A nutritional programme united the elderly at Green Village, Marlboro on April 25, which equipped them with the essential knowledge they need to live healthy and fulfilling lives.
The event, hosted by the Social Development Department in collaboration with Gogo Gives Smiles, Health Promotion, and Ageing With Wisdom (AWW) Region E Elderly Forum, featured an important session on nutrition, shining a light on the importance of eating healthy, exercising and conducting regular check-ups.
Reflecting on the significance of the event, the secretary of AWW, Mamoraka Mogane, emphasised that the information older people received would help them to lead healthy lifestyles. “The lesson about what they are supposed to eat helps us a lot because we eat everything,” said Mogane.
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“They were explaining what we are supposed to eat. They were telling us about the importance of foods that benefit our bodies.”
Romay Harding, the founder of Gogos Give Smiles said elderly empowerment was close to her heart because she was raised by her grandmother. She acknowledged the role elders played in society. “If we teach these ladies about nutrition, exercise and eating well, they will be able to pass on that information to the little ones in early childhood development centres (ECD), setting a foundation for them to live healthy in adulthood.”
Harding expressed concerns about the malnutrition crisis in the country.
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A 2024 Unicef report revealed that nutrition issues, especially among children, were compounded by easy access to cheap, nutrient-poor, ultra-processed food and sugar-sweetened beverages. “In this country, we have a problem of malnutrition, and we think of it as when you don’t get food; it’s not about that, it’s about getting the wrong food, and it’s about lack of understanding sometimes.”
The South African Food Security Index highlighted that due to economic constraints, 23.6% of households reported eating a lower variety of food.
Harding said this emphasised the important role of planting vegetable gardens in the community to tackle malnutrition, especially in tough economic times.
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