Living Together – Help Age International
 |
|
© UNICEF/MOZA/01259/G.Pirozzi |
Help Age International (HAI) is a global network of non-profit organisations working with disadvantaged elderly people worldwide.
In Mozambique, the network began its assistance in the northern province of Tete in 1994, initially focusing on returnees from the 16-year civil war. Since the end of the 90s, it became clear that the major problem of poor elderly people today is that they often have to care for many orphaned grandchildren. Thus, with the support of UNICEF HAI today works with 52 communities (44 in Tete province and 8 in Gaza province) to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS on children and those who care for them – especially the elderly.
Help Age works closely with established structures in the communities, such as Elders Councils, Social Assistance Committees, Credit Committees, Paralegal Committees (solving conflicts around marriage and divorce, land disputes, claims of witchcraft, division of property etc.), and Water Committees.
With UNICEF support, the Living Together project registered almost 8,000 orphaned children by end 2004.
Major activities supported by UNICEF
Education:
The Social Assistance Committees (SAC) identify elderly-headed households caring for orphans and other vulnerable children. They facilitate their access to services available in the community, such as counselling, credit, healthcare and schooling. For example, to assist an orphaned child in getting back to school, the committee provides written confirmation of the status of the child, which is presented to the school directors to ensure that the registration fee of 20,000 Meticais (approximately one USD) is waived. Following advocacy by the Help Age office in Tete, the Provincial Director of Education has given instructions to all primary school directors in Changara district, in Tete, that this written confirmation by the SAC and the Elders Council should be respected and that these children should be given priority.
At the end of 2004, of the 2,774 OVC identified for education support, 2,381 children (1,079 girls) had been integrated into schools.
Home based care
HAI has trained “listeners” (ouvintes), who are acting as counsellors in the communities. These counsellors regularly visit homes of vulnerable groups in the communities, especially the elderly women. Assistance is also provided to those who are ill, which includes building and repairing homes, collecting water and firewood, farming and cooking. A new initiative of creating “family folders” has just begun, where elderly people and their grandchildren jointly document the family history and issues considered important to pass on to the next generation.
Access to Birth Registration
HAI in Tete and Gaza province both provide a service of assisting children to get birth certificates. By end 2004, almost 2,500 children had been registered in Tete and more than 2,000 in Gaza province.
