Older people’s stories

I was born in 1935 in Poltava, and when I was seven, we moved to Russia. For three years, we had nothing to eat, but my mother worked at an orphanage, and she gave us water mixed with flour, and that is how we survived. It was very, very hard.

My name is Alloise Fana Ngcobo, I am 72 and live in Clermont Township, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

I am 72 years old and originally from a remote district of Nepal but I now rent a house in the capital, Kathmandu, with my wife. My two daughters live here too while my son and daughter-in-law live in Australia.

I am a widow living in rural Cameroon. My age means my daily life is not at all easy.

Ekaterina arrived in Moldova along with thousands of other refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. Having just crossed the border, she shares her experience.

Munira, 67, lives in Gaza and faces daily challenges due to her disability. Her situation is exacerbated by exposure to bombardments and poor access to services.

I am a widow. I was born in this village and worked first as a nurse and then as a midwife until I retired.

I am 71. I live in a village located five kilometres from the contact line. I have been a widow for 14 years. I live alone in a small house. I have a son, a grandson, a granddaughter and two great-grandchildren, they all live in the uncontrolled territory of Ukraine.

I am a widow, I live alone. My daughter lives in another city, she visits me sometimes, to help me around the house and in the yard.