Report - Helpage India Programme

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Now elderly are ready to take initiative for advocating for their rights and entitlements. The confidence level increased due to awareness raise on the government schemes, their rights and entitlements and the benefits of getting organize in groups. Now the rural elderly are much more confident to discuss their problems at big platform in front of government officials. The Elderly Self Help Groups became the source of required exposure and support and a strongest means for developing the habits of savings and cooperation between the members of ESHGs and the community thereby. The Age demand Actions, training, capacity building programmes, recreation programmes under SaGP and campaigns for the rights and entitlements of the elderly people feel engaged and active. The older people are now having their own organization i.e. ESHGs at village and have some funds of their own saving and some funds provided by the Help Age <strong>India</strong> as the Capital seed money to be utilized by the members of ESHGs at the time of any need. Now the smile of their faces clearly spell the change and improvements in their lives. The pilgrimage and the Elderly fair provided an opportunity to older person to be together, share their experiences, and enjoy gossips, putting on new clothes, singing and dancing individually and in the groups. Quality of life of the senior citizens is improving, as they have greater access to clean drinking water, good health due to provision of medicines and physio-care, grain access etc. The biggest achievement had been through ESHG Federations advocacy initiatives, the Chief Minister of the State declared increment in the social security pension though marginal will provide for a bit support. Challenges Faced in the Last 6 Months and Steps Taken to Overcome the Challenges: New FCRA ruling had affected the project in substantial delay and later providing seed capital to the groups as the clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs was received only by last week of the year end. Due to compliance issues in terms of non-negotiable programme components, two partner agencies had to be dropped after the audit and the case load of beneficiaries has shifted to other partner NGOs. It has been difficult to select common livelihood activities due to the topography of the area; hence groups have gone for individual loans amongst their members. Organizing medicines during primary medical consultation/health checkup camps for the older persons/the beneficiaries of the SaGP Project. There are only two sources available for getting the medicines one is government and other one is pharmaceutical companies which are very few in the area. In maximum Villages where the ESHGs have been formed, there is no one who can read and write, maintains their accounts books and writes the meeting proceedings. The area is highly scattered and transportation facilities are also not available. Organising a workshop on Age demand Action at state level but due to lack of interest of government we couldn’t succeed, hence the ADA workshop at district levels and with the forward steps of federations. Government schemes are not reaching elders still. The criteria for getting benefits of the schemes are too unfeasible. So we are advocating for the change at policy level.
The Project area is highly scattered, transport facility is hardly available, so physiotherapy and Medical consultation camps were organized at a central location. Plan for the next 6 months: Grading and Business plan of ESHG’s. Advocacy for their rights and entitlements replication from grass root. More focus on IGA. Market linkage where necessary. Media sensitization workshop to raise elderly issues. Linkages with other programme like Mobile Eldercare Unit where possible. Building volunteer group through SAVE programmes. Linkage with government schemes and other welfare schemes. Strengthening the ESHG’s and federations. Meeting with partner NGO for the planning for 3 rd year of programme Planning to give more responsibilities to ESHG so that they can be more strengthened.
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Report - Helpage India Programme

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