Foundation that keeps elderly people busy needs help
Mamelodi elderly Foundation desperately need funds to keep it running.
Senior citizens of Mamelodi East belonging to 8b Foundation, a non-profit organisation, desperately need funds to keep the organisation running.
They started gathering at an abandoned primary school called Shomisanang in Section 16 last year twice a week, to exercise and do other sports activities to keep themselves busy and fight boredom.
Founder of 8b Foundation Lillian Ledwaba said the major problem they are facing is that the Department of Education has not used the school for the past 12 years, but as the community members they want to make use of the facility.
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The school has been vandalised and there are no toilets and some of the classrooms no longer have roofs and the electricity has been disconnected.
Ledwaba said the foundation has many activities they want to introduce to the community but this is difficult because of the state of the school.
The organisation started last year with the vision to keep the senior citizen busy every day. They currently have more than 120 men and women who meet every week to exercise.
Ledwaba said they recently introduced knitting but because of the state of the school the elderly people have to knit at home, because there is no space to work.
“We have tried to have talks with the departments of Social Development and Infrastructure to come and assist but all they do is talk and never come back again.
Participants said joining the foundation was a good choice because most of them used to go to hospitals and clinics complaining of body aches and pains, blood sugar and high blood pressure. But exercising has helped them alleviate many senior citizens’ health problems.
They meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 09:00 to 11:30.
“Most of the elderly people no longer complain about body aches and they feel healthy and strong,” said Ledwaba.
Another sport that keeps the men participants fit and strong is boxing. But the problem is the space and lack of training equipment.
Margaret Phiri (74) said when she first joined the foundation she used to walk with a stick due to knee pains, but exercising has helped her a lot.
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“I no longer use a walking stick to come to the gym and I’m able to walk long distances without any knee pains.”
Johanna Mahlangu said that her blood pressure used to be high and she used to sweat a lot, but since she started training it has decreased and she is healthy.
The foundation has appealed to local businesses and ordinary community members in and around Mamelodi to help with funds or sponsorship to keep it running and to grow.
Enquiries: Lillian Ledwaba on 061-530-6434.
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