The China National Committee on Ageing (CNCA) yesterday released
the findings of the final evaluation for the project entitled
"Poverty Alleviation for Older People and Their Communities in
Western China" in Beijing.
The project, jointly managed by the HelpAge International (HAI)
and the CNCA, was funded by the European Commission for the period
2003-2006. Launched in August 2003, it covered the rural and remote
communities of nine counties in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Hunan?provinces. The total cost was
1,000,000 euros.
According to Eduardo Klien, HAI regional representative for Asia
Pacific, the objective of this project was to alleviate the poverty
experienced by 14,000 people, including 3,500 poor and
disadvantaged older residents in 35 village communities in the
western region,
Over the past three years, more than 1,000 people have been
given approximately 200,000 euros of the funding. This helped
increase the income level of recipients in Shaanxi, Hunan, and
Sichuan by 100 percent, 21.5 percent and 12.4 percent
respectively.
A geriatric assessment was conducted by the project health
partners, providing 2,169 older people with a health check-up, as
well as a database of information on the health status of older
people in the 17 project villages.
And 35 Older Peoples' Associations, elected by the local older
residents and responsible for associated work, have been
established. Around 192 elderly leaders have been trained as an
effective way to organize and strengthen these associations.
According to a survey conducted by the CNCA Administrative
Office in 2002, there were about 10.1 million older people living
in poverty. Around 1.5 million of them live in cities and towns and
8.6 million in the vast rural areas.
Problems such as a lack of food and clothing, poor medicines and
health conditions, financial difficulties, psychological and mental
pressures and a range of other complaints still exist.
?
CNCA President Li Bengong pinpointed following factors which caused
poverty among older citizens: unbalanced development of regional
economies, underdeveloped social assurance system; and insufficient
family support.
China pays great attention to the promotion of sustainable
livelihoods and the well-being of poor and disadvantaged older
people, their families and communities especially in western
undeveloped regions, said Li.
He spoke highly of the Sino-EU project, saying that it had
brought the foreign advanced management experience and concept into
China's reform of endowment assurance.
Over 3,400 older people and more than 23,000 villagers from
rural and remote communities in western China have benefited from
it, Li noted. He also said that he greatly appreciated HAI's
help.
The HAI network is the only global grouping of not-for-profit
organizations with the mission of improving the lives of
disadvantaged older people. It was established in 1983 by five
agencies in Canada, Colombia, India, Kenya and the UK. The network
now has more than 70 affiliate organizations in 50 countries.
Together, these link with hundreds more organizations around the
world, working to improve the lives of older people.
(China.org.cn by Staff Reporter Wang Ke, July 13, 2006)
