UKUBONA isifo esixakile esahlasela unina, kwenze ukuthi asungule inhlangano aqwashisa ngayo owesifazane waseLamontville, eThekwini, osezinze e-England.
UNksz Zethu Makhathini (56), unenhlangano ebizwa ngeBessie Makhathini Foundation efundisa kabanzi ngeDementia. Lesi yisifo esijwayele ukuhlasela asebekhulile, esenza balahlekelwe umqondo. UNksz Makhathini uthe wayengazi ukuthi unina unalesi sifo kodwa nasemndenini babecabanga ukuthi ukuguga. Ukusungula le nhlangano kuyingxenye yokuthi apholise amanxeba njengoba ethi ukushona kukanina kwashiya isilonda.
Uchaze unina owayengunesi njengowesifazane obenesibindi, ebakhathalele nabantu. UNksz Makhathini washiya elakuleli waya ekudingisweni ngo-1981 ngenxa yezepolitiki. Uthe kwathatha isikhathi ukuthi unina amazi ukuthi ukuliphi izwe kodwa wamfuna waze wamthola, wamvakashela.
“Ngaqala ngaya eTanzania ngesikhathi ngisuka eNingizimu Afrika, ngagcina sengiseSoviet Union. Yilapho engafike ngafundela iPsychology, namanje okuyiyona engisiza ukulekelela abaneDementia,” kusho yena.
Yize uNksz Makhathini abuyela kuleli emuva kokhetho lwenkululeko ngo-1994, wanquma ukuyozinza e-England. Inhlangano ayisungulile iwaxhumanisa womabili lawa mazwe njengoba enehhovisi eLamontiville nelinye elise-England. Naye uyabuya ukuzobheka umsebenzi kuleli kodwa uxhumana nehhovisi nsuku zonke ngeSkype. Inhlangano wayisungula ngo-2015 emuva kokushona kukanina ngo-2012. Uveze ukuthi unina watholakala ukuthi unalesi sifo ngo-2009 kodwa ngalesi sikhathi lwalungekho usizo.
“Baningi abaphethwe yilesi sifo kodwa kungaziwa. Umphakathi awufundisekile ngaso ngoba uma ugogo ebonakala ehamba ebusuku usolwa ngokuthakatha. Umama watholakala nalesi sifo sesidlondlobele kakhulu yingakho ngisiza abantu ukuze basheshe bathole usizo,” kusho yena.
Echaza ezinye izimpawu zaso uthe abanye bayakhohlwa noma bakhulume into engekho.
“Kwakuthi uma ngihamba nomama ngemoto ngifuna angiyalele ngoba angilazi iTheku, acishe angiphonse ezimotweni engihambisa ngendlela okungeyona. Omunye kuyenzeka agcine ebiza ngisho amaphoyisa esola umndeni ngokuntshontshelwa imali ngoba esekhohliwe ukuthi uyifihlephi. Omunye ukhohlwa ngisho ukudla noma aphume imoto ihamba,” echaza.
UNksz Makhathini osebenzisana nesibhedlela iKing Dinuzulu eThekwini ukusiza abanalesi sifo, uneSupport Group kanti ubuye asebenze ngocingo ukuhlolela iDementia.
Ngaphandle kwalo msebenzi, usebenza nesikhungo iNational Health Service emkhakheni wePsycho Education e-England.