Go go-getters shine at Gogolympics
The Molweni gogos were the champions at this year's Gogolympics event.
MUCH to the delight of the home crowds, the Molweni team was crowned the 2018 champions at the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust’s (HACT) eighth annual Gogolympics event.
More than 1 000 gogos from across the Valley of 1000 Hills competed in the all-day, sporting spectacular which was held in partnership with the Molweni Community, the eThekwini Municipality, the KZN Department of Sports and Recreation and the Department of Health.
In addition to soccer, netball, running relays and traditional games, this year’s event also featured a board game competition for gogos with impaired mobility thanks to enthusiastic volunteers from HACT’s partner, the Imbeleko Foundation.
Speaking at the event, HACT’s Gogo Support Groups programme manager, Cwengi Myeni, said, “We are so proud of all our gogos for their enthusiasm and dedication as well as the Molweni community members who have done an outstanding job in working with us to ensure today’s event was a big success.”
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HACT’s Gogo (Granny) Support Groups Programme currently provides psychosocial support and economic empowerment opportunities to a network of approximately 2 000 gogos across eight communities in the Valley of 1 000 Hills.
Many of the grandmothers care for orphaned grandchildren who have lost their parents due to HIV/AIDS, violence and other issues.
HACT’s gogos train year-round in the lead up to the annual Gogolympics event, helping them to adopt an active and healthy lifestyle which not only benefits them through stress alleviation and improved mobility, but also benefits the many orphaned grandchildren in their care.
Guest speakers at this year’s event included US Consul General, Sherry Sykes, who spoke movingly about her personal experience of losing her grandmother to HIV/AIDS and her commitment to seeing an end to South Africa’s AIDS pandemic.
HACT’s Comrades Marathon ambassador, Blanche Moila, encouraged the gogos to keep active and lead a healthy lifestyle for the sake of themselves and their grandchildren.
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