. Fully endorsed by the Ward Councillor, we felt energized and optimistic about the opportunity to make a difference.
As part of this new chapter, we were introduced to various local business owners, the directors of the nonprofit company operating the museum, and friends of the outgoing director. It felt like everything was falling into place—sunshine and fynbos, as they say.
Adding to our joy, we secured a new place to live that reduced our expenses. For the first time in a while, we truly felt hopeful in Hopefield.
But then, the unraveling began.
