Why Uganda’s elderly need their own emyooga category

June 15, Uganda will join the global community in observing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The very existence of this day underscores how far down the moral ladder we have descended.

In traditional African societies like Uganda, respect for elders was a cornerstone of community life. However, modernisation and shifting societal norms have eroded this respect, leaving many elderly individuals isolated and stigmatized as burdensome and out of touch with the current times.

The lack of a robust pension system exacerbates this issue, forcing most elderly persons to continue engaging in physically demanding work well into old age or rely on their families for support. 

A heartbreaking example of this vulnerability, that continues to haunt me to date, is the viral video of 83-year-old Lucy Anek, who was mercilessly flogged by her grandson in the compound of their home in Gulu, while neighbors stood by and watched in silence. No one came to her immediate rescue, despite her spine-chilling cries, and Lucy suffered severe bruises all over her already ailing and frail body.

Abuse, which takes many forms and is often perpetrated by family members or caregivers, disproportionately affects women. Deeply entrenched gender inequalities and social beliefs contribute to this, fostering low self-esteem and inferiority complexes. 

How, then, can we best address this crisis? In my view, empowering older people and bolstering their self-esteem is the first step to reassuring them that they remain valuable members of society.

This requires socio-economic development initiatives, like Emyooga, that can provide affordable financial services and technical assistance for the elderly to establish their own sustainable sources of income.  

Currently, Emyooga lacks a specific category for the elderly, although some elderly persons are beneficiaries through special interest categories such as veterans, persons with disabilities, and elected leaders.

During a recent monitoring exercise, I met with some senior members of the Mbarara Women Entrepreneurs SACCO, who cited key benefits of the program as the social network and mental health support they have gained by working together.

These women, who grow grapes and produce wine, learned the business through the association and do not regret the decisions they made to join Emyooga.

In fact, a member’s spouse noted a significant improvement in his wife’s health as a result, adding that she looked younger than she did a couple of years before.

Such testimonials offer hope for Uganda’s elderly population. An Emyooga category secially designed for seniors can address their diverse needs beyond just finances. It can complement existing programs like Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) that currently targets individuals over 80 with a monthly stipend of 25,000 shillings, which is insufficient.

With Emyooga providing initial seed capital of 30 million shillings per SACCO, the elderly can engage in economically viable projects that are guaranteed to rake in good returns on investment and ensure sustainable development. 

More importantly, a nationwide association of seniors can shift the conversation around aging, recognizing the immense value that older persons contribute to their families and societies when given adequate financial and technical support to remain economically and socially active.

Ms Belinda Atim Michaels, MCIPR | Senior Public Relations Officer, The Microfinance Support Centre (Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development)