Gogos celebrate a decade of happiness

Thembalami Care Centre has been bringing warmth and happiness to the lives of the senior citizens around the Johannesburg north-east areas for decades.

The Rand Aid care centre, which is situated in Lombardy East, launched an outreach programme 10 years ago which aims to assist older persons from nearby Alexandra and Riverpark.

The programme called Zamokuhle was launched in 2009 by Alex resident Victoria Smith and Thembalami manager Elize Raath. Smith met with Raath at the time she was trying to get an enrichment programme for the township’s gogos off the ground.

In the following days after the two met, they drove to Thembalani with a few other interested women to view the facilities. It was agreed that the care centre was the perfect venue to house an enrichment programme that would give retired gogos a means to combat boredom and loneliness. Ten years later, Zamokuhle has become part of the fabric of Thembalami.

Smith said the gogos love their time at the care centre. “Their hours there are filled with meaningful activity and camaraderie. Over and above the various skills they learn and share, such as needlework, the participants enjoy nutritious meals at Thembalami and are invited to most of the care centre’s events.”

According to the founders, the gogos come to the centre three days a week to learn a variety of handcrafts such as knitting and crocheting.

Smith said they, in turn, give back to the community by knitting teddies for children and tackling other community projects. They also enjoy breakfast, morning tea and lunch there and benefit from health and social awareness initiatives.

Details: Cathy Grosvenor 074 454 5820.

Related article: 

https://northeasterntribune.co.za/224386/choir-gogos-celebrate-a-fantastic-year/