HelpAge international

HelpAge International helps older people claim their rights, challenge discrimination and overcome poverty, so that they can lead dignified, secure, active and healthy lives.

HelpAge International - Ethiopia

HelpAge International helps older people claim their rights, challenge discrimination and overcome poverty, so that they can lead dignified, secure, active and healthy lives. We believe that the contribution older people make to society is invaluable. Yet older people remain some of the poorest and most neglected in the world. We work with local, national and international partners in Ethiopia to support older people, since 1992. Currently, we are working to: • Help older people affected by the east Africa drought. In Borana zone, we are providing 9,596 households headed by older people with cash transfers, food and animal feed for their livestock. In the Dollo Ado refugee camps in Somali region, we provide 3,000 older people with supplementary food, mosquito nets, sleeping mats, water collection items and access to sanitation facilities and mobility aids, such as walking sticks. • Ensure older people have secure incomes through livelihoods projects and our Sponsor a Grandparent programme which provides over 800 older people and their families with cash transfers, food, clothing as well as health and psychosocial services. • Raise awareness of the role older people play in caring for those affected by HIV and AIDS. We also provide care, prevention and support to older people living with HIV and AIDS through peer education and training in the community. This work has reached 6,000 people. • Strengthen older people\\\\\\'s associations so they have more influence in the decision making processes that affect them.

HelpAge International - Myanmar

HelpAge international - Tanzania

HelpAge International is a not-for-profit global network of organizations that works to assist older people to lead active, dignified, healthy and secure lives. We deploy our energies to combat poverty, exclusion and discrimination in older age, now and in the future. HelpAge has over 30 years of experience in complex emergencies while at the same time engages in recovery and development programmes in stable situations. Headquartered in London, the HelpAge network consists of over 200 affiliates and 300 partners across more than 50 countries. In humanitarian contexts, HelpAge plays a critical role by ensuring humanitarian actors understand the needs and contributions of older persons, and provide them with age-friendly services commensurate with their own and the needs of their immediate family members. Our work also involves ensuring older people are included in leadership positions within the various committees that are established to ensure their voices are heard in view of the core humanitarian principles of working with vulnerable groups, including the older persons. HelpAge's presence in Tanzania dates back to 1993. Since then, HelpAge has been implementing programmes in mainland Tanzania and the Island of Zanzibar working with various arms of the Government and organisations of older persons addressing health, income security, HIV and AIDS, and promoting the rights of older people and preventing violence, abuse and neglect. HelpAge's experience with refugee operations in Tanzania dates back to 1994 where it worked with the Rwandese Refugees in Kagera region and subsequently with refugees from DRC in Rugufu Camp in Kigoma supporting Community Services. Since the influx of the refugees from Burundi started a couple of months ago, HelpAge has been active on the ground to ensure that older men and women are visible by highlighting the needs of older people and advocating for inclusive humanitarian responses with the wider humanitarian actors. Through a rapid and in-depth assessment, HelpAge has been able to unearth commendable gaps in the response and has thus, brought the issues of older persons to the response agenda with actors on the ground. Besides, older men and women, 50 years plus and their immediate family members have been assessed to determine their level of vulnerability and will be supported with life-saving core relief items, including disability assistive devices. Our core mandate is to ensure older men and women receive appropriate support during emergencies such as this and their contributions are recognized and are included in decision making structures.