There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in- Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Without Archbishop Desmond Tutu, South Africa’s long and winding liberation movement from apartheid would be almost unthinkable to comprehend. His roles in the liberation struggles cannot be undermined. Although a revered priest within the apartheid government, Archbishop Tutu’s boldness in speaking against social injustice was the hallmark of his struggles. He was present at every stage of the struggle, constantly wrestled the insincerity of the apartheid states, comforted victims, held the liberation movement accountable, and dared Western governments to do more to isolate a white-minority government. These attributes brought him into the Reformers’ Hall of Fame. His religious activities did not push him into political apathy rather he became active in shaping the destiny of post-apartheid South Africa.

When democracy came to South Africa, Tutu used his moral authority to oversee the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which aimed to reveal the government's atrocities against the white minority. Later, he turned that same ferocious scrutiny on the ANC, South Africa's erstwhile liberation organization, and its failures in governance.

Tutu was always, forcefully, the voice of hope, as those who knew him best have repeatedly reminded us. And it is that hope, that optimism, complemented with his distinctive grins and cackles, that shapes how the world remembers and celebrates Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Tutu's personal courage and moral proclivity will be remembered by all.

As we mourn the demise of one of Africa’s greatest reformers, we must remember to contribute our quota and make our society a better place than we met it just like he did.

Do your little bit of good where you are; it's those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world- Archbishop Desmond Tutu