Pupils’ visits light up their lonely days

EVERY Thursday a group of pupils accompanied by a teacher walk the kilometre from Malabar Primary School to the Malabar Old Age Home. The children spend an hour or so laughing, chatting, singing and sharing sweets with the residents.

Their weekly visit is one of the initiatives started by the home’s chairman, Mogan Segadavan, a Herald GM Citizen of the Year top-three finalist.

“Many of our residents hardly get visitors and those who do [visit] do not bring their children,” Segadavan said.

“More than anything else the residents miss their grandchildren.

“When I approached the principal of Malabar Primary, Christo Abrahams, with the idea of an Adopt a Grandparent programme, he jumped at the idea.”

Abraham said: “I saw the wisdom in Mr Segadavan’s proposal and my staff and pupils were eager to participate.

“The hour they spend away from the classroom does not mean they are missing lessons.

“In fact, they are learning far more about love, caring and sharing that are not easily taught in classrooms.”

Every week, the residents cannot wait for the children and one can see their faces light up as they arrive, chattering among themselves.

“The children are just as excited,” Grade 3 teacher Krishnie Pillay said.

“It is really heartwarming to see the interaction between the residents and the children.

“You can see how much the visit [by the pupils] means to them and often they have sweets they want to share with the children.

“Some of the children massage the hands and feet of the residents, while others visit those who cannot come to the lounge. The visits mean so much to us as well, because the children can see the values and morals we teach in action.

“The children are so moved by the experience that many of them are eager to return.

“We are glad Mr Segadavan visited the school and spoke to the staff about the project.

“It has been a learning experience for both staff and pupils,” Pillay said.

Headgirl Naheed Khan, a Grade 7 pupil, said she was thrilled at the opportunity of interacting with the elderly.

“I miss my grandparents who are in Johannesburg and overseas and the old people at the home are my new grandparents,” Khan said.

“You can see they [residents] are lonely and need someone to talk to.

“We must learn to look after our parents and grandparents because we will also be old one day,” she said.

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