A new photographic exhibition will raise funds in support of HACT’s Gogolympics and the gogos who uplift communities across the Valley of 1000 Hills.
Image: Brett von Dort
Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust’s (HACT) annual Gogolympics is set to receive a major boost through a new fundraising drive spearheaded by media personality Jane Linley-Thomas and non-profit organisation Hello Poppy.
In partnership with HACT, the initiative shines a spotlight on the resilience and leadership of the grandmothers, affectionately known as “Gogos”, who form the backbone of families and communities across KwaZulu-Natal’s Valley of 1000 Hills.
The Gogolympics, one of HACT’s flagship community events, is set to take place on August 28. It brings together hundreds of elderly women from rural communities for a day of competitive games, physical activity and social connection, celebrating dignity, wellness and community spirit.
Launching the first in a series of fundraising initiatives, acclaimed photographer Brett van Dort will present a photographic exhibition from May 23 to June 23 at HACT’s Woza Moya Art Gallery and Craft Shop in Hillcrest.
The exhibition aims to raise funds for the Gogolympics and HACT’s long-running Gogo Support Group programme, which drives sustainable community development through food gardens, sewing schools, income-generation projects, family strengthening initiatives, healthcare support and gender-based violence prevention programmes.
Organisers say the campaign is designed to honour the Gogos’ contribution to society and to secure long-term support for vulnerable households increasingly dependent on elderly caregivers amid ongoing social and economic pressures. For more information visit www.hellopoppy.co.za and www.hillaids.org.za