CommonAge is excited to announce the launch of 3 new Country Chapters in Zambia, Mozambique, and Namibia!
These Chapters were officially launched at the CommonAge Annual General Meeting (AGM) on the 8th of September 2025 in Cape Town — expanding our presence across the Commonwealth and strengthening our mission to amplify the voices of older people globally.
Each new Chapter:
- Brought together changemakers passionate about ageing and intergenerational collaboration
- Advocated for the rights and inclusion of older people in their communities
- Fostered cross-country partnerships that drove real change
Meet the Chapter Leads
Janet Ananias (Chapter Head: Namibia) – Associate Professor, Department of Psychology and Social Work, University of Namibia
Prof. Janet (Janetta) Ananias is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and Social Work at the School of Allied Health Sciences, University of Namibia, based in Windhoek. She is a leading voice in social work and ageing in Southern Africa, with a strong commitment to empowering older people through education, research, and advocacy.
Her research spans several key areas, including:
- Social Work Curriculum Innovation – advancing indigenous and developmental approaches to align with Namibia’s social and cultural context.
- Caregiving in Marginalized Communities – exploring the lived realities of family carers of older people in disadvantaged settings.
- Supporting Informal Caregivers – developing interventions, such as therapeutic group programmes, to reduce caregiver burden and prevent elder abuse.
- Social Work and Social Policy in Namibia – analyzing historical legacies, welfare frameworks, and pressing issues like poverty, HIV, and intergenerational care.
- Professional Association Development – strengthening Namibia’s social work profession, including contributions to NASWA and broader developmental practice.
 Anderson Simfukwe (Chapter Head: Zambia) – Founder & Executive Director, Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias in Zambia (ADDIZ)
Anderson Simfukwe is the Founder and Executive Director of ADDIZ, an organization dedicated to supporting people living with dementia in Zambia. Leaving behind his position as a head teacher in Nakonde, he chose to devote himself to advancing social justice and dementia care.
In 2016, Anderson trained as a Spark of Life Master Practitioner alongside nurse Mary Mutambo, introducing the Spark of Life Model of Care in Zambia—a compassionate, humanistic, and culturally grounded approach that continues to transform dementia care across the country.
As a CommonAge Ambassador and scholarship recipient, he has represented Zambia in regional aging initiatives, bringing international visibility to local challenges and solutions. Through ADDIZ, Anderson leads a team of 25 volunteers who provide support to nearly 950 older adults and their families across 10 remote villages around Nakonde, with his outreach extending to Ndola, Lusaka, Kapiri Mposhi, Kanchibiya, and Senga Districts.
A pioneer in his field, Anderson is widely recognized for his grassroots leadership, national advocacy, and international engagement. His compassionate work not only delivers vital care but also challenges stigma, reshaping societal attitudes toward dementia and aging in Zambia.
Miguel Marrengula (Chapter Head: Mozambique) – Prof. Marrengula is the CEO & Founder of the MSB Home Based Health Care Unit and the MSB Integrated Elderly Care Centre in Maputo, Mozambique.
Dr. Miguel Marrengula is an Associate Professor at the Higher Institute of Arts and Culture (ISArC), Mozambique, where he specializes in Sociocultural Animation and Development Studies. He earned his PhD in Social Sciences (Social Work) from the University of Tampere, Finland, in 2010.
Beyond academia, Dr. Marrengula has been a driving force in shaping development-focused institutions in Mozambique. He is Co-founder and Deputy General Director of the Higher Institute of Local Development Studies (ISEDEL) (since 2013) and Founder and Executive Director of the Mozambican Agency of Applied Research (AMPAS) (since 2012). He also collaborates internationally as a visiting lecturer at Tampere University and actively contributes to the African Schools of Social Work Association (ASSWA).
His research and teaching focus on how art, culture, and sociocultural animation can be used as tools for community development, child protection, and social change. He has published extensively, including:
- Animação Sociocultural, Desenvolvimento Local e Lideranças Tradicionais em Moçambique (2017)
- Addressing Socio-cultural Animation as Community-Based Social Work with Street Children in Maputo (2010)
- Social Work Practice for Child Welfare in Mozambique: The Case of Street Children in Maputo City – Baixa 1975-2006 (2007)
Ongoing projects explore social work landscapes in Mozambique and the dynamics of cultural development, further cementing his role as a thought leader in linking culture, development, and social work practice.