Aunty Ellen: The Award-Winning Health Technician Sewing a New Future at Upcycle
When I’m Having Honourable Conversations…
Good day, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome onboard Upcycle Airlines!
My name is Rudy, and I’ll be your flight attendant today.
On behalf of our crew, I’d like to extend a warm welcome to you all on our flight from wherever you are, to the exciting world of Aunty Ellen. We’re committed to making your journey as enjoyable as possible.
Before we take off, please take a moment to fasten your seatbelts for this one…
We’re excited to have you on board and look forward to providing you with a fantastic reading experience. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the journey with Upcycle Airlines.
Aunty Ellen is a 61-year-old upcycler. She is married and has three children — one a postgraduate, another in their final year, and the youngest currently in matric. She also has one grandchild.
This was so exciting — thrilling, actually. Thank goodness I’m typing, because I have no words. I was completely blown away by Aunty Ellen’s journey. Another gem, right here at Upcycle.
Let’s go…
Now 61 and retired, Aunty Ellen was born and grew up in Bronkhorstspruit until she completed Grade 7, after which she moved to Johannesburg. She never really had friends — and still doesn’t.
“I never liked going out with friends. I always had the same routine: school, netball, home, schoolwork — until after matric. Even now, I stay home. If I want to go out, I take my youngest. We go to a restaurant, eat, and go back home,” she said, clearly content.
A Legacy of Care: From Health Technician to Community Hero
Aunty Ellen went on to pursue a career in health and became a health technician — a sector she speaks about with immense pride, love, hunger, compassion, and humility. I wish I could give her everything she needs to reach her goals — but we’ll get there.
She worked for the West Rand District until the year 2000. If I’m ever a patient, I want her to care for me. She worked with people living with chronic diseases — diabetes, arthritis, HIV, mental illness, schizophrenia — you name it.
After her time at the West Rand District, she continued her journey at the university in Alexandra.
“Rudy, I wouldn’t just treat patients and let them go. I’d go after them — check their living situations and do what needed to be done to get them help,” she told me repeatedly.
As a health technician, she would gather patients together and involve them in activities such as gardening and sewing to keep them busy and relaxed, helping take their minds off their burdens.
Advocacy for Children with Special Needs
She has a very clear soft spot for children living with disabilities and their wellbeing. When she encountered cases that concerned her, she would visit their homes, go to their schools, and investigate every aspect of the child’s environment — their surroundings, school performance, treatment at home, and living conditions.
“I would make sure these children were placed in appropriate schools,” she explained passionately. “I would inspect the schools and make sure they were properly equipped to fulfil the needs of children with special needs.”
Remembering the Woman of the Year 2008
Aunty Ellen signed up for many courses, including computer courses. Now grab your seats — here comes that part again.
Because of her deep involvement in communities and the health sector, we are honoured to have, in our midst, the Woman of the Year 2008.
I told you to hold on — I told you.
“Rudy, I was everywhere — social media, newspapers, radio, magazines, TV — everywhere,” she exclaimed.
“At one of these computer courses, a man looked at me and asked, ‘Aren’t you that celebrity?’ I looked at him and said, ‘Me? Oh no.’ The next time, he came back with a newspaper page with my picture on it,” she said, laughing at the memory.
After hearing some of these remarkable moments from Aunty Ellen’s life, I became curious.
“How and when did you learn about sewing, and what got you interested?” I asked.
“I retired last year from the health sector after 32 years,” she said, “and I thought I needed something to do to keep me busy when I completely retire.”
Completely retire? What’s that?
If you loosened your seatbelt, buckle up again — here we go.
After retiring, she returned to the university in Alexandra and began training students — something she still does today. She realised she needed activities in place for when she eventually retires completely.
“Because I live in Newlands, I drove around looking for something, and then I saw the Gardens. I stopped to enquire and told them my story — and that’s when I was told about the sewing,” she explained.
“Because of my previous involvement with patients and sewing, I thought it would be a good thing for me to do.”
Aunty Ellen joined Upcycle in June.
“I’m enjoying the sewing. It gets me out of the house and keeps me busy,” she said.
“I’m not doing this for money or any gain like that. I come here to do something I enjoy, in a relaxed environment.”
I also learned that Aunty Ellen lost her mother in 2019, after which her father — now 92 — relocated from Bronkhorstspruit to live with her.
There was a time when Aunty Ellen had been absent from the centre for quite a while due to her father falling ill and her becoming his primary caregiver. When I asked how he was doing, she said, “Besides his age, he’s doing fine — he recovered.”
Not long after her father’s recovery, Aunty Ellen herself fell ill with bronchitis, but thankfully, she has fully recovered as well.
Our conversation went on for quite some time — we completely lost track of time. During it, I learned that Aunty Ellen has two published books and is considering writing a third.
“As a youngster, while other kids were out hanging around, I stayed home writing books and novels,” she said with a smile.
I thought to myself — this woman, who is already planning for life after retirement from a retirement she’s already had, has done so much. Does she still have a bucket list? Goals?
So I asked.
Seatbelts.
“Rudy, there are no health technicians,” she said.
“Technicians should be trained to accommodate challenged children. I want to focus on child-to-child education.”
“They cannot allow a challenged child to attend a normal school and be treated like a normal child without making the necessary adjustments — ramps, bathrooms, wider doorways. Other learners also need to be taught to be accommodating.”
“I would love to continue in my role as a health technician. I want to build a home for children with disabilities — mental, physical, anything — and make sure these children are safe, treated well, and receive the love, care, and attention they need.”