Chronicle Editor
Ashley Phiri, [email protected]
IT was a day of joy and celebration during the third edition of the SPA Community Trust event held on Sunday at the Zimbabwe International Exhibition Centre (ZIEC) tea room to honour centenarians.
A total of 18 centenarians from Bulawayo aged between 100 to 118, were treated like royalty as guests joined in the festivities with song and dance.
This year, the event, which typically unites centenarians from across the Matabeleland region, was held in various provinces to ensure that everyone felt special.
The centenarians received certificates and sashes from the SPA Community Trust partners, along with grocery hampers filled with essential items such as potatoes, mealie-meal and cooking oil.
The atmosphere was vibrant as the DJ played nostalgic hits from legends like Bhekumuzi Luthuli and Yvonne Chaka Chaka, taking guests down memory lane.
A speech delivered by Councillor Ntombizodwa Khumalo on behalf of Bulawayo mayor, Clr David Coltart, emphasised the importance of cherishing the wisdom the elderly possess.
“It is my honour to be in the presence of such an esteemed company. There is a quote by Lailah Gifty Akita that says: ‘The glory of the elderly is their insight, their knowledge and their wisdom’.
“Being in the midst of so many cumulative years of accumulated wisdom and experience is truly humbling. I do also recognise that more can be done and, as a city, we would certainly like to do more for our elderly,” said Clr Coltart.
“More can be done for their day-to-day welfare and upkeep. More can also be done to help the city just to be even a little bit kinder to our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.”
Mrs Caroline Stackhouse, co-founder of SPA Community Trust, highlighted the significance of celebrating the elderly as “granaries of wisdom”.
She noted the expanded reach of the celebrations and the ongoing programmes for those over 65.
“As an organisation, we aim to honour the elderly, whom we like to refer to as our granaries of wisdom.
“We started by celebrating those in the Matabeleland region, but next year, we plan to extend our reach to the Midlands,” she said.
“We do not only have centenarian celebrations but for all the elderly above 65, we have our Tuesday day centre where they can come and unwind and partake in various activities like gardening and weaving.
“The elderly from Tsholotsho are doing really well with their gardening, they do vegetables and flowers.”
Gogo Linah Chitundu (104), credited her longevity to traditional values and a healthy diet.
“I want to thank God for enabling me to live for this long. When I grew up, we were told to uphold our traditional values and I have done just that. I respected my elders and have always tried to be kind,” she said.
“I have also stuck to a traditional diet, staying away from all these processed foods that lead to many diseases. People should love and take care of themselves in order to live long.”
Gogo Eleanor Mbulawa (100), expressed gratitude for the community support that alleviates loneliness.
“Old age can be really lonely sometimes but SPA has made it to be not so lonely. We come here every Tuesday and we spend the day interacting with each other and making various projects in order to occupy ourselves.
“This helps us to not be idle and I believe that also increases our life span,” she said.
The event concluded with a sumptuous lunch, leaving attendees with cherished memories and a renewed appreciation for their elders.
Online Reporter