Friends of the Elderly: A Heartwarming Success as 17 Organizations Unite to Honor Seniors in Durban
Friends of the Elderly Host Successful Event
On Wednesday, January 29, 2025, the World Memon Organization (WMO) Africa Ladies Wing, in conjunction with Jama’atun Nisaa and 15 other organizations, hosted a memorable event for the elderly at the NMJ hall in Durban Alhumdullilah.
This event, held under the banner of “Friends of the Elderly,” brought together various organizations to show appreciation and care for the elderly community.
Each year, we reaffirm our commitment to addressing the needs of our revered elderly. Many of our invited guests have faced immense loneliness and health challenges associated with aging. This event served as a poignant reminder that humanity and compassion still thrive in our society.
Our goal was to create lasting, joyful memories for our elderly, and we are thrilled to have achieved this. By coming together, we demonstrated that there are still individuals and organizations dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of our seniors.
We extend our sincerest gratitude to:
Mr Kim Jooma and the NMJ Committee for generously providing the NMJ hall for this event.
AC Cassim of NMJ & Life Member of WMO for expertly handling logistics and providing hands-on support to the committee.
We acknowledge the instrumental role of WMO Member; Mr Solly Suleman, who has been one of the initial members and his driving force behind Friends of the Elderly and his ongoing commitment is much valued.
We are grateful to WMO Trustee Fazila AK Ismail and the Sisters of Jama’atun Nisaa for securing a generous sponsorship from Mr. Ikhlaas Latib of Capital Air. This sponsorship enabled us to provide a delicious ten-star meal for 1000 attendees of which 800 were our elderly guests and 200 staff and volunteers at the service of our elders throughout the event.
We also thank Capital Air for their sponsorship of providing a live station of fresh, delicious chilli bites.
The WMO Ladies Wing and Sisters of Jama’atun Nisaa played a vital role for supervision of the catering and decor for this event. Their dedication and passion of this initiative has been since its inception. We honor the legacy of the Late Farida Osman, wife of NMJ Gaff Osman, who first coordinated this event. Her memory continues to inspire us to serve our elderly community with compassion and devotion.
We also extend our gratitude to the following sponsors:
- Chantal of Lifestyle Decor for the stunning hall decorations
- Amina MI Latib supervised the decor and layout of the hall
- Checkstar for sponsoring cold drinks
- Feizul Khatree for providing sound services
Your contributions enhanced the overall experience of our event, and we appreciate your generosity!
MO Vawder’s exceptional entertainment kept our elderly guests engaged and delighted, filling the hall with joyful laughter that touched our hearts.
We’re also grateful for the generous sponsorships from:
- Dadas Spice
- Amina Wonder Dates
- Bargains Galore
- Bibi’s Bakery
- Mega Linen
- Party Themes
- United Bags
These sponsors provided items for our goody bags and other essentials for the day.
WMO Global Ladies Wing, Regional Ladies Chair – Africa Chapter, Mrs Halima Abdoola, demonstrated exceptional leadership in coordinating the event with the dedicated team of ladies of Jama’atun Nisaa. She also efficiently managed the Volunteers Desk.
Partnering Organizations
- WMO Global Ladies Wing – Africa Chapter
2.Jama’atun Nisaa
3 Natal Memon Jamaat
4 Islamic Medical Association of South Africa (IMASA)
5Caring Sisters Network (CSN)
6 Penny Appeal
7 Women’s Cultural Group (WCG)
8 North Beach Women’s Group (NBWG)
9 Circle of Care Association (COCA)
10 Africa Muslims Agency (AMA)
11 HUDA SA
12 Ashraful-Aid
13 Al Imdaad Foundation SA
14 Phoenix Care Foundation (PCF)
15 Sisterz2gether
16 Al Ansaar
17 SANZAF
We appreciate the collective efforts of these organizations in making the event a resounding success.
Among the special guests at the event were notable figures from the World Memon Organization (WMO) and the NMJ. Mr AK Ismail from the WMO was in attendance, along with past presidents of the NMJ, Mr AV Mohammed and Mr Mohammed Gany.
Fazila AK Ismail delivered a heartfelt vote of thanks, highlighting the remarkable achievement of collaborating with 17 organizations. She acknowledged the expertise each organization brought to the table, making the event’s success a testament to the power of teamwork.
Fazila expressed her gratitude to Fatima Abdulla, Sister Honey, and Yasiera Suliman for their invaluable cooperation and coordination.
She also commended the dedication and hard work of the WMO Global Ladies Wing Team, led by Halima Abdoola, who worked tirelessly for months with the sisters of Jama’atun Nisaa who have been involved with this event with the other organizations from day one from the initial event to date.
Sr Halima Abdoola reflected on the event’s success, saying, “The joy on the faces and the warm hugs we received from our guests said it all.”
Sr Jameela Joosab, whose dedication and passion for this event is notable and had arranged for Zam Zam and Kajoor to be served upon arrival.
Shireen Arbee, who provided invaluable behind-the-scenes support.
Feroza Mohammed and Shireen Abdoola, who coordinated the catering committee with Fazila AK Ismail
We would also like to express our sincere gratitude to:
Mr Ahmed Gani, WMO Africa Chapter, Regional President, for his unwavering support and motivation, which inspires us to strive for excellence in serving our community.
Mrs Shabana Abdul Razzak, WMO Global Ladies Wing Chair for motivating women to achieve their goals.
On behalf of The Friends of The Elderly, we extend our deepest gratitude to our generous sponsors, dedicated volunteers and partnering NGOs. Your collective efforts made this unforgettable event possible. We appreciate the valued support and contributions
We humbly request your duas for the success and growth of our initiatives, the well-being and prosperity of all organizations involved and our sponsors, volunteers, and supporters_
We apologize for any shortcomings and appreciate your understanding.
With sincere appreciation,
Fazila AK Ismail
