Organisation provides emotional and physical support for eldely
Elderly organisation helps senior citizens not feel lonely
Masizakhe Family Centre has for the past seven years provided care and support to the elderly residents of Windmill Park.
The organisation, which runs as an NPO, was established in 2013 by Nolufefe Mzwakali.
According to Mzwakali, she decided to open the organisation after witnessing the social ills faced by elderly people in the area who are left to take care of their grandchildren.
“I managed to mobilise them and we started a support group where they can share their problems or challenges that they are faced with on a daily basis. As time went by, we opened classes for hand work, singing and exercising.”
The founder highlighted that after the classes they feed the elderly depending on the availability of food donated by generous people from the community.
Mzwakali said when they started she had only six members, but now the organisation has welcomed 20 more members.
The eldest member in the group, Mathapelo Matlaneng (73), said when she joined the organisation in 2013 she became active.
Another member, Maria Tsotetsi (67), said she limped when she joined the group but after starting to gym with the elderly she’s no longer limping.
Mzwakali shared that one of the challenges the organisation is faced with is not having a property of their own to run their programmes from.
They run these from a local church called Revelation of Christ Apostolic Mission.
“Since we don’t receive funding from a specific organisation we are appealing to the public to assist us with donations. We are in need of food, sewing machines, gym clothes,” Mzwakali said.
Elderly from the area and surrounding areas are invited to join the organisation.
They meet every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the church from 10am.
To donate towards the sustainability of the organisation contact Mzwakali on 073 841 1238 or Nondumiso Sivuka on 073 677 4347.
