Joe Gqabi centre launches annual beauty pageant for seniors
In a unique Women’s Day celebration, the Joe Gqabi Older Persons Service Centre hosted a beauty pageant for senior citizens, aiming to bring joy and promote engagement among the elderly community in Protea Glen.
In celebration of Women’s Day, the Joe Gqabi Older Persons Service Centre hosted a beauty pageant for senior citizens in Protea Glen on August 8.
Centre manager Linda Mngabi said the event was dedicated to recognising the women at the centre and honouring their long-standing presence, as they are pioneers who played a role in the history of Women’s Day.
“We chose to celebrate Women’s Day this way because we wanted to break away from the usual traditions.
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“Instead of the typical celebrations, we thought it would be amazing to do something different while still blending it with tradition.
“Our goal is simply to bring smiles to the faces of our older community members, giving them a chance to have fun and enjoy themselves,” said Mngabi.
He added that he hopes to grow the elderly beauty pageant into a community-wide initiative, encouraging broader participation, as many senior citizens spend their days at home with little to do, which can contribute to dementia and other health issues.
He believes the initiative could provide meaningful engagement and benefit many elderly people.
The founder of Mrs eSoweto and Miss Teen eSoweto, Fikile Motaung, said the pageant inspires seniors to rediscover their potential, especially since many are written off and told they can no longer achieve certain things.
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“As someone involved in the pageantry space, I’m loving what I see. Other older persons’ centres should adopt what the Joe Gqabi Older Persons Centre is doing, because pageantry stimulates the participants and their minds.
“By embracing this activity, elderlies are given a space to feel beautiful and to restore hope in their lives,” she said.
The centre will now make it an annual tradition to crown the queen and king of the Joe Gqabi Older Persons Service Centre.
Evelyn Mbathi, the 2025 pageant winner, expressed her gratitude for the day, mentioned that she had a lot of fun, and found it special to be part of the event.
