By Eduardo Klien, Regional Representative, East Asia/Pacific

China never ceases to amaze me. The China I first visited in 1998 is very different from the one we see nowadays. This is one of the most radical and rapid social change in history.

The transformation is overwhelming. It is evident in the modernization of cities, means of communication, dress codes, attitudes of the youth and the expansion of media. It is modernization at top gear, but at the same time is the maintenance of old and not so old traditions. China’s history is present everywhere. In Sichuan, for example, one can see the Dujiangyan irrigation and flood-control system that dates back more than 2,300 years… and is still working! China is a nation proud of its history and traditions; it is risking a lot by embracing modernity at such speed.
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I met the children at Bigwa primary school who are brought up by their grandparents, having lost their parents to AIDS. They have dreams of becoming doctors, lawyers prime minsters and sung of education being the key to life. 

I visited Mama Amina who, at 76, is bringing up 11 grandchildren in shocking conditions with no income. Her plot of land is far away and she finds it difficult to farm now. The children gather stones to sell to other families building houses. This is their income. 

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Wilbur has an energetic commanding character, a retired secondary school teacher and journalist, he says “I retired 15 years ago but although retired, I am not tired.”

Born on the slopes of Africa’s highest mountain Mount Kilimanjaro, he is happy living in the shadow of the Acropol mountains with his wife, chickens, goats pineapples, bananas and mangoes - he is self sufficient. But he is well aware that many of his older neighbours are struggling to eat, unable to afford medical care and that the poorest are those who are raising grandchildren alone because they have lost their parents to AIDS.

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There is no avoiding the impending threat of climate change and the impact it is already having around the world - most often affecting already struggling and developing regions of the globe.

Age change

Another phenomenon that is transforming the world as we know it and is often overlooked by organisations, governments and policy makers is global ageing.

By 2050, 1 in 5 people will be over 60. Globally, the number of people aged 60 plus will outnumber children aged 14 and under.

The missing link

Climate change and ageing are two of the most important issues facing humanity this century, yet explicit links between the two are rarely made.  So why does the climate change debate completely disregard the impact of climate change on older people?

At best, older people are mentioned as a “vulnerable group”. But they are more than this - older people’s knowledge and experience can help us reduce the effects of climate change.

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In the third and final instalment of her video blog from the Czech Republic, Margaret Kabango tells us about her meeting with local NGO Zivot 90 to discuss the decent work for older people project.

Margaret Kabango of Uganda Reach the Aged Association is in the Czech Republic, to get older people’s voices heard at a conference on development effectiveness for civil society organisations.

Margaret will be talking to the Czech Development Agency and Sue Ryder International, about the need to include older people in international development programmes.  She’s also promoting HelpAge’s call for decent work for older people.

Follow Margaret’s progress on her video blog.