Megan Yorke shares the magic of balancing family traditions with her mission-driven work and how she weaves together the joy of the season with her commitment to making a difference – both at home and in the world.
Behind every successful non-profit organisation is a story of passion, perseverance, and purpose. For Megan Yorke, the MD of Living Waters of Hope, the journey has been nothing short of transformative. What began as a small idea rooted in a desire to make a difference has grown into a thriving initiative that is changing lives in the community.
Personal and family life
Megan, from the hilly suburb of Kensington in Johannesburg, is a wife, a mother to three beautiful daughters and the MD of Living Waters of Hope, a registered non-profit organisation.
The NPO’s main objective is to ensure that the vulnerable and underprivileged within the community are taken care of through the provision of food, clothing, stationery, toiletries and various community development projects.
Megan married in the south of Johannesburg, to her husband, Greg in 1987, at the age of 21.
‘It was seriously one of those ‘love at first sight’ moments,” she says. Megan and her husband waited seven years before starting a family. They lived in Kensington for many years and although they moved to Cape Town for about three years, the city of gold called them back.
‘We are a small family and spend a lot of very close times together. We might not have big gatherings for Christmas but time together is the most important thing to us. We love family time,’ says Megan.
On their journey as a family they have learnt many things and although they fight, which comes as no secret shares Megan, making up has always been the best part. ‘I was a strict mum and for my girls, school came first. There were no unnecessary days off and I think being a strict mum has paid off.’ She highlights that her daughters live well-balanced lives and have successful careers. Her one daughter is a school teacher and the youngest is in business acquisition.
Megan and her husband have been together in the sewing industry business for over 30 years. However, Megan is more passionate about doing good. ‘My biggest thing in life is making a difference, even if it’s a small difference. So if many people make small differences, a big difference is accomplished,’ shares Megan.
A transformative journey
The Yorke family has also travelled a very difficult journey. ‘In 2022, we lost our eldest daughter and with that I needed to heal so I gave all my extra attention to doing more good than anything else,’ she adds.
She started a sewing programme at Ridge Park Sports Club, a nameless programme that empowered unemployed women by teaching them how to sew.
The programme grew largely after the death of her daughter and got the name ‘Usisi Omkhulu programme’ which is the big sister project under the Living Waters of Hope umbrella. ‘With my daughter in my heart, everything I’ve done has just grown and it has inspired many others to cope in their tough situations,’ highlights Megan.
She adds: ‘We have beautiful do good stories. One story I can share is my assistant’s story. She was in our feeding scheme and she joined the sewing programme. Today, she is my assistant and has learnt to be a very competent teacher.’
Megan was then approached by the owner of Ridge Park Sports Club to run the non-profit organisation, Living Waters of Hope. With much bravery, Megan took on the whole NPO, which includes a feeding scheme, 5-aside football, a literacy programme, and the sewing programme. They are ear-marking a GBV house.
‘I spend very little time in our private sewing business but my husband swims quite perfectly on his own while I focus on making a difference in the community,’ emphasizes Megan.
‘I’m very privileged. I make differences all the time and it is tiny little differences, like identifying people in the feeding scheme and giving them something extra to eat or giving a new mom some nappies and formula. It’s all about doing good,’ she expresses.
Reflecting on her journey of transforming lives, Megan highlights how many people in the field of doing good have either suffered a huge loss or experienced a big tragedy that has propelled them to help others. ‘There is always a before and after and even on your journey of life, you will find those defining moments which guide you to your destiny,’ said Megan.
‘Tragedy has a before and an after so your life is divided by what happens before and how you deal or feel after a tragedy happens. You either sit in a heap, decide to eat worms and cry every day because that’s what you feel like doing or you get up and shake yourself off.’
After losing her eldest daughter to suicide, Megan has honoured her memory by doing good and is on a journey of making a difference. ‘This is the driving force behind my energy and every day or every little difference I make is in honour of her and a big motivation for me.’
Giving back and Christmas traditions
‘Christmas is not all about receiving, it’s about giving,’ says Megan. She shines a light on how it’s not about the size of the gift; it’s about what is given from your heart.
Her message this holiday season is to shift the focus from buying a gift and instead consider hugging that person. ‘You never know if that hug would make a huge difference to them. Be in the spirit of the time – it’s not about how many presents or how big your Christmas lunch is, it’s more about being together and always remembering the quiet person. Phone home, give your mom a call or remember the aunt who has got nothing. Don’t forget the people who have been there for you,’ shares Megan.
The Yorke’s are a braai family. They do not do the traditional sit-down for Christmas.
‘It’s the most fun when we get together with all the ‘left-over’ people. So if a family went away and someone stayed home to dog-sit or the person is house-sitting, we get together and the family Christmas braai that was supposed to be five people becomes 10. In a nutshell, our family tradition is collecting and spending Christmas with everybody who doesn’t have a place to go to on Christmas,’ she adds.
Additionally, over the holiday period, Megan and her family will exchange homemade gifts or get together to enjoy delicious food. They keep the holiday spirit alive by hanging up Christmas decorations and bringing out the Christmas tree. ‘Christmas to us is not so much about the festivity of it but it’s about remembering our beloved daughter and focusing on those who are here with us.’
Although the Christmas tree isn’t as big as when her girls were young, the meaning is still there. Megan expresses her gratitude for her children and her husband and a huge amount of love she has for them.
Unwavering commitment
As she continues to commit to making a difference and honouring her daughter, Megan’s slogan remains, ‘when many do more, a difference is made’.
Throughout her journey, Megan has learnt that she cannot do it on her own and that more people doing good can make a huge impact. ‘Without the many helping hands, we wouldn’t be where we are today as Living Waters of Hope. We are a small group trying to make a difference but we are a hard-working bunch of people.’
Megan’s inspiring journey serves as a powerful reminder that with determination, vision, and heart, doing good, no matter how small or big, can indeed spark lasting change.
Text and photo: DESNAY PETERSON
