Dignity for elderly people

Aged People Support

Swaziland is one of the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa that are hard hit by the HIV and AIDS epidemic. 26% among the population aged 15 to 49 year are infected by HIV. The high death rate among this age group leaves 68,000 children without parents and puts the responsibility to care for these orphans in the hands of the elderly people. Consequently, the elderly have to care for the sick adults children who eventually die; have to bear with the funeral responsibilities; go through the emotional trauma; care for the orphans and at times the orphans are themselves infected and eventually die. There are many initiatives going on at all levels attempting to address the needs of vulnerable populations especially women and children in Swaziland but the elderly people have not been considered adequately within these projects. That's where the project of the seven young people from PNSAO (six of them are volunteers!) starts from: the elderly people dealing with the consequences of HIV/AIDS shall be supported!
The project has two major components:
1. Community Care givers are trained in order to provide more specific services to the most vulnerable old people and children affected by HIV/AIDS. The Care giver will also be expected to conduct home visits, provide basic health treatments and psychological support, and inform PNSAO about their physical and mental constitution.
2. In order to meet the financial requirments elderly people face, table banking systems shall be established. So called grannies support groups will be formed, which will provide small credits with low interest rates to their members (start up fund is provided by PNSAO). The gain at the end of the year will be shared equally among the members of the group.
Those two activities aim at increasing food security and the socio-economic status of the elderly people, especially grannies, providing them with additional means to care for themselves, their children, and grandchildren. Further more, the improved access to medical, and particularly psychological treatment improves the health of the elderly people and also their ability to pass the care down to the children in need.

Project site

Manzini, Lowveld (Map)

Beneficiaries

25 old women, 5 old men and 40 childern below 16 years old, which are effected by HIV/AIDS.

Project costs and assistance by sahee

The entire project costs are CHF 8’300.–, whereas sahee takes over CHF 5’000.–.

Sahee contributes CHF 5'000.- to the project. The rest of the project costs is provided by PNSAO. sahee is in regular contact with PNSAO and actively supports the involvement and empowerment of all beneficiaries both, for the project and for the documentation of the progress of the project.

Duration of assistance

1st of January 2012 to 31st of December 2012

Local counterpart

Phumula Ngwane Swazihome for the Aged Organization (PNSAO)