Cape Town - Gadija Francis has become a household name for seniors in her community, whether providing a hot meal or a surprise party or cake to exercise and art lessons.
Francis is the chairperson of the Delft Senior’s Forum after being part of the organisation for many years.
It had been Francis and her team who had discovered Fredie Blom in 2014, just before he celebrated his110th birthday.
The forum is made up of Francis, vice chair Amelia Jones, secretary Jessica Daniels, treasurer Gairoe Michaels, Christine Jooste and Delft Police Station communications officer, Captain John Bartlett.
From knitting to exercise, art and craft and providing a hot meal to a party and cake, Francis and her team make magic.
Often there is no cake or food when a senior reaches the ripe old age of 90 or even 100 years, but Francis and her senior club make their birthdays special.
Every year when Blom celebrated his birthday until he reached 116, Francis rallied to provide a cake via companies such as Shoprite and many others.
Francis walks wherever she needs to be with her 12 members.
Sadly, Blom’s wife, Jeanette Blom passed away at age 87 in February.
The Blom home became a media frenzy at each birthday celebration filled with residents, family, the media, and politicians and Blom himself had recalled surviving the 1918 Spanish Flu and told of how he had lost his sister at a young age.
Despite efforts to confirm that he was the oldest man in South Africa at the time, The Guinness Book of World Records were contacted but nothing was verified including with the Department of Home Affairs.
Just two weeks ago, Francis and her team arranged a party for seniors between the ages of 60 to 103 years.
The oldest resident under Francis’ wing is Nosayineyte Cetiywe, who is 104.
In November, Francis and her team hosted a party for Cetiywe and seniors aged 95, 96, 97, 98 and 99, who are moving to become Centurions.
Francis is also an activist who fights for children and women’s rights and works closely with police and safety structures. She also worked as a volunteer at the Community Health Centre, where she assisted with the elderly.
It was from there the forum began and would literally knock on doors to recruit members.
“I am a grandmother and I have always had a love for the elderly,” she said.
“I began my journey 25 years ago at at the Community Health Centre and I was working at the Day hospital and was helping with the seniors.
“A nurse at that time started the club and when the community grew and the library grew we asked if we could meet there.
“Fifteen years ago, myself and Gairoe and another member, we went door to door looking for seniors to be part of the club.
“We learnt that seniors should not be forgotten, they are our history and to treat them with respect.
“It was never about me but that we care about the seniors even just providing them with a plate of food and giving them attention, or a conversation.”
Wilhelmina Heyes of Masimthembe HIV and Aids Enrichment Centre in The Hague, Delft who has known Francis for her community work, said she was always dedicated.
“She is a someone who loves the elderly and will go out of her way to put a smile on their faces,” she said.
Captain Bartlett said their offices had worked hard to create awareness for the care and support of the elderly.
“This office does various programmes with them inter alia safety awareness, motivational talks and just spending quality time with the seniors,” he added.
“Most of the seniors sit lonely at home and have nowhere to go or their grandchildren are left with them and the parents gallivant in their own business.
“By looking after their grandchildren, they have no time for themselves as most of them don’t have the energy or strength to look after the grandchildren.
“Gadija, who is the chairperson of the forum, is an amazing people’s person and together with her team they make sure that the seniors are fed, entertained and receive knowledgeable information from various organisations.
“They also partake in self-defence classes and nurturing sessions. The forum makes sure that they give a party on the birthdays of the seniors.”
“I want to urge people or businesses to support this great initiative as most times the executives must dig deep into their own pockets to provide meals for the seniors.”
Weekend Argus