The Nyangana Roman Catholic Church in the Kavango East Region celebrated the lives of the elderly by sharing a meal with them.

The annual event provides an opportunity for socialisation and connection, which reduces feelings of loneliness among the elderly.

According to Ndongalinena Constituency Councillor Aselm Marungu, it also boosts mental well-being and a sense of belonging.

"As I look around this building, I am not only seeing the pensioners, but I am also seeing pillars in our community that hold the foundation of the life that we are living today. This shows our history. It also demonstrates the love of the people who initiated this project. These kinds of events should be encouraged in our community."

The idea was established by former Deputy Prime Minister John Mutorwa, Dr. Angelika Mukoya, Dr. Faustinus Shikukutu and Dr. Marius Kudumo.

Brought up in the Roman Catholic Church, the four contributed N$3,000 each towards the event.

"The idea came from Shikukutu for us to have this event and celebrate God's blessing of life. It is also meant to appreciate what our elders have done for us; one of the 10 commandments states that you should honour your father and mother, and you shall live a long time. The verse does not only refer to biological parents. Nowadays, some elderly people have no one to take care of them, and we thought one day a year could make a difference," said Dr. Kudumo.