Tafta celebrates older persons as changemakers
From tech-savvy wellness projects to advocacy campaigns and community upliftment, Tafta is celebrating the powerful role seniors play as leaders, advocates, and changemakers — locally and globally.
IN celebration of International Day of Older Persons on October 1, The Association for the Aged (Tafta) has reaffirmed their commitment to supporting elders in expressing their rights, nurturing their well-being, and pursuing their aspirations.
Supporting this year’s theme from the United Nations, “Older Persons Driving Local and Global Action: Our Aspirations, Our Well-Being and Our Rights,” Tafta divisional manager of operations Yoshina Kistensamy said, “At Tafta, older persons are active participants in advocacy efforts,” said Kistensamy.
“They’re involved in campaigns like World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, where they take the lead in raising awareness through pamphlet distribution, symbolic ribbon-wearing, and peaceful demonstrations.” She said residents are represented in decision-making through Tafta’s Resident and Life Rights Committees, ensuring that the voices of older persons are heard and respected in all aspects of organisational life.
Also Read: ‘Elder abuse is not just a personal tragedy; it is a societal failure’ – Tafta
Through Tafta, residents also enjoy enriching communal life through cooking, baking, decorating, and helping with event set-ups, as well as engaging in arts, crafts, and sports programmes that promote connection, creativity, and personal growth.
In a landmark initiative last month, residents led the successful installation of WiFi at the Mary Asher Wellness Centre, opening new opportunities for learning, engagement, and digital connectivity. “Through our month-long commemoration of International Day of Older Persons, we celebrate the profound ways in which our elders are shaping our present and future.
“Their voices are essential, not optional. They demand respect, inclusion, and opportunity — and they deliver on it, every day. At Tafta, we commit to supporting their rights, elevating their well-being, and nurturing their aspirations. May we all see, hear, and walk alongside them in dignity,” said Tafta CEO Femada Shamam.
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