Molepolole's Walk of Hope Take War To Diabetes

Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Monday August 6, 2018 11:49

The event will kick start from Big Six to Mafenyatlala mall on August 11, 2018. According to the organisation’s founder and director Theriso Motshumi–Motsemeng, they took it upon themselves to raise awareness on the life threatening health conditions in her home village.

She said they realised that diabetes affects people of different age groups, but there was misconception that it is a disease for the elderly.

She explained that the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoH&W) will take part in the walk.

“We have decided not to depend on the ministry alone to fight these diseases when we as the community do nothing to fight theses non-communicable diseases. It will also be sensitising the public on the disease and encourage them to eat healthy.

“We will also have stalls that will also be teaching people about the disease. The public would tested for the disease and those with it would be referred to health facilities,” she said.

For Motshumi–Motsemeng, this walk is personal because she has lost 10 family members to this disease.

She said that it was important for the public to know that leading a healthy lifestyle by eating healthy foods, drinking lots of water, reducing alcohol consumption and exercising could reduce their chances of contracting the disease and leading to a longer life when also following the doctor’s advices for those living with the disease.

The chief walker will be Gospel musician and Molepolole native, Bafana ‘Phempheretlhe’ Pheto, Motsemeng said, adding that there would be entertainment from Walk of Hope team, soccer tournament and comedy by Jujuvine.

Vincent Makgetla, a member of the association, urged the public to walk with them saying that the objective of the event was to help underprivileged children. He said their NGO has adopted five schools. He said even though finding funds to run the organisation is still a challenge, they are committed to keep it running and helping the underprivileged, more especially the children as much as they can.

“We have recently donated sanitary pads and shoes to a school in Hukuntsi. We realised that many children in remote areas were exposed to poverty and as a result some had to abscond school because they did not have school shoes or sanitary pads.

“The situation is worse for a girl child, more especially during their monthly periods as some use unhygienic objects such as pieces of cloths, newspapers and other objects during their monthly menses,” he said.

Another member, Wazha Mooketsi said they have many planned initiatives intended to help mould young people into better people such as Tsupa Molomo where they visit schools to advise students to be choosy with what they eat, to be selective with words, and to refrain from bullying others, but to focus their attention on learning.

Mooketsi said in schools, there is no time for a nap in class and drinking by students should not include imbibing alcohol beverages.

The walk will start at 6am. Food and beverages will be provided for free.