ADA leaders
In 2011 for the first time, older people from communities around the world have nominated their Age Demands Action leaders.
These ADA leaders are committed to fighting for older people's rights and have experience of age discrimination. They are spokespeople who are able to represent their community and country in the media, at conferences and government meetings.
At the national level, they chair meetings and support delegations of older people. Globally, they will champion the cause and share older people's experience at an international level.
Here are our Age Demands Action leaders!
Mr Shehada, 74, from Gaza, occupied Palestinian territories
Mr Abed Errahman Shehada is 74 and an ADA leader living in Gaza's Al Shatee refugee camp. A member of the Arab Union of Writers and the Palestinian Writers and Journalists Union, Mr Shehada has spent years campaigning for the most vulnerable. Mr Shehada is a central figure for ADA in Gaza and this year he challenged the Minister for Social Affairs to provide better access to health-care for older people whilst delivering a speech in the presence of the Minister and other parliamentarians.
Earlier in the day Mr Shehada led a 400-strong march through the streets of Gaza. On 30 September he answered questions by video link on faith and campaigning. The questions were asked by school children from the Philippines, Dubai, India and Ramallah as part of the Face to Faith initiative of the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, HelpAge and Tony Blair Faith Foundation project. An article on faith and ageing was published by the Times newspaper and featured Mr Shehada and his campaiging. He has also been featured as part of the 7 billion campaign.
Mrs Vera Andreevna Geikina, 77, from Kyrgyzstan
Mrs Vera Andreevna Geikina is 77 and lives in Kyrgyzstan with her husband of 53 years. She has two sons and eight grandchildren who live in Russia and visit her once a year.
She worked as an engineer and until 1980 and participated in the social life of the factory by organising discussions about political events.
This year as part of Age Demands Action, Mrs Geikina took part in a national conference where she met decision makers and discussed issues including the involvement of older people in local government, the lack social workers and access to healthcare:
"At the ADA conference on 12 October I got acquainted with older people from regions and learned about their problems which are quite different from those living in towns. I met with government members, for example the Head of the Social Fund at the Ministry for Social Protection and talked about our concerns."
Regarding plans to follow up with governments, we regularly meet with leadership officials according to the plan developed by Public Union of Social Protection of Population named after Fomova. At these meetings we presented our demands regarding housing, financial support and other matters. We also gave our recommendations. In a month's time this leadership is reporting back to us."
You can find out more about Mrs Geikina's experiences here:
Mama Rhoda, 77, from Kenya
Rhoda is 77 and has two children, one adopted daughter and a son who passed away when he was small. She currently runs a kiosk that sells cakes, green vegetables and fruits.
Rhoda is a leader in her church and community and a defender of older people's rights. She has taken part in ADA since 2009. This year, Rhoda marched through the streets of Nairobi and met the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs to demand greater protection and support for the victims of elder abuse.
Of ADA, she says: "ADA has made me an ambassador to spread the good news about older people. I am so happy and confident... This campaign has taught me that older people have rights which should be respected, not just put on paper but should be practised by all."
Mrs Gunathilake, 67, Sri Lanka
Mrs Gunathilake is 67 and the Secretary of the Senior Citizens Committee (SCC) in Colombo. Her role is to enhance well being of older people in her community.
As Secretary, she has learnt a lot from the committee about age discrimination and has seen older people suffering from diseases such as diabetes, dementia and cancer.
For Age Demands Action this year, Mrs Gunathilake will join over 600 members of the Social Services Committee to ask the Hon Minister of Social Services about pensions for people over the age of 80. She is also planning to organise a medical clinic to provide free medical examinations for her community.
You can watch a clip of Mrs Gunathilake talking about her Age Demands Action activities here:
Kenneth Hemley, 71, Jamaica
Born in 1940, Kenneth Hemley spent much of his working life as a technician in Jamaica's textile industry after beginning his career in construction. Today he is President of the Rivoli Senior Citizens Club in St Catherine's and an ADA leader.
Having witnessed first hand the discrimination faced by older people, Kenneth decided "enough is enough" and got involved with ADA in 2009 to bring about change. He has since been instrumental in getting the Jamaican government to widen access to pensions - mobilising campaigners to call for this step forward.
On 26 September 2011 Kenneth met Faith Innerarity, Director General of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. Having met Kenneth and other campaigners, the Director General agreed to review the government's Programme for Advancement Through Health and Education, which is a conditional cash transfer scheme. The review will look at the possibilities for greater inclusion of older people in the scheme.
The power of Kenneth's campaigning has been recognised by several UN agencies, who have invited him to speak at a number of UN forums in New York. After receiving an invitation from the NGO Committee on Ageing at the UN. Kenneth was a panel member at an International Day of Older Person's event at the Salvation Army Auditorium in Manhattan on 6 October 2011.
Beatriz Guaño, 67, the Philippines
"Older people can still contribute to community development" says Beatriz, a member of the Confederation of Older Persons' Associations in the Philippines (COPAP). In this role Beatriz helped to lead the successful campaign for the expanded 2010 Social Protection Bill.
Beatriz has participated in Age Demands Action since 2007. As a leader in her community she has spoken up for the rights of older people and this experience has given her the confidence to speak at a national level. In 2008 Beatriz's dedication was recognised when she was awarded one of the "Sampung Ulirang Nakatatanda" ("Ten Outstanding Older People") awards.
Speaking of the 2011 Age Demands Action campaign, Beatriz says: "We are pushing for complete implementation of the law. We want the Department of Social Welfare and Development to make a credible list of older people qualified for the social pension. I am hopeful that the pension will benefit the right beneficiaries".
Here you can watch a video of Beatriz talking about the campaign to ensure that the poorest older people do receive the social pension they are entitled to.
Tilahun Abebe, 76, Ethiopia
Born in 1935, Tilahun Abebe, was raised by his grandmother. For Tilahun, “ADA is about aspiring for and bringing about changes for older people not paper work. This year it will be about achievements– no more planning; it’s time to get results! Once we know where we are, we can see where we must go.”
Tilahun believes in change through organisation and is a Board member for the Ethiopian Elders and Pensioners National Association (EEPNA) and vice chairman at the Addis Ababa Pensioners Association. For 13 years Older Peoples Associations started campaigning to improve pension provision. Today more than 60 Older People’s Associations are members of EEPNA and these members played a key role in the fight for a pension for people that have worked in the private sector.
Until recently, it was only civil servants who were entitled to any social pension. On 1 October, hundreds marched in the city of Hawassa. The noisy march was led by a brass band and International Day of Older People celebrations were attended by the President, the Minister for Labour and Social Affairs, HelpAge ambassador in Ethiopia, Tesfaye Abebe and leaders from a number of Older People’s Associations.
Tilahun was one of 140 older runners that ran the 10 kilometre Great Ethiopian Run. You can read more about the run here or hear about it from Tilahun himself in the video below.
Mama Hermelinda Therra, 68, Mozambique
Mrs Hermelinda Therra met Prime Minister Aires Ali as part of the campaign this year. She spoke of the concerns of older people and called for improvements that would dramatically change the lives of older people in Mozambique for the better.
Before the meeting with Prime Minister, Aires Ali there was a range of action. On 30 September 20 journalists from print and broadcast media were invited to attend a panel session where campaigners presented their concerns to representatives from the Ministry of Women and Social Welfare. The following day there were several marches, street theatre performances and other activities in Maputo, Tete, Mulotana Tsalala and Sofala and on 3 October a delegation of campaigners met the Minister for Women and Social Welfare. Later that day Radio Moçambique broadcast a special programme on older people's rights and on 7 October TV station, STV covered a specially organized fair on health and ageing. Below, you can hear from Mrs Therra herself about ADA and what it means to her in this video.
