SEBOKENG. – Not everyone can tell the story of a life lived for 100 years, but Gogo Emily Ntsoaki Rooi is just one of the few people who has lived to tell the tale.
A birthday party of note was recently hosted by family and friends to celebrate this rare occasion. On the day Ntsoaki, who is a respected member in her community after serving as a reverend’s wife for years, was surrounded by all those who loved her and noted the work she did. Ntsoaki has lived to see four generations born out of her family. Ntsoaki has 10 kids, 10 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren. Her daughter Thotoane Rooi (78) believes that her mother was able to reach this age because of her humble and respectful nature.
“My mom has always been a quiet person. She taught us to respect God and to also respect other people. We organised a birthday party for her because not a lot of people get to reach this age, we wanted to show her our love.”
Thotoana says that they tried by all means to keep Gogo safe during the lockdown. “We knew that she was the most vulnerable person, so we took extra precautions to ensure that she is kept safe from any harm. We did not allow any visitors from outside and whenever we went outside, we always ensured that we took the necessary steps not to make her sick with COVID-19.”
