Sri Lanka
Our sister organization HelpAge Sri Lanka works through grass roots Senior Citizen Committees (SCCs) to raise awareness of older people's rights and empower them to demand access to ID cards and pensions.
HelpAge Sri Lanka also trains volunteers to provide home care services for less mobile or home bound older people in their own communities.
The organization also lobbies local and national authorities on behalf of older people to ensure older people are included in government policies and programs.
The difference we made in 2009-10
- More than 3,200 older people received health and eye care services in northern Sri Lanka after the civil war ceased.
- 34 Senior Citizen Committees have now formed a disaster risk reduction plan and are working with local authorities to ensure older people are included in local disaster responses.
- After receiving business development, marketing and financial management training, older people are reporting greater confidence in their business ventures and an increase in production.
What next?
- We will continue to provide health care services for older people affected by the conflict in northern Sri Lanka.
- 260 older people and their families living in tsunami housing clusters will have access to clean drinking water by the end of the year.
- We will help members of 15 Senior Citizen Committees to access grants for income-generating activities to improve their living standards.