South Africa: Elderly women reclaim dignity, voice and power in Makhuduthamaga

In Makhuduthamaga, a rural community in Limpopo Province, elderly women have carried the burden of sexual and gender‑based violence in silence for decades. These are grandmothers raising orphaned children after HIV and AIDS claimed by their parents. They are women who survived apartheid, poverty, and violence, only to find themselves invisible in their old age. 

Many are widows, primary caregivers, and survivors of severe abuse, including the 2016 rape and murder of an elderly woman that deeply shook the community but resulted in little systemic change. Despite this reality, older women have been consistently excluded from mainstream gender-based violence interventions, which focus largely on younger women. 

Economic dependency on abusive partners or family members, physical frailty, isolation in rural areas with limited services, lack of information about rights and support systems, and pervasive ageism combine to make escape from violence nearly impossible. Many of these women had never received psychosocial support. Many had never been told they had rights. Many believed that abuse in old age was simply something to endure quietly until death. 

When planning a workshop in the area, climate justice activist Mamokete challenged the organizers to do something different. She spoke boldly about the systematic exclusion of elderly women and insisted they be intentionally included. “These women have been forgotten for too long,” she said. Her call was heard. 

The workshop was expanded to Centre elderly women, creating an intentional space for healing, education, and empowerment. The aim was not only to raise awareness, but to restore dignity, break silence, increase knowledge of rights and services, and build a sustained support network where elderly women could speak openly without fear or shame. 

Thirty elderly women gathered for a full‑day workshop that transformed how they understood themselves, their rights, and their power. The Programme was survivor‑centered and deliberately designed to meet women where they were. 

The day included a film screening reflecting real survivor experiences, creating recognition and validation. Sessions on LGBTQIA+ awareness expanded understanding of gender and sexuality, particularly important in rural contexts where LGBTQIA+ people face high levels of violence and rejection. HIV and AIDS information addressed stigma and health literacy. Direct training on accessing shelters, protection services, and support systems provided practical, life‑saving knowledge. 

Artistic activism played a central role. Through collective painting, women expressed trauma, survival, grief, and hope in ways that words could not hold. These artworks will be preserved for future advocacy, ensuring their stories continue to speak beyond the workshop. 

A social worker was present throughout the day, providing immediate psychosocial support when painful memories surfaced. This intervention was critical. It showed participants that their pain was worthy of professional care and attention, that they were not too old to matter, and that healing remained possible. 

As the day unfolded, something shifted. Women who had never spoken publicly about their experiences began to share their stories. They asked questions they had carried silently for years. They supported one another with deep solidarity and care. The space allowed dignity to emerge where silence had once reigned 

One of the most powerful moments came during the LGBTQIA+ session. Instead of resistance, the women engaged with openness and curiosity. They asked respectful questions and challenged long‑held assumptions. This matters because it builds broader solidarity across generations and identities and undermines the stigma that fuels violence. 

The most significant change, however, extended far beyond the workshop itself. What began as a single intervention has grown into a long‑term partnership. The group of elderly women is now collaborating with the 1in9 Campaign to create a public mural, using art as a tool for advocacy, visibility, and resistance. 

The organization has committed to ongoing administrative support, helping the group formalize structures, develop policies, draft contracts, and access resources independently. Skills development programs in sewing and gardening are being implemented to address economic vulnerability and create income‑generating opportunities, reducing dependence on abusive situations. 

Provincial leaders and SAPS representatives who attended the workshop committed to expanding the Program to larger venues and wider audiences. Teachers who participated recommended that the initiative tour multiple provinces in 2026, transforming a single workshop into a mobile campaign for education and advocacy. 

Before the workshop, elderly women in Makhuduthamaga were isolated, uninformed about support services, and silenced by shame and ageism. They had no platforms for expression and no tailored interventions that recognized their specific barriers. 

After the workshop, they are active participants in a growing movement. They know where to seek help, how to recognize abuse, how to support grandchildren facing violence, and how to include LGBTQIA+ people with understanding and respect. They are expressing themselves through art, forming partnerships with feminist movements, and participating in skills‑building initiatives. 

Concrete evidence of change includes detailed follow‑up questions about shelters and protection orders, commitments from provincial leaders and SAPS, collective planning of future activities, and women sharing personal stories publicly for the first time. The planned 2026 provincial tour reflects demand for similar interventions beyond Makhuduthamaga. 

As one participant shared, “For so many years I thought I was alone. I thought that at my age nobody cares. Today I learned that I still have rights, that I can still speak, and that my voice matters.” 

Mamokete reflected that this work represents real community engagement because it listens and responds to those most excluded. Representatives from the National Shelter Movement noted that elderly women face distinct barriers and require specialized interventions designed specifically for them. 

This change will be sustained through long‑term, relationship‑based engagement. Partnerships with the elderly women’s group, the 1in9 Campaign, and institutional stakeholders ensure continuity, visibility, and support. Skills development programs address economic vulnerability, while peer networks provide ongoing emotional and social support. 

By investing in dignity, voice, and agency rather than one‑off interventions, this initiative is building a movement of elderly women who know their worth, claim their rights, and demand safety and justice. These are women who have survived a lifetime of injustice and now refuse to be silent. Their message is clear: ageing does not erase rights, and silence is no longer an option