By Busi Vilakazi
PR councillor Bongani Nkwanyane appealed to the community to assist the Golden Year’s Club based in Bertha Solomon Jeppestown.
“The elderly women at the club are in need of a helping hand and support from the community. They are the pillars of the community and they shouldn’t suffer during their golden years,” said Nkwanyane.
He said the group needs food parcels and material for the work they do such as gardening, arts and crafts.
The club meets four times a week from Monday to Thursday from 8am to 2pm.
“The women meet to enjoy each other’s company and for support. They received meals from a charity on the days that they meet. The charity informed the club they can no longer assist due to a shortage of funds.
“We urge anyone who can ‘adopt’ the group and support them in supplying meals for them to come forward,” said Nkwanyane.
Bertha Solomon Recreation centre manager, Sharon Ndlovu, said the club has grown since it started last year.
“The group started small. The centre provides the facilities for the women to meet and have also given them space in the centre for gardening.
“They come together to do different activities and that makes a difference in their lives,” said Ndlovu.
The group was founded by Elizabeth Lubisi who identified a need for a club catering for senior women in Jeppestown.
Ndlovu said most of the club’s members worked as domestic workers in the city and never returned to their hometowns.
“They come from disadvantaged backgrounds and have no support system in the city. The club offers that support.”
The club’s weekly programme includes counselling on Mondays, gardening on Tuesdays, arts and crafts on Wednesdays and sports on Thursday.
Those who wish to assist can contact Lubisi on 072 674 7561 or Nkwanyane on 082 755 5584.
