CELEBRATING ACTIVE AGEING: THE GOLDEN GAMES UNITE ELDERLY PARTICIPANTS

By Moss Tyuthuza

• Active Ageing Programme: The Golden Games, held from March 20th to 21st, 2024, in Mbombela, Mpumalanga, celebrate the participation of elderly individuals from various provinces in the Active Ageing Programme, fostering camaraderie and promoting healthy lifestyles among seniors.
• Personal Testimonials: Long-time participant Vangile Mngxaso, a 70-year-old resident of the Northern Cape, shares her experience as a veteran of the Golden Games, highlighting the profound impact the programme has had on her life, fostering friendships, and providing opportunities for physical activity, such as her favourite event, the 200m races.
• Spiritual and Social Enrichment: Mrs Mngxaso underscores the spiritual and social benefits of the Golden Games, emphasising the importance of peer communication, growing spiritually, and participating in the choir as avenues for personal growth and enrichment, affirming her commitment to remain part of the programme for years to come.

The Golden Games kicked off on March 20th and will continue to do so until the 21st of March 2024 in Mbombela Mpumulanga. The elderly have been welcomed from various provinces in honor of the Active Ageing Programme. There’s a selection of choirs from their respective provinces. Most of the elder persons have been a part of Department of Social Development’s Golden Games, and have extraordinary stories to tell. Vangile Mngxaso who is 70 years of age and are a resident of the Northern Cape and a member of the Golden Games for more than 5 years now.

She says that having spent a significant amount of time in this programme she identifies as a veteran of the Golden Games.

Having been a part of this journey she categorized it as a new life chapter in her story, “Having met friends that turns into family, and some of them I refer to as colleagues, because we are together at all times.” She states that it has been a blessed journey.

Given the nature of this programme, there’s a multitude of health benefits that comes with Ageing Actively. Vangile Mngxaso, states, “Being a part of Golden Games made her relive her youth despite her age, because being active gives you many chances and not just a second chance to regain your healthy lifestyle back.”

Being a longterm member of this programme there’s bound to be challenges, and Mrs Vangile Mngxaso, had herself challenged, ” The mode of transportation for the elder persons aren’t that conducive for stretching and going to the bathroom due the age, but regardless of that, we all seem to overcome peculiar challenges when we are all together, because this profane had not only brought us together as a family but the lessons we learned, we managed to incorporate it into our lifestyles and maintain an evenly balanced life, despite the challenges that arises.”

She stated that what kept her in the programme was that meeting people of her age and even slightly younger gave many new insights, the communication amongst her peers, kept her informed. Mrs Vangile Mngxaso said the best part was the Games, that hosted one of her favorite sports type, the 200m races, she truly enjoys running, it makes her feel like a child once more.

Challenges comes in many forms, Mrs Vangile stated that growing spiritually with her peers has been a regular thing, ” As we grow older, we grow more closer to God, in difficult times, we would start singing church hymns, because with God we can overcome anything.”

Mrs Vangile Mngxaso states that recommending this, isn’t solely based on the athletics, there are many positive affirming moments that shapes character, she said she rants and raves to her family and friends about this programme every chance she gets, because she want to know that her family and friends would also come to experience what she has for over 5 years and continue to, to this day.

She has been a part of the choir, ” I have become a member of the choir, it is a place for my spiritualism to become vibrant through the hymns we sing and to strengthen it, because when you sing, you don’t only use your voice but you sing with your heart, because God listens to what comes from your heart.”

She stated that, “I will stay a member of the Golden Games for the remainder of my years on earth.”

The Golden Games have been a haven for the elderly persons of the various provinces and will continue to be that, for the rest of the years to come.