Dedza youth group bails out the elderly

By Tracy Kafansiyanji

Youths, under Senior Chief Kachindamoto in Dedza, have embarked on a Youths for the Elderly initiative in an effort to instil the spirit of caring for the elderly amongst the youths.

Speaking on Wednesday, after providing a poly plastic paper and voluntarily thatching a house for a 71-year-old woman in the area, Project Facilitator for the group, Osman Moyo, said through the initiative they aim to treasure the elderly and change people\’s mind-set towards the elderly.

Moyo, who is also CorpsAfrica volunteer serving in the area, said it is disheartening to note traumatic experiences elderly people go through in the hands of the same people they raised.

\”We want to reach out to the world and disseminate messages that, as youths, we can change the narrative by making our communities conducive for everyone including the elderly and defy misconceptions that lead into the violent attacks against them,\” he said.

Echoing Moyo\’s sentiments, Chairperson for Kazitule Youth Club, Rose Kennedy, said through membership contributions they managed to purchase a roll of poly plastic paper for the first phase of the initiative.

\”We observed that a lot of elderly people, living on their own, have no conducive places and whenever it rains their houses are prone to leakage. However, due to limited resources we only targeted three households,” she highlighted.

She, therefore, called upon well-wishers to reach out to them with any form of assistance that can help the group provide similar assistance to other households in need.

\”Those willing to assist can reach out to us through +265(0)995479986 or +265(0)888023969 as the need is huge,” she indicated.

Natalia Dilifa, 71, who benefited from the initiative, thanked Kazitule Youth Club describing it a timely gesture.

She said there are many in her status who are in need of such interventions.

Last week, the group also provided similar assistance to a 68-year-old woman in the area.