HelpAge International helps older people claim their rights, challenge discrimination and overcome poverty, so that they can lead dignified, secure, active and healthy lives

90 organisations in more than 50 countries are affiliated to HelpAge - a unique global network standing up for the rights of older people.

We have 180 partners implementing work on the ground

What we do• We lobby governments to achieve policy

change and implement practical development projects on the ground. 

• Climate change

• Emergencies

• Health

• HIV/AIDS

• Rights

• Social Protection

• Work

Climate change• Jursun, 75, and Asker, 66

live in Kyrgyzstan, winters -20⁰C

• They don’t have money to pay for electric heating or coal

• HelpAge is working with older people's groups to insulate homes and lobbying policy makers to include older people on their winter-crisis agendas

Emergencies• Haiti earthquake affected 200,000

older people.

• Responded to most urgent needs of 24,000 older people

• distributed food, temporary shelters and medical supplies, and nursing care and cash transfers

• Grandparent Wilner, 74, “I can buy uniforms and shoes for my younger children. They are now kitted out and ready to go back to school."

Health• Older people are living longer

and global population ageing will provide major health challenges in the 21st Century

• Enia went blind for almost three years because of cataracts in her eyes

• HelpAge Zimbabwe in collaboration with partners conducted cataract operations.

HIV and AIDS• We support older people

affected by HIV and AIDS - either as carers or as people living with HIV.

• Gakunga, 60, cares for seven orphans and a husband with HIV. She used a HelpAge grant to buy a cow. Proceeds from the milk will pay for medicines and basic supplies.

Rights• Inocencio and Corina

were displaced due to Colombia’s conflict.

• free legal advice

• access gerontologist, family counsellors, a child psychologist, a doctor, lawyers and para-legal staff

• help people get ID, so access gov assistance

• support through reparation process

Social protection work• Agustin, 77, from Peru,

worked in a shoe factory but was suddenly sacked and couldn’t access his pension

• Agustin is one of thousands of older people who had life-changing advice and support at our socio-legal centres: 4 in Bolivia and one in Lima Peru.

WorkWe're fighting for:

• Better working conditions for older people

• Age discrimination legislation to protect older workers

• Inclusive education and training programmes

• Equal access to micro-credit schemes

• No more mandatory retirement legislation

• Non-contributory pensions and free healthcare

Achievements of 2011• 2 million claim first pension

payment or increased sum

• 360,000 in emergencies

• 50,000 fight abuse and discrimination with the help of 300 specially-trained older people’s groups

• 48,000 receive basic healthcare

• 5,000 receive voluntary HIV counselling and testing services.