CHRISTMAS came early for members of the Wyebank Senior Citizens’ Club as they received a generous donation of clothes sponsored by Mr Price Foundation (MRP).
The club was started in March this year by Wyebank resident, Zanele Mpungose. Mpungose said she started this organisation so that the elderly can have something to keep them busy and entertained during the day.
“Most of the old people live under terrible circumstances as they take care of their grandchildren with their pension money. “Old people should be taken care of, and not the other way around,” she said.
At the moment they meet only once a week as they do not have resources and funding.
“When we started we used to meet at a garage and the owner needed to renovate the house and we had to move. Mpungose said she asked ward 19 councillor, Bheki Mvubu, to give them vacant land where they could meet.
“A local businessman, Morgan Pillay, donated a container so that we could have a shelter over our head, we are old and we can not stand in the sun for too long,” said Mpungose.
Pastor Blessing Ngubane from the Restore Life Organisation that works with MRP said their aim is to empower the community. “We work with different organisations to uplift the NGOs and the underprivileged.
“Our main focus is to educate people so that they can develop their skills and be able to make ends meet as jobs are very scarce,” said Mpungose.
The senior citizens club provides lots of activities as they sew, play soccer, and discuss their problems.
“Some old people are sick and they take medication which sometimes gets difficult as they do not have enough food. “We have volunteers who do house visits to assist them and Wyebank Clinic provides us with gloves,” said Mpungose.
The club would like to provide more activities for the gogos like making crafts and planting vegetables. They also desperately needs someone who can sponsor a toilet. Anyone who would like to assist the club, can contact Zanele Mpungose on 083 576 5561.
