Celebrating children’s parties, the world over is not news, but common practice. Such parties are frequent in urban dwellings and countryside alike, and are always parked with fancy and exciting activities.

When it comes to Christmas, children’s Christmas parties are a great part of many, if not all church programmes and they are much magnified and publicised in and around the respective communities.

Such arrangements are scarcely heard of concerning older persons.

December 22, 2023, was a unique day in the lives of older persons of Katale Busawula Community in Kikajjo Parish, Kyengera Town Council, Wakiso District. 

This year, Katale Busawula Community celebrated Christmas in honour of older persons in the community. The question lingering around, “If children enjoy fancy parties time and again, why not the older persons” was silenced.

A team of residents mobilised resources and held the “first-of-its-kind” Elders’ Spotlight Christmas Party.

We witnessed the embrace of old beauty when the elders stepped out at the Katale LC meeting place, the venue for the party. For the first time in many years, we experienced the fusion of all ages. 

Old age was greeted and entertained by children and youth under the guidance of middle-aged and older adults. This blend was characteristic of the SDG call to action that “no one should be left behind”. 

To this effect, no one was left behind due to ageing. We celebrated ageing, we shared delicacies with the elders, and most interestingly, the elders were engrossed in light moments amongst themselves as many of them had not met physically in a long while. 

As such, social isolation and loneliness were broken – at least momentarily. There was a change of environment, catching up with old friends and a sense of reassurance that they (elders) are still being held in high regard by the new generations. 

We saw the seed of mindfulness and care for the older persons being sawn in the hearts and minds of many. Here, the exchanges went beyond Christmas presents, but we saw hearts being opened in the real sense of the word. Lives were touched in ways we didn’t imagine.

Secondly, the old saying “obukadde magezi” was brought to life when Mzee Kyabasinga gave his remarks on behalf of the older persons. He animated the power of storytelling as he narrated the story of a diseased man who was a resident of Katale in the past years. The said man lived in solitary and was generally believed to have been anti-social. 

Although some allegations were proved to the contrary at the time of his passing, the story drove a point that it is not good for one to stay alone, especially for older persons. The other point made was that it is not good to conclude on such allegations without evidence. 

I witnessed how the listeners were captivated by the story and everyone seemed to vindicate the diseased man. I realized how powerfully older persons can teach young people about life through stories!!! Stories can help the listener embrace how they may need to change because the message transfers into their heart and mind.

Children from the Mark Foundation and youths from Ageing Fit Uganda SMC LTD’s Elders’ Spotlight Initiative entertained the elders with a dance performance and poems depicting the plight of elders while proposing solutions thereof. Elders were presented with a Christmas package which included rice, sugar, cooking oil and soap. 

Thanks to the organizers and everyone who contributed to making the day memorable in the lives of older persons. The day was crowned by Maama Nankubi talking about the importance and significance of the festival when she told the congregants that Jesus Christ, the saviour came so that we may have life and have it more abundantly. 

The organizing team resolved to make this an annual event and will continue putting elders in the spotlight for Uganda and the world to appreciate the impact of a big heart. 

The writer is the Director and CEO of Ageing Fit Uganda SMC LTD.