Consisting of leaders from across the Commonwealth, our volunteer Board members bring with them an amazing and invaluable wealth of knowledge and experience.
Here our Board member Femada Shamam, CEO of The Association For The Ageing (Tafta), Durban, South Africa, reflects on the five years at the helm.
“Five years ago, I remember driving to work with a sense of nervous energy as I contemplated my first day as CEO of Tafta. Today, the same nervous energy prevails as I reflect back on the five years and contemplate the next steps.
It has been a five-year journey like no other; highs and lows, tears and laughter, immense learning and equal opportunities for testing the assumptions we make. At the centre of everything has been the elders I have been privileged to know, the staff who continue to push the boundaries of what can be achieved and the partners who have so willingly guided my journey and helped me gain clarity during the darkest hours.
The excitement of 2017 as we lay the plans for Tafta’s 60th anniversary will always remain etched in my mind as a time of celebration and reaffirmation of the commitment to Tafta’s purpose of making Dignity, growth and a meaningful life a realistic prospect for all elders. In 2018, we celebrated, we imagined all kinds of possibilities and pushed ahead. In 2019, we focused our minds on the new strategy for Tafta, how we could expand our reach and lay the foundation for the organisation to continue to be relevant as the demographics changed as well as the expectations of the coming generations of older people. We started 2020 with the knowledge that we were closing off strategy 2020, and launching strategy 2025. Little did we realise, that the harshest test was yet to come with the onset of the coronavirus pandemic.
The pandemic tested every single leader around the world. It exposed the vulnerabilities in a most profound way, but it also lay the foundation for building resilience and was a lesson in adaptability and flexibility. At times, I felt like I failed spectacularly. The support and the tenacity of the staff as they clawed through each day with a smile on their face even though their eyes reflected the fear and the despondency, was reason enough to push ahead. We survived through 2020 and slowly started thriving in 2021. We entered 2022 with renewed hope and the spirit of togetherness and shared purpose.
As I reflect on my five-year journey, I am humbled by the efforts of all the people who are part of my team. I reflect back with gratitude for all that we have endured together and all that we have achieved.
The journey is not over and I know that there is much growth in store for us.
I am honoured to have the privilege of stewarding this amazing organisation.
Thank you all for being part of my journey. Celebrating my work anniversary. Feeling thankful for this #workmilestone.”
And thank you Femada for taking the time to serve on our Board, and advocate for older people across the Commonwealth.
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