Ray of hope for Chiwalo Village

As winter settles in, fear grips Mary Pingoti, 68, of Chiwalo Village in Chiradzulu District.

Pingoti is old and does not have a blanket to keep her warm during the cold season.

As night falls, her heart is troubled. As the wind sweeps through her grass-thatched house, Pingoti panics. She searches for something that can possibly keep her warm through the dark, cold night.

While others are covering themselves with one or two blankets, Pingoti takes her old chitenje [piece of cloth] hoping that it would keep her warm. Unfortunately it does not.

Due to her old age, she develops different kinds of illnesses almost every season. Cold, respiratory illness and pneumonia have become her best friends. She is a regular patient at Namitambo Health Centre. She has no choice.

“Mostly it’s the pneumonia and winter itches that bother me. Sometimes flu gets the better of me and I get tired of going to the hospital now and again because I have problems with my legs. I can’t cover long distances on foot,” Pingoti says.

Pingoti adds that she sometimes fails to visit a doctor because she is not in her best shape.

“Old age comes with a price. The older you get, the more you become prone to diseases. If it’s not leg issues, then it’s something else. There is always something that bothers you,” she says.

On the other hand is Group Village Headman Jonathan Misokwe of Chiwalo Village, Traditional Authority Mpunga, in the district.

Misokwe does not have a proper blanket to keep him warm, just like dozens of elderly people in his village.

They all dance to the tune of the cold season as winter holds many hazards for the elderly.

“The cold weather can get too taxing on the golden-agers like us. It, therefore, becomes important to tread carefully once the weather turns greyish,” Misokwe says.

Another victim of cold weather is Melesia Damiano, whose thoughts get crowded with fear at the beginning of each season.

“I wish all days were as hot as a summer day. At least a chitenje is all I require to shield myself from mosquitoes,” she says.

Indeed, the season poses a challenge to the elderly as a fall in mercury has a direct impact on the cardiovascular system of the elderly.

And, according to research, cold weather leads to an increase in blood pressure, thereby increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Fortunately, well-wishers recently took good news to Chiwalo Village after Inner Wheel Club Blantyre sourced funds and got 100 blankets which were distributed to the elderly.

Inner Wheel President, Lyaiya Nancy Thomas Ofem, says most elderly people in Chiwalo Village suffer from various diseases during winter because they do not have blankets to keep them warm during the night.

“Some women said they had used the only blankets they had to bury their dead husbands as a symbol of respect and they were left with nothing to keep them warm,” she says.

Ofem says their organisation started holding fundraising activities to raise money for buying blankets.

“Fortunately various well-wishers stepped in and our members made contributions which enabled us to buy a hundred blankets that we have distributed in this village,” she says.

Ofem says there is more to be done in order to cater for as many elderly people as they can.

“Elderly people are everywhere and we intend to reach out to as many as we can before the season reaches a climax,” she says.

Joy was written all over Pingoti’s face as she was one of the beneficiaries of the initiative.

“I’m so thankful to this organisation for thinking about us. At least this cold season will be different. They should continue the good work and reach out to other aged people,” Pingoti says.

Pingoti believes she will not be a regular patient anymore.

“Now that I have a blanket, I believe most of the diseases that attacked me will no longer do so. It will keep me warm and I will be able to do the things I wasn’t able to do due to ailments. I will be able to sweep my yard and do some household chores,” Pingoti says.

Misokwe, on the other hand, thanks the organisation for the kind gesture.

“This marks the first time for an organisation has given us blankets, maybe because our village is far from the city. They should not stop here,” Misokwe says.

Inner Wheel Club Blantyre is a charitable organisation that started 45 years ago and has 12 members.