They could not buy an Old Age Allowance

They could not buy an Old Age Allowance

Old persons shown in above photographs are displaced by the erosion of river Padma.  They are about 150 families; lost their   land and old houses during the period 2007-2011.  Now all of them have made a new settlement near of VORD office; located in Habshpur village of Pangsa Upazila under Rajbari District.    Lose of land and displacement and resettlement of houses severely affected each of the families and Old Persons are most vulnerable. None of these people got any Old Age Allowance. When you will ask them the they will tell   you “as they could not buy the allowance form the UP members so they did not get it.  Yes some people got it who could afford to buy it from the UP member amounting to Taka 2000 to 3000 per registration.  

VORD started to organize older persons  by which they could participate in selection  of Old Age Allowance Recipient  selection   project by which no one had to buy it but  transparent  and just.    

Saleha Begum In Her Age of 70

Time passes by looking into a place of the River Padma where her home and home-land was.  Saleha Begum in her age of 70 memorizes her past; her beloved home where 4 sons, grand sons and daughters were living together. When they were together in home four sons of Saleha could feed and   take care of their widowed mother.   last year mighty Padma has eroded their home and home-land. Three of four sons migrated and become city labourers. Now one son (Abu Salleque) and her old mother are living in a relative’s house. Salleque works as a bonded labourer in other’s house but cannot feed and take care of her mother alone what all 4 bothers could do together. Last year Saleha had Eid together with all sons, daughter in laws, grand sons and daughters but not this year. 3 other sons and their family members could not come back because they don’t have home anymore to stay and celebrate the Eid. When 15 Saleha was married to Solim Mollah; since then 55 years of her life the home she built suddenly took away by the river. In her age of 70 the break of  homes and displacement of her   family members not only created hardship to have her food and other livelihood security but also her mind affected by deep sorrows of missing beloved. Friends of Saleha (as same age as she got) also lost homes and gone elsewhere; she does not have someone to talk to; share her sad feelings. Saleha does not have any idea about what an Old Age Allowance is and what is her rights; whom to claim and how.

During last 5 years only in Habashpur and Bahadurpur unions about 3000 families have been affected and displaced by river erosion. The most affected and vulnerable are the old age male and female. Due to their age, limited mobility and association to raise collective voice tragic problems in the life of old people are not visible to the development actors neither to the politicians. 

 

No denying, some of them are getting   Old Age Allowance 300 Taka (less than 4 US Dollar   a month). There are cases would tell   that elected UP members have taken bribe in selecting OAA recipient.   Although it has been said that as prime rights holder of Old Age Allowance all Old Age person of a ward require to take part in the selection process but in practice no participation.   900 Taka a quarter is little than he/she needs, again it is also a question whether  he/sh could utilize the amount for his/herself or  given to the family.   Health care and access to health care services is almost absent for the old age persons. Feeling of ‘no body cares, disengagement, dishonored and alienation is severe among old age persons. Despite their physical, mental and other vulnerabilities most old age male and female yet does hard work for the need of family.   At the past   Old persons were taken care at the family and community but   due to various socio economic and cultural factors the traditional system is getting weak and weaker. An immediate need is to promote  association of older people and facilitate them to undertake collective actions .

Working Towards Older Persons Wellbeing

During last 5 years in Habashpur and Bahadurpur unions about 3000 families have been affected and displaced by river erosion. The most affected and vulnerable are the old age male and female. There are about 1000 displaced Older male and female in the proposed project   area who are within the age of 65 to 85 commonly suffering from food insecurity, minimum decent living and access to basic old age care. Feeling of ‘no body cares, disengagement, dishonored and alienation is severe among these old age persons. Despite their physical, mental and other vulnerabilities most old age male and female yet does hard work for the need of family. Due to their age, limited mobility and association to raise collective voice tragic problems in the life of old people are not visible to the development actors neither to the politicians. Lack of their own association and awareness to claim their rights to the government is the main issue the project would like to address.

Objectives

 The specific objectives of the VORD's work are:

·         To form village based Older People Association   

·      To facilitate organized older people association to build awareness as well as plan and act for claiming their  rights to the government 

·   To  enhance opportunities for older persons to have basic old age care at families and communities

·         To document practice generated lessons concerning issues of older persons and share those with relevant stakeholders