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Beneficiation or value addition is processing of minerals and agricultural products for example, into finished products such as jewellery cloth or clothes respectively.
Value addition gives the product a higher value. It comes with a lot of advantages that include job creation, adds to Gross Domestic Product and better prices among others that translate into improved quality of life.

I believe this same concept of value addition should be applied to our lives. Our lives should add value to other lives as well as to our environment and in the process we get enriched.
Life is about adding value to our world regardless of the circumstances. Last week I had a chat with my mother. We were walking down memory lane. My mother said something that inspired this article on adding value to your world.

She said “apo ndakauya mumusha wekwaMandimika ndakasvika muine zvemo. Ndakasvikawo ndikaitawo zvitsva.”
What she meant was that as a daughter in law in the Mandimika family she introduced new things and changed some thus enhancing what was already there.
In essence she added value to her world. By so doing she also benefitted because she made her world better and more suitable to her needs.

I know a sister who takes it upon herself to add value wherever she goes be it a funeral, wedding, meeting and many more. She also makes it a point to encourage others to do the same.
Yet there are many people who live a purposeless life. There are people that the Shona call “Gudza mudungwe.” These people add to the numbers but do not make any significant contribution to the event or situation at hand.

I think dear reader you know of people who you ferry to a funeral, a wedding or whatever function. When they get there they do nothing towards the occasion. They do not participate in any form, be it singing, dancing, praying or picking up a plate. They are just there as part of the multitude.
How many times have you or seen someone jumping over plates on the floor just because it is not their responsibility to clean up. What does it cost to put back something that is misplaced?

Adding value is transforming a negative situation into a positive one or enhancing the outlook of something.
I was challenged by a story about the city of Kigali. I heard that every last of Saturday of the month the residence, including the leadership, come together to clean up the city. As a result the standards of cleanliness of the city have gone up.

Dear reader, adding value is about being very intentional in life and able to persevere. There is need to have a personal motto – to add value wherever you are.
Imagine if each one of us makes it a point to add value to something to his or her world every day. The end result would be a better world with healthier, contended and happy people. We could make a difference to our world.

Some years back, I think in the early 1990’s, an American actor visiting the country was interviewed by a local journalist. The interview was aired on ZBC TV. In response to a question asked, the actor said that we were not created to occupy space but to lead a meaningful life and leave a mark. What this means is that life is about being deliberate in order to fulfill a God given purpose.

Our purpose therefore should be higher than ourselves. I know there are some people who just live for themselves. While it is good to take care of oneself it should never be an end in itself. This is why the Bible talks about being the salt of the earth and light of the world in Matthew chapter 5.

It says in Matthew 5: 13 and 14 says “You are the salt of the earth”
and “You are the light of the world.” According to these scriptures, what matters are the quality of the salt and the position of the light and not the nature of the world to be transformed?

Adding value does not mean that the environment is conducive. Even in the most difficult of all circumstances we are still expected to fulfill a purpose in order to leave imprints in our world.
When I follow the story of Jesus Christ, I see that he transformed lives and situations at every encounter in line with his mission.
He would heal people, drive out demons, change water into wine, teach and turn tables upside down.

I believe that for one to be transformative one needs to have a personal mission and goals that guide one’s activities. It is often said, if you do not know where you are going any road will get you there.
Transformation starts with self because you cannot give the world what you do not have.

For us to change the world we need to change our attitudes and our perceptions and behavior will follow suit. Personally I think there is nothing so powerful as the word of God to cause transformation to a person’s life. It changes our world views and gives us new standards on which to base our lives.

The late Paul Matavire in one of his songs poses the question “Ko zvino wavingei” (Why are you here). A question that I think each person should ask himself so as to challenge one into action that helps to make a difference and better the world one lives in.

When you find yourself not motivated to take action ask yourself why you are there in the first place.
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