South Africa

In South Africa, HelpAge works through our partner Muthande Society for the Aged (MUSA) in several areas:

• We work on HIV and AIDS programmes promoting open dialogue on HIV issues within communities and civil society, encouraging older people to get tested for HIV and training older people as HIV counsellors and peer educators.
• We support older people to lead healthy and active lives through fitness activities, such as dance competitions. 
• We work with paralegal advisers to assist older people receive identity documents, so they can access social support, such as grants.

Supporting older people in South Africa

• We have trained older carers and peer educators and distributed over 5,000 condoms to older people.
• We have produced and distributed information raising awareness of social grants available to at least 1,500 older people.
• We have trained and given certificates to 225 traditional health practitioners in the prevention and transmission of HIV and AIDS.
• We have secured transport for over 8,000 older people so they can get to health clinics.
• We have assisted over 3,000 older people in accessing foster care grants (300) and identity documents (2,700) for their orphaned grandchildren through our paralegal advisers.

What next?

• We will advocate for older people to be included in HIV prevention strategies.
• We will ensure that the supply health kits from the Department of Health for older carers will be restored.
• We will engage with the Ministry of Social Development on the issues affecting grandparents of orphaned children.

We're training traditional health practitioners to help prevent HIV.

Our affiliates

Age-in-Action, Elim Hlanganani, Muthande Society for the Aged (MUSA)

Our partners 

Department of Social Development, eThekwini Municipality, Smiths Manufacturing, Harry Brunskill Trust, Afripack, The Spar Group Limited, Operation Jumpstart and Nozala Investment.

Our donors

National Lotteries Distribution Trust Fund, Anglo American Chairman's Trust Fund, ABSA Foundation, The Ford Foundation, Old Mutual Foundation, Big Lottery Fund, Community Chest, Department of Social Department and SA National Lottery Distribution Trust, Woolworths, Foodbank, Jet Stores, Eries Property Group (LTD), Drake and Skull