Global Compassion Coalition joins Malawian nurse in fundraising to assist older people in Zomba
A project which Susan Dzimbiri, a 24-year-old nurse from Zomba District, initiated to overturn wrong stereotypes of older people in Malawi by reaching out to them with various humanitarian support, impressed Global Compassion Coalition, which has since set up a GoFundMe account to enhance the charity drive.
In the past 20 days, the GoFundMe account, initiated by Global Compassion Coalition’s Matt Hawkins, has raised £330 out of the targeted £400.
Hawkins reports that Dzimbiri — motivated by her empathy and compassion for the older people in her community and working as a ‘Compassion Connector’ for the Global Compassion Coalition — “is seeking to challenge community stereotypes which characterize the elderly as witches or outcasts”.
“This means they are often left without visitors or support — struggling to access any money, food, or water,” he reports, adding that the nurse “has been visiting over 20 older people who live alone, sharing with them food and helping them to clean and maintain their homes.
“Prior to Suzy’s visit, one of the older people had not had a visitor in over four years.”
Having met some resource constraints to sustain the cause, Dzimbiri decided to create a crowdfunder to help pay for the homes of the elderly to be repaired before the rainy season arrives, which is trending on YouTube — calling for people across Malawi to join her in a national effort to recognize, connect with, and support the older generations.
Dzimbiri says in the video clip on YouTube: “I ask you to consider what it might be like to live alone with no support or recognition — how it might feel to wake each morning wondering if you will get to speak to another soul.
“No one should have to live like that — especially when we have the power to prevent it. The elderly are our friends, fathers, mothers, brothers, and sisters. They are a part of our community and we owe them our love and care.”
Dr Mamphela Ramphele, chairperson of Global Compassion Coalition is quouted as saying what Dzimbiri has done “in a short space of her time in her community is nothing short of remarkable”.
“She has shown what a difference we can all make when we allow our hearts and minds to be driven by compassion. She has already touched to many lives and I know, as her work and project expands, she will go on to help and benefit so many more.”
The Global Compassion Coalition is an international charity working to put compassion at the heart of society and does this by working to connect, elevate, and organize compassion researchers, practitioners, and activists across the globe.
As part of this work, the Coalition has launched the Compassion Connectors — a voluntary program for individuals who want to spread compassion to their communities or places of work.
Thus Dzimbiri is one of the more than 1,500 people who have registered as a Connector.
Dzimbiri impresses on her initiative’s benefactors that most of the work done by rural Malawians is very physical, saying: “This means that older people often struggle to earn the income they need to pay for essentials like food and water.
“Many of them have been completely ostracised and isolated The other day, I spoke to one lady who hadn’t had a visitor for some years.”
She reports that most of these vulnerable elderly people’s homes desperately need repair, saying they don’t have any form of income to pay for new brickwork.
“The homes are cracking and crumbling,” she said. “This will put my friends in grave danger as the rainy season quickly approaches.
It won’t take a lot of money to do essential repairs though. I am seeking US$200 to make these homes safe again. With US$200, we can buy cement and bricks to fix the damage on these older people’s homes.
“Not only will that mean their homes will be kept dry and safe during the rainy season, but it will also help to improve the dignity of their lives. No one deserves to live in a home that is crumbling around you,” says the passionate appeal.
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