87-year-old woman’s quest to change the tide for the elderly

A litany of “empty promises” in relation to the welfare of the elderly have prompted Clotilda Kokupima, 87, to act so that the interests of the elderly are seriously considered.

Killings, poor access to health services and lack of a law to guide the policy of the elderly are some of the things that make lives of the elderly difficult in Tanzania, according to experts.

Ms Kokupima is of the conviction that the elderly have the power to push for their rights, hence, breaking away from the norm that only the youth have the energy to push agendas that concern the elderly.

Last May, President Samia Suluhu Hassan highlighted key measures being taken by the government to improve the welfare of the elderly in the country, including review of the National Ageing Policy of 2003.

She said that the review of the policy would help, among other things, to address some of the challenges facing the group as the government works to enact a law to safeguard their rights and welfare.

President Hassan made the revelation during her meeting with about 900 elders in Dar es Salaam.

During the meeting, the then chairman of the Dar es Salaam Elders’ Council, Mr Salim Matimbwa, informed the Head of State various challenges facing the elders, including limited access to health care services and poor representation in various decision making bodies.

Responding, Ms Hassan said that all elders in the country have the right to health services at all health centres, dispensaries and even the national hospital.

Wellness dream

But, Ms Kokupima has come up with a different approach to speed up her zeal to improve the welfare of the elderly by launching a fund raising campaign for building a wellness and recreation centre for the elderly in Kasulu District, Kigoma Region. Speaking at the launch of the campaign on Wednesday in Dar es Salaam, Ms Kokupima said that the poor conditions of the elderly in the country have pushed her to ensure that the facility is built.

She noted that through donations, the centre has already acquired a piece of land and built one of the eight structures that will complete what she called the first of its kind, elderly wellness and recreation centre (Kigoma Day Care and Recreation Centre).

“We have already started by constructing one building and others will follow. We want it not to be just a residence, it should be a centre that will include a health facility, an area for the elderly to rest, hold meetings, have fun and such things,” she said.

She further noted that there will also be a building of work skills in the sense of small activities that will help the aged to see that there is something they can still do.

“This construction needs Sh570 million, that’s why I brought this issue to people with good will to support us,” she said in front of a group of various stakeholders who came out to back the strategy’s launch.

“From this centre, I would wish to see every region and district of our nation having such state of the art centres, where all services would be available for the elderly who find themselves in difficult conditions,” she noted.

According to Mr Joseph Mbasha from HelpAge, who was one of the guests at the launch, despite the existence of the policy for the elderly for 19 years, several things are not implemented due to the lack of a law that will provide guidance on how to do it.

Citing as an example, the whole issue of medical treatment where the policy directs it to be free for the elderly, but there is no law governing it. As a result, the group has been lacking quality health services because they have no money.

How she started

Through her brain child organization, Endeleza Wazee Kigoma (Ewaki), Kiswahili for ‘Empower the Elderly of Kigoma’, Ms Kokupima had to start the organisation after retiring and seeing how the elderly faced various challenges.

“Personally, I can’t say that I have gone through that much difficulty. I was a teacher and later served as secretary in CCM (ruling party) in several districts, but I got the idea of starting this organization after seeing the life faced by the elderly people around me in Kasulu, Kigoma Region.”

She noted with concern that the elderly led a difficult life, pushing some to become beggars around people’s shops, begging for food. “This pained me a lot.”

“Even clothing was a challenge for some. I saw the need to find help for my fellow elders, many of whom have already died due to mental stress and lack of proper care for their health,” she told The Citizen in an interview.

Despite the lack of essential needs including food, shelter and clothing, Ms Kokupima also notes that many elderly people face loneliness, which contributes significantly to premature death.

“In rural areas, the elderly are left to live by themselves. They have no one to take care of them, that’s why you will hear that someone has died by himself in the house. In urban areas, the elderly who live with their children are locked inside.”

“You will find the head of the family and mother are working people, children go to school, an old man is left home alone or with a house help who does not have time to care for him,” she noted.

The situation is what gives Ms Kokupima sleepless nights at her age, making her see the importance of recreational centres for the elderly.

However, because she cannot do the heavy mission alone, she’s out seeking funding from all the interested groups both local and international to make her dream come true.

A long anticipated journey

Before dealing with the elderly in the entire Kigoma Region, Ms Kokupima started with Kasulu District where through the organization, she sought and provided assistance to the elderly.

“There was a time when I went to Europe and saw how our colleagues serve the elderly. There are special centres where they get all kinds of care. There are doctors, physical therapists helping the elderly, they participate in sports and find space to exchange ideas,” she revealed.

“I was more interested in the design of these centres where there are various handicraft activities that the old people were doing, unlike when a person is old here, he stays idle waiting for his death,” she exuded.

Ms Kokupima who also chairs the network of organisations that support the elderly, said, her wish is to one day see the elderly being safe, well taken care of and respected due to the great things they have done in this nation.

“Respect for the elderly has been decreasing day by day, starting from the family level, the community and even the government. Only those in leadership positions are respected,” she noted with concern.