| Helpage Kenya was set up in 1982 after Kenyan representatives attended a UN meeting in Vienna on the question of the aging population. The aim of Helpage is Moneygram money order to co-ordinate the work of the various organisations and homes which have the concern of the aged at heart. Its main tasks are fundraising, training and the creation of awareness. They work through religious organisations and civic groups.In all this work Helpage Kenya gets assistance from Helpage International based in London. In turn, they themselves provide input for this organisation.
Growing old in Africa is a particularly tormenting experience because there are no policies to care for the elderly. Helpage Kenya creates awareness and raises funds through its schools programmes – youngsters in school help to raise funds and are taught about the needs of the older generation. Another scheme of Helpage Kenya is its “Adopt a Granny” scheme. In this scheme someone agrees to pay for the needs of an older individual and is sent a regular report on this person. Gametrackers donates money annually to help cater for the elderly persons in Kenya. Goals Today:
The ultimate aim of Helpage Kenya’s fundraising efforts is to raise all funds locally. In order to make the older people feel wanted and useful, they themselves are integrated in projects set up for them; the projects are concerned with income generation and social activities. Helpage Kenya also runs courses, both for the project holders (that is the church organizations and community groups who are the ones actually in touch with the older people in the field (as well as for the older people themselves. They have courses such as: Healthy Aging; Participatory Project Identification and Planning; and Older people in Management. Future:The present social and economic turmoil in our country is bound to have repercussions on the most vulnerable, such as the aged, and many more of them will find themselves in want in the future. To address their needs, more is necessary than handouts and charity.
Source - Wajibu, A JOURNAL OF SOCIAL & RELIGIOUS CONCERN, Volume 13 No. 1 (1998), Society’s marginalised. The marginalisation of older peopleBy G. Wakuraya Wanjohi with George Mulatya |
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Hello Mariah,I recently iengsd up with Kickstarter and found you by browsing through the successful photography projects. I too will be heading to Africa in August on a similar quest. I will be heading to Botswana to volunteer with a Cheetah Conservation organization for a month then will spend two weeks dedicated to photographing the landscape and wildlife. I intend to use my images as a means of fundraising and awareness. I am not a professional photographer as you, but I can certainly learn from your beautiful images you captured in Kenya. They are simply incredible and truly convey the magnificence of the landscape and beauty of the people. Congratulations on a job well done.