Louise, 60, Haiti
Louise cares and provides for her three grandchildren (two pictured above) and three children. Since July, she has worked as a home-based carer for HelpAge Photo: Frederic Dupoux/HelpAge International
Louise, 60, is the sole provider for her three grandchildren: Samuel, 4, Michel, 3, and Christina, 11 months and her three daughters who do not work. Their rented home collapsed in the earthquake and they slept on the streets for three days before moving to, what is now, Camp Tabarre in Port-au-Prince.
In July, Louise became a home-based carer for HelpAge International. She gets paid a monthly salary for her work which involves her visiting 46 vulnerable older people in the camp and listening to what they need.
Older people need food and beds
She says: "I visit my older people every day. I talk to them, braid their hair and see what they need. Sometimes I take them to the hospital. I like doing the work. It makes me feel useful and I love older people, as I grew up surrounded by them. They used to give me advice all the time.
"The main problem I see in my work is that older people are not getting enough to eat. Sometimes I even give them some of my money so they can get something. It gives me pain in my heart when I visit them and I see they haven't eaten for two or three days. They need more money to buy food.
"The other main thing they need is beds. Some of the older people are sleeping on the ground. They need better beds or they will be in a lot of pain."
Giving older people opportunities to work is key
HelpAge has trained 209 carers who work in 93 camps in Haiti. The carers are all older people and they are paid a monthly salary to visit other older people. They promote hygiene and cholera awareness and help them access the emergency health services in their communities. Collectively they reach around 4,000 older people.
The carers are among 3,000 older people registered by HelpAge to take part in its Cash for Work programme. Giving older people opportunities to work is key to helping them feed themselves and their families.
In addition, 4,000 older people, aged 65 and over been selected to receive 750 Haitian gourdes (approximately US$20) a month for six months. If successful, the results of the pilot project will be used by HelpAge to advocate for a universal pension scheme in Haiti.
I visit my older people every day. I talk to them, braid their hair and see what they need. I like doing the work. It makes me feel useful and I love older people as I grew up surrounded by them.