goGo Nomalungelo Fiwisa

Gogo Nomalungelo Fiwisa or better known as Gogo Esther (68) is probably one of the most humble people one will ever have the privilege to meet. In her community of Port Alfred (Eastern Cape) she is caregiver, a leader and also one of loveLife’s proud goGogetters.

In a time where careers were limited to a future within education or health, Gogo Esther chose to be a nurse. “I always watched the nurses and saw how they carried themselves. They instilled a sense of dignity and pride in their work and most of all I admired the dedication they had helping those who couldn’t help themselves.” Gogo Esther worked for SANTA (South African National Tuberculoses Association) for 23 years, but was forced to retire in 1996 after a fatal car accident left her incapacitated and claimed the life of her husband. As a single parent, Gogo Esther had to take care of her two sons, one of whom, like his father tragically passed away in a car accident while finishing his matric. Gogo Esther was left with one son and the responsibility of rearing his three children.

Since she retired and spent most her time alone at home, Gogo Esther decided to make a move and use her training and experience to take care of her community. She started off by looking after orphans in her house, organized food and clothes for the poor and giving them as she states ‘much needed mothering’. In 2003 she enrolled as a volunteer at her local Hospice, looking after patients infected with the HI virus. For two years she had to witness the devastating consequences of the virus on the youth of South Africa and this became one of the motivating reasons to become a goGogetter. She was relieved of her duties at Hospice in late 2005 when they needed much younger nurses but this was the opportunity for Esther to realize her dreams; she went back to her community to help cultivate vegetable gardens, organizing fundraising events, fun days at old-age homes and ensuring that houses were equipped with electricity and running water; “I felt it was my responsibility to make sure there was progress in my community” Esther added.

As a goGogetter, Gogo Esther will now have the task to further assist her community to communicate with young people about HIV and help prevent abuse. She will also be responsible for ensuring school attendance and facilitate access to social services.

“I feel that the youth of today needs to look for good examples and role models from their own communities in order to learn the importance of giving back to their very own and work towards changing and shifting the barriers that are presently preventing them to achieve the kind of things that would better their lives and then improve their community. They have a bright future provided they receive good and solid guidelines from their elders.”