There are an estimated 1.9 million older people in Tanzania – and the majority live below the poverty line. But the government and society do not consider older people to be a priority for social support.

Older people’s contributions to their families and communities are ignored in poverty-reduction programmes. They feel excluded from decision-making processes and are now demanding participation through local organisations.

Tanzania introduced a National Policy on Ageing in 2003, which commits the government to promoting the health, participation and income-security of older people. This policy, combined with strong district-level development initiatives, and a national drive towards poverty reduction, provides the ideal opportunity to ensure that the needs and rights of older people are officially recognised.

Aims

HelpAge International, with support from Comic Relief, is working with local partners in eight zones in Tanzania (see below) to:

• raise awareness throughout government and civil society
• strengthen local organisations
• ensure that policies are implemented and that adequate resources are allocated to improve the lives of older people.

Activities

• All eight partners developed action plans and indicators to measure progress. Exchange visits between partner organisations have helped to strengthen links.
• HelpAge International and its partners played an active role in the consultation process for the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (2005-2009), which resulted in older people being referred to throughout the document.
• 38 representatives from partner organisations, older people’s groups, community-based organisations and age-care organisations – as well as government representatives took part in a national workshop on ageing in July 2005. Participants exchanged information and discussed how policies coud benefit older people.
• 25 older people visited the National Parliament in July 2004 and met the Parliamentary Committee for Social Services to press for the formal recognition of older people’s rights – and a budget allocation for their needs – in the areas of health, income, and the impact of HIV/AIDS.
• Arusha Retired Teachers’ Association (CHAWAMA) and Mtwara Retired Teachers’ Association (CHAWAMU) carried out a survey of older people in their areas. They discussed their findings with older people, local authorities and communities to highlight the needs of older people and to find solutions to their problems, such as the lack of pensions, isolation, poor education and poor health.

Achievements

• Increased engagement with local authorities is resulting in a gradual increase in support for older people and their organisations, such as free health care and free access to safe, clean water. For example, Songea, Dodoma, Arusha, Iringa and Tanga (coastal zone) local authorities have identified clinics and medical staff to attend to the medical needs of older people.
• Project partners have gained confidence to lobby local decision makers on behalf of older people. They have helped older people to set up their own committees in Dodoma, Arusha, Dar Es Salaam and Tanga to monitor delivery of public services and use this information to discuss ideas for improvements with service providers.
• Ageing has been recognised as a cross-cutting issue in the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (2005-2009). Targets include reaching 40% of older people with effective social-protection measures by 2010.
• Members of Parliament, including the minister, deputy minister, the principle secretary in the Ministry of Labour, and the chair of the Parliamentary Committee on HIV/AIDS, have committed to advocating for older people's needs and rights in their areas of responsibility.

The future

HelpAge International and our partners will focus on facilitating greater interaction between older people’s committees and local leadership, and helping to ensure that older people's specific concerns are addressed in the new policies.

We will continue to collaborate closely with the Department of Social Welfare, the Vice President’s Office and other key stakeholders to make the National Policy on Ageing a reality.

Partners

Northern region (Arusha/Manyara and Kilimanjaro): Arusha Retired Teacher's Association
Morogoro and Tanga regions: Morogoro Retired Teachers' Association
Mtwara and Lindi regions: Mtwara Retired Association
Kagera/Mwanza and Mara regions: SAWATA Bukoba
Dodoma and Singida regions: SAWATA Dodoma
Tabora, Kigoma and Shinyanga regions: SAWATA Tabora
Iringa/Mbeya and Ruvuma regions: SHISO
Dar Es Salaam and coastal regions: The Good Samaritan Social Services Trust