Elderly woman dedicated to her community
She started her community project by starting taking care of children in the area during the day when their parents were at work.
THE love of people is what has made Magdalena Dladla (76) from Nqetho pursue her involvement in assisting her community.
Dladla is known as the counsellor who can solve all problems in her community, as everyone approaches her for assistance.
She started her community project by starting taking care of children in the area during the day when their parents were at work. Dladla said that at the time, the place was a rural area with few houses.
“The Valley Trust in KwaNyuswa once invited the women to go and attend a health course, but no one was confident enough to go. I attended the course and I had to go back to my community and teach other women. I taught the women through music, traditional music and dance so that the information can register in their minds.”
Dladla left school at Grade 6, but that has never stopped her achieving her dreams and helping those who are unfortunate. She has also written poems about community issues and HIV/AIDS.
”At my age, I should have retired, but I can not chase away people who need my help.” Dladla now runs the Ikhayalethu Rescue Centre, which is a small rondovel that she built in her yard, and she takes care of sick people. She also uses her home to run a soup kitchen every Wednesday.
“I get food support from Woolworths Hillcrest and porridge from the clinic. Sometimes ,the children come every afternoon to ask for bread and sometimes there is nothing I can give them, and that really breaks my heart.”
She uses her small car to fetch the food, and sometimes some of it is left behind as she cannot fit it all inside. The clinic also sends a sister to do check-ups on the residents who fetch food from Dladla’s house.
The Nqetho community lines up early on Wednesday, as there are few chairs for them to sit at, but they are grateful for whatever they get that week.
Dladla said it was hard to balance her community work and her family life, as she is a wife and mother of 11 children.
Over the years, Dladla has been nominated for various Women of the Year titles because of her dedication in uplifting her community, and she won the Radio Zulu (Ukhozi FM) Woman of the Year award.
“Sometimes my family would feel that I do not have enough time to spend with them,” she said.
Josephina Meyiwa (74), who comes regularly to the soup kitchen, said they are really blessed to have Dladla in the community. “She goes all-out to assist us and the sister from the clinic really helps us, as we do not have to walk long distances for our check-ups,” she said.
Dladla needs help in keeping up her community projects. Anyone who can assist can contact her on 072 357 2220.
