Elderly people face challenges at home

LUPHISI -“ Elderly people deserve to be loved, respected and they must always feel free and safe in our communities.

As Africans we believe that “Indlela ibuzwa kwabadala. “These are the words said by one of the founders of Sivumelene organization, Mr Mandlakayise Maseko.

This organization was established in 2012 aimed to ensure that elderly people are well taken care of and are always in a safer environment in the community. At this stage, more than 72 elderly people who come from different villages in the area who are benefiting from the centre in terms of getting meals and looking after those who are sick.

Mpumalanga News learnt that most of the elderly people who come to the centre are those who face different challenges at home, including living alone which puts their lives in danger of being sexually abused since in this province violations of elderly people’s rights has turned out to be a normal part of life.

This was also revealed by the chairperson of taking legislature to the people, Dr Clifford Mkasi during the elderly people’s parliament last year. Even though the people are getting the unconditional love that they deserve as human beings, but sometimes things are getting tough when it comes to getting plenty food as Maseko said: “In order to ensure that the people don’t go to bed on an empty stomach, we depend on donations from business people in our area since we don’t have a sponsor. Our plan is to take this centre to another level because our elderly people, a majority of them are the victims of rape in our communities because some of them live alone at home while children are at school and criminals take advantage of that and we’d like to plead with people out there who are willing to assist us with anything, it can be food, clothes, we will appreciate that because we know that it will bring a smile and make a difference to the elderly people,“ he concluded.