22/08/2026
OFFICIAL STATEMENT
EDGAR LEGOALE FOUNDATION TO HONOUR OLDER WOMEN THROUGH “CELEBRATING WOMEN’S MONTH LE BONKGONO BA RONA PROGRAMME”
PARYS, FREE STATE | 22 AUGUST 2026
The Edgar Legoale Foundation is proud to announce Celebrating Women’s Month le Bonkgono Ba Rona, a special celebration dedicated to honouring and celebrating women aged 65 years and above within our communities. The celebration will take place on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, at 10:00 AM at Master Nakedi Sport Centre, Parys, and forms part of the Foundation’s continued commitment to community development, dignity, social inclusion, intergenerational engagement and the recognition of people whose lives and contributions have helped shape our communities.
Under the theme “Honouring Our Elders, Celebrating Their Legacy,” the celebration seeks to create a meaningful and dignified space where older women can be recognised, appreciated and celebrated for their wisdom, strength, sacrifices, experiences and invaluable contribution to families and communities.
HONOURING THE WOMEN WHO CAME BEFORE US
The Edgar Legoale Foundation believes that the story of our communities cannot be told without acknowledging the women who came before us. They are the grandmothers, mothers, caregivers, community builders, educators, mentors and pillars of families who, in many instances, carried generations through difficult circumstances while ensuring that families remained strong and communities continued to move forward.
Much of their contribution has taken place away from the spotlight. It is found in the homes they built, the children they raised, the families they supported, the values they passed down, the traditions they preserved and the communities they helped sustain.
For this reason, Celebrating Women’s Month le Bonkgono Ba Rona is not simply a social gathering; it is an expression of gratitude and recognition. It is an opportunity for the Foundation and the broader community to say thank you to a generation of women whose contribution cannot be measured only through formal positions or public recognition, but through the lives they have touched and the generations they have helped shape.
A WOMEN’S MONTH CELEBRATION WITH A DIFFERENCE
The event carries particular significance as the country reflects on Women’s Month and the continued struggle for the recognition, dignity and advancement of women. The Foundation believes that celebrating women must extend beyond recognising only those who are currently in positions of influence. It must also include the women who laid the foundations upon which today’s generation stands.
While society continues to focus on empowering young women, creating opportunities for women in business and leadership, and addressing the challenges facing women today, we must equally remember the older women who spent decades contributing to their families and communities.
Their journeys are part of our collective history, their experiences are part of our heritage, their wisdom is part of our community’s knowledge, and their legacy remains present in the generations that came after them.
Celebrating Women’s Month le Bonkgono Ba Rona therefore extends the Women’s Month conversation by placing older women at the centre of appreciation, dignity and celebration. It is an acknowledgement that the advancement of women must also include recognising the women whose sacrifices and contributions created the foundations upon which future generations continue to build.
THE MEANING BEHIND BONKGONO BA RONA
The name Celebrating Women’s Month le Bonkgono Ba Rona speaks directly to the heart of the celebration. It is a recognition of our grandmothers and older women as custodians of family histories, cultural knowledge, values, traditions and lived experiences.
The celebration recognises that the passing of time does not diminish a person’s value. Instead, every year of life represents accumulated wisdom, experience, resilience, memories and lessons that deserve to be respected and preserved.
This celebration therefore seeks to recognise the beauty and value of ageing while reminding our communities that our older women remain an important part of our present and our future.
A STRATEGIC COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP
Celebrating Women’s Month le Bonkgono Ba Rona is proudly strengthened through a partnership between the Edgar Legoale Foundation, Central News and Ngwathe Local Municipality.
This partnership reflects a shared commitment to ensuring that the contribution, dignity and legacy of older women receive the recognition they deserve. By bringing together civil society, community structures, local government and the media, the initiative creates a stronger platform through which the stories and experiences of older women can be recognised, celebrated and shared with the wider community.
Central News plays an important role in supporting the visibility and public awareness of the celebration, helping to amplify the stories of the women being honoured and the broader message of recognising older women within our communities.
The Ngwathe Local Municipality brings an important community and local government dimension to the initiative, reinforcing the importance of collaboration in programmes that promote social inclusion, dignity, community participation and the wellbeing of older persons.
The Edgar Legoale Foundation appreciates the partnership and support of both Central News and Ngwathe Local Municipality, and believes that meaningful community development is strengthened when institutions work together towards a common purpose.
A CELEBRATION OF DIGNITY, LIFE AND LEGACY
The event will provide an opportunity for older women from the community and elderly care facilities to come together in an environment centred on dignity, love, appreciation and celebration.
The Foundation wants the women attending to feel seen, valued and respected, while also creating an opportunity for them to interact, share experiences and enjoy a day specifically dedicated to recognising their contribution.
The event is intended to celebrate their lives and journeys, the strength it took to raise families, the wisdom gained through decades of experience and the stories that have been carried from one generation to another.
HONOURED GUESTS
The Edgar Legoale Foundation is honoured to welcome distinguished guests who will join us in recognising and celebrating the women at the centre of this initiative.
Among the honoured guests will be Ms Sefora Ntombela, former Premier of the Free State, whose presence will add significance to a celebration centred on women, leadership, service and legacy.
The Foundation will also welcome the former Executive Mayor of Ngwathe Municipality as a guest at the celebration. Their presence reflects the importance of bringing together community leadership and public figures to recognise the contribution of older women and to affirm that their stories, experiences and legacy remain an important part of our society.
The Foundation looks forward to welcoming all distinguished guests, community representatives and partners who will join us in making the occasion meaningful for the women being celebrated.
BUILDING INTERGENERATIONAL CONNECTION
Beyond the celebration itself, the Foundation views Celebrating Women’s Month le Bonkgono Ba Rona as an opportunity to strengthen intergenerational respect.
Our older women carry stories of resilience, family, culture, hardship, achievement and community life. They possess knowledge that cannot simply be found in books. They carry memories of where our communities came from and the people who helped build them.
It is therefore important that younger generations are encouraged to listen, learn and appreciate the experiences of those who came before them.
RECOGNISING EVERYDAY LEADERSHIP
The Edgar Legoale Foundation also recognises that leadership is not defined only by political office, professional titles or public positions.
There is leadership in raising a family, caring for others, guiding children, preserving culture, supporting neighbours and communities, surviving difficult circumstances and continuing to build despite the challenges of life.
Celebrating Women’s Month le Bonkgono Ba Rona seeks to honour this everyday leadership. These women may not always have received public recognition, but their contribution has been fundamental to the development of families and communities.
THE FOUNDATION’S COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY
The Edgar Legoale Foundation remains committed to implementing programmes that respond to the needs and realities of the communities it serves. Our work continues across areas including education, youth development, sport, tourism, entrepreneurship, culture and community development.
Through these initiatives, the Foundation seeks to create platforms that do more than bring people together. We seek to create spaces that restore dignity, recognise contribution, strengthen communities and create opportunities for meaningful participation.
The Women’s Month celebration forms part of this broader commitment and reflects the Foundation’s belief that community development must include everyone, including those who have spent decades contributing to the communities we now seek to build.
A MESSAGE TO THE WOMEN WE ARE CELEBRATING
To the women at the heart of Celebrating Women’s Month le Bonkgono Ba Rona, this celebration is for you.
It is an acknowledgement of every story you have carried, every family you have supported, every child you have raised, every lesson you have taught, every sacrifice you have made, every challenge you have overcome and every life you have touched.
Your age does not make your contribution less important. Your story has value, your wisdom has value, your presence has value, and your legacy continues to live through the generations you have influenced.
The Foundation hopes that this celebration will serve as a reminder that the community sees you, appreciates you and recognises the important role you continue to play.
INVITATION TO MEMBERS OF THE MEDIA
The Edgar Legoale Foundation, together with its partners Central News and Ngwathe Local Municipality, extends an invitation to members of the media to attend and cover Celebrating Women’s Month le Bonkgono Ba Rona.
The Foundation welcomes members of the media to document and share the stories of the women being honoured, the significance of the celebration and the broader message of recognising the dignity, contribution and legacy of older women in our communities.
Members of the media are hereby invited to attend and cover the proceedings of the programme.
EVENT DETAILS
CELEBRATING WOMEN’S MONTH LE BONKGONO BA RONA
Theme: Honouring Our Elders, Celebrating Their Legacy
Date: Tuesday, 25 August 2026
Time: 10:00 AM
Venue: Master Nakedi Sport Centre, Parys
Eligibility: Women aged 65 years and above
Partners: Edgar Legoale Foundation, Central News and Ngwathe Local Municipality
The Foundation warmly invites eligible older women from the community, including residents of elderly care facilities and those who wish to attend, to join us for this special celebration.
CONCLUSION
The Edgar Legoale Foundation believes that a community that respects its elders is a community that understands its roots. We cannot build a meaningful future while forgetting the people whose sacrifices helped build the present.
As we celebrate Women’s Month, we therefore choose to honour not only the women who are making a difference today, but also the women whose lives, sacrifices, resilience and wisdom continue to influence generations.
Celebrating Women’s Month le Bonkgono Ba Rona is ultimately an expression of gratitude towards a generation that has given so much to families and communities.
The Foundation invites the community and members of the media to join us on Tuesday, 25 August 2026, as we honour the women who came before us, celebrate their lives, listen to their stories and acknowledge the legacy they continue to leave behind.
CELEBRATING WOMEN’S MONTH LE BONKGONO BA RONA
Honouring Our Elders. Celebrating Their Legacy.
In partnership with:
Edgar Legoale Foundation | Central News | Ngwathe Local Municipality
Issued by:
Nthabiseng Molejane
Foundation Manager
Edgar Legoale Foundation
Tel: 082 287 2290
Email: [email protected]
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