INTRODUCTION:
Grandmothers in low-income settings play a critical role as primary caregivers, often raising grandchildren while navigating chronic stress, economic insecurity, grief, and cumulative trauma. Despite their central contribution to family and community wellbeing, there is limited access to culturally appropriate psychosocial support interventions for older women caregivers. Phefumla Gogo (“Breathe, Grandmother”) is a community-based breathwork intervention designed to promote emotional regulation, stress reduction, and embodied wellbeing among grandmothers in low-income contexts.

METHODS:
This study assessed the reception, feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of the Phefumla Gogo breathwork sessions implemented within a community support programme for grandmothers. The intervention consisted of facilitated group breathwork sessions delivered over a defined period. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining pre- and post-intervention self-reported measures of perceived stress, emotional wellbeing, and physical symptoms with qualitative data from focus group discussions and facilitator observations. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively to assess changes over time, while qualitative data were analysed thematically to capture participant experiences.

RESULTS:
Grandmothers reported reductions in stress, anxiety, and physical tension following participation in the sessions, alongside improvements in emotional regulation, sleep quality, and overall feelings of calm. Preliminary session findings from introductory session demonstrated high acceptability of the intervention, with participants describing the sessions as accessible, empowering, and culturally resonant. Many grandmothers reported continued use of breathwork techniques outside the sessions to manage caregiving stress, interpersonal conflict, and emotional distress and expressed a desire to continue regular sessions.

CONCLUSIONS:
Phefumla Gogo shows promise as a low-cost, scalable psychosocial intervention that supports caregiver well-being and intergenerational resilience. By equipping grandmothers with practical stress-management tools that can be shared with grandchildren, the intervention has the potential to amplify impact beyond for grandmothers in low-income settings. Findings suggest that breathwork can enhance emotional wellbeing and coping capacity among older women with significant caregiving responsibilities.