Trio from Tsakani share breakfast with elderly patients
One of the founders of Mosadi ke Bophelo foundation, Malehlogonolo Mokoena (29) explained that after identifying that most chronic patients, epically the elderly, go to the clinic from 05:00.
Tsakani – Help three young people from Mosadi Ke Bophelo Foundation feed patients at your local clinic.
The trio are running a programme by providing breakfast for chronic elderly patients, outside different clinics in Kwatsaduza, through their social relief R350 grants.
One of the founders, Malehlogonolo Mokoena (29), explained that after identifying that most chronic patients, especially the elderly, go to the clinic from 05:00 to be first in line to avoid being cut.
“They wait on an empty stomach for the clinic to start operating from 08:00. This didn’t sit well with me and I decided to come up with ways to improve the situation.
“I approached three of my friends to come up with ways to help the elderly patients and decided to form Mosadi ke Bophelo Foundation,” she added.
The foundation offers the patients fresh fruits and breakfast to help keep them full while they wait to be attended to by the nurses.
Also read: Young people continue to fight food insecurity
Mahlogonolo added that through the initiative they are trying to close the gap of poverty in their community by supporting the elderly.
“In many homes, the elderly are left to take care of their grandchildren and they are forced to use their pension grant to support them.
“Our plan is to raise enough funds to be able to afford to give them food parcels on a weekly basis,” she added.
Unfortunately, their social relief funds were stopped in April and they had to reapply.
Mohlogonolo’s grants were reinstated while the two other members were declined.
They now depend on donations from local business people.
A 71-year-old chronic patient, Maria Skhosana said she now looks forward to collecting her chronic medication.
“In the past I would dread going to the clinic if I didn’t have money to buy something to eat while I waited to be attended.
“Sometimes I would get dizzy from being hungry and feared fainting in the queue but since this initiative we wait to be attended on a full stomach,” she added.
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