Help spread the joy as year ends

the holidays.

Twala, who is also known as the “father of Alexandra”, has been a community leader for 43 years.

In 1967, to assist the community, he founded a centre for the aged.

The place grew from strength to strength – from a corrugated iron clinic to a proper satellite clinic. It also has a library, a community boardroom and hall, a soup kitchen and, soon, a centre of excellence. The centre feeds about 200 children and 150 elderly people a day.

Twala says 90 percent of Alexandra residents are unemployed.

“There is real poverty here, but the worst affected are the elderly, the orphans and childheaded households. Every Christmas we try to give food parcels to as many people as we can. We are aiming at distributing 3 500 food parcels to see them over the festive season.”

Many of the elderly people, he says, are destitute.

“These are people who worked as domestics and gardeners in the suburbs and who became too old to work and were left to fend for themselves without a proper pension.

“Many are looking after their grandchildren, relying solely on their state pensions. We need to help them and give them a little joy in their lives.”

Twala is appealing to people to contribute food parcels.

“I’m blessed to have touched many lives in my many years of community service. It has been a journey that injects me with hope and energy to do more for my community. That is why I am inviting people to celebrate with us by helping these vulnerable people,” he said.

Twala can be contacted at 082 4422 866.