DanChurchAid

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Kyrgyzstan & Kazakhstan

Adopt a group of elderly

01/06/2006: GrannyAid is a new, joint initiative between DaneAge Association and DanChurchAid with the aim of assisting elderly people in need in the former Soviet Republic, Kyrgyzstan through adoptions.

ADRA pensioners self help groups, Kyrgyzstan 2005
© Didde Elnif

By adopting a group of elderly provisions of i.e. food and medicine are distributed and thereby improving their livelihoods. The co-operation combines DanChurchAid's longstanding experience with development projects in the region and DaneAge Association supporters' great interest in asisting these needy, fellow elderly.

Poverty and destitution

Against the backdrop of an economic and social downfall following the disintegration of the Soviet Union, many of these citizens are left behind by their relatives and live in extreme poverty. Left by their families they are struggling to make ends meet with a reduced, or without, retirement allowances; a pension scheme, which they have otherwise contributed to throughout their professional lives. The poverty means lack of food and medicines, miserable and humid homes often without electricity and running water.

Nina Cherdakoca is one of the old women in Bishkek who is part of the Babushka Adoption programmes.
© Didde Elnif

GrannyAid

GrannyAid engages with three Kyrgyz senior citizen organisations, Ymyt, ADRA and PASPP who are the Kyrgyz version of DaneAge Association and a longstanding collaborator of DCA. These organisations attempt to build a dialogue with the authorities regarding the rights of the senior citizens in order to improve livelihoods for elderly in Kyrgyzstan in general.

The elderly gather in self-help groups, often in groups of ten people, where group members provide mutual assistance and care for the bedridden, the blind and others who are not able to fend for themselves. Adoption of a group of elderly can bring the elder back on his/her feet through the networks established. By adopting a group and not single senior citizen, more people benefit from the support and administration fees are in this way decreased.

Elderly support elderly

For a donation of 100 or 250 DKK elderly in Denmark can adopt elderly in Kyrgyzstan. With the donation the elderly are provided with e.g. medicines, blankets, food items plus fuel for heating, which can be crucial in winter when temperature drops below -30 degrees Celsius. The donation is tax-deductible. Twice a year the adopter will receive a newsletter informing of the support and stories from the elderly of how they manage their daily lives.

For more information about adopting elderly, send a mail to GrannyAid coordinator Naja Nielsen at nni@dca.dk .