Page 51 - Standard Bank KZN Top Business Women 2021

Forgive yourself, you will make mistakes, don’t dwell on them.

We can’t waste our energies on things that we can’t control.

CEO Tafta (The Association of the Aged) There have been many people who have journeyed with elders, our colleagues, and about the people in our
Femada and supported her career. “Fundamentally, I have community. You can take that compassionate care, apply
been supported by my mum – she had a foundational it in a business world and achieve great results.”
emada Shamam has a background in social
impact on my life and believed that nothing should limit
work and management and has dedicated Setting the foundation
me. She believed that we should do whatever we wanted
21 years to the non-profit organisation Tafta
to do with passion, and to do it right or don’t bother at Femada’s biggest goal is to be regarded as an influencer
F(The Association of the Aged). Tafta supports
all. That is the philosophy I live my life by; I make sure in the way that the world sees older people so that
1500 people under roof and a further 3500 older people
that I am not wasting my time or other people’s time.” change occurs. This is especially relevant to creating
within the community.
infrastructure such as housing and transport that is
In addition, Femada says that she has learnt from the
She took on the role of CEO in April 2017. Femada accessible to older people. Secondly, she wants to create
older people. “Older people lose their filters. While
says, “My initiative is to lead with passion and lead my a space for the mentorship and guidance of future
they’re very generous with their compliments, they’re
team so that they can give effect to the purpose, which leaders in the aged care sector. Femada wants to set the
equally generous with their criticism. When I get things
is to bring dignity, growth and a meaningful life to all foundation for people to respond to the needs of older
wrong, they tell me, which I love listening to because I
older people. If we are able to do that, I think that we people as their population grows.
learn a little more.”
will then all really live in a wonderful world.”
On the personal level, Femada’s greatest responsibility is
Changing the narrative
Femada’s role includes representing Tafta on various
to be the best mom and wife that she can be. “I take that
local, provincial, national and international platforms Femada believes that people over the age of 60 can very seriously and that balances out all the other roles
such as: International Association for Ageing, the have the greatest impact on the lives of others because
that I have. I have an eight-year-old daughter and I want
Commonwealth Association for Ageing and Global they generally no longer feel bound by social norms. In
to make sure that the example that I set is one that she
Aging Network. She serves as the Africa Ambassador addition, she says, “Can you imagine if we were able to
would be proud of and one that ignites her passion to
to the Commonwealth Association for Ageing. tell older people that they were entering the best time of
follow whatever she wants to in her life.”
Femada lobbies and advocates for the rights of older their lives. It’s about changing the narrative – we can live
people by looking at how we can develop the non- with the idea that there is hope right until the end.” Never be afraid of learning
profit space and in making sure that we can service
Commenting on challenges that she has faced along Her advice to other women is to be true to yourself
the most vulnerable in our community, develop
her career, Femada says that the first challenge was and start small. Femada’s goal when she started at Tafta
best practice models through learning from others
growing up in a society that does not value caring for was to be the best version of herself. That passion was
and supporting those who want to take forward the
others. This meant that it was very difficult to create a viewed by others as good, and the opportunities opened
aging agenda.
niche for herself, as there was stigma attached to the themselves. Secondly, she says, never be afraid of learning
A great achievement career that she chose. – both informally and informally – ask people for advice.
“There will be times when you fail. Fail fast, get over it,
“I don’t believe that what I do is extraordinary,” The second was working through the head and heart
move on to the next thing. I firmly believe that it is in our
commented Femada. “But what I do is give of myself conversation. “People assume that because you are
failures that we learn our greatest lessons.”
100%. I think that the manner in which I lead the compassionate that you have no business sense. My
organisation and how we drive the aging agenda response was to do my Bachelor of Commerce degree “The third thing is to forgive yourself, you will make
will make sure that we have maximum impact on the so that I could understand how to lead the organisation mistakes, don’t dwell on them. We are here for a short
lives of older people. When I get into a lift with an better. I don’t think that the balance between head and moment in time, and we can’t waste our energies on
older person, and they talk about how their lives are heart is mutually exclusive. I think that both combined things that we can’t control. Live in the moment; do the
better because of Tafta’s interventions, that for me is are quite powerful and that is how I lead my team. It best that you can, because the only control that you have
a great achievement.” is important not to be apologetic for caring about our is over your own actions,” concluded Femada.

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