Group Cleans Up 85-Year-Old’s Home
“There are other old people in our communities as well who are lonely and this is the time youths need to step in and be with them, even a small ‘hello’ will brighten up their day.”
Thursday 16 September 2021 | 16:19
PYGMIES members and volunteers cleaning up the compound as Ram Devi looks on.
Remember those who nurtured us when we were young, this is our time to give back to them.
These were the words of the Providing Young Generation Movement in Every Society (PYGMIES) group president, Josateki Labalaba.
His group assisted Ram Devi, 85, at her Lovu residence in Lautoka over the weekend by cleaning the interior and exterior of her home.
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Mr Labalaba said Ms Devi also known to many as nani (Hindi for grandmother from maternal side) lived in her one-bedroom corrugated iron home alone.
The youths scheduled a day to help and clean-up her compound and tidy the inside of her home.
He said the assistance was out of love because youths were familiar of the help needed by many elderly persons in various communities of Lautoka.
He said it was also a time youths gave back to the communities.
“Apart from helping nani, we know that she also needs the love and attention, and we will ensure that youths will visit her often,” he said.
“There are other old people in our communities as well who are lonely and this is the time youths need to step in and be with them, even a small ‘hello’ will brighten up their day.”
Mr Labalaba is encouraging other youth groups to follow their example of visiting and helping the elderly.
“We must play our part because these are the people who at one stage cared for us,” he said.
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