Sheltering centers of old people in difficulties

While the World celebrates the Old People Day, on every 1 October, Burundian centers sheltering old people plead for more support.

Old people claim to be supported in food, clothes and medicines

“Auspice Sainte Elisabeth” Center, one of the centers of old people in the capital Bujumbura, shelters 46 old people including 30 old women and 16 men. Nun Colette Murimbane, responsible for the center says the majority doesn’t have any member of family. “We try to offer them all essential needs even if it is not easy”, she says. She also says the beneficiaries have different problems and suffer from different diseases. “Not only, are they old, but also, they suffer from diseases which have to be treated by specialists” says Nun Murimbane.

She says the Ministry of Social Affairs supports old people in health issues but the center must physically present them to the ministry. “I prefer to go to the hospital instead of spending much time waiting for the authorization”, she says adding that minor issues are treated at the center given that she is herself a nurse.

Some humanitarian organizations and people support the center. “World Food Program previously provided food assistance to the center but it has stopped since January 2018 for unknown motives”, says the nun. Iwacu has tried to contact WFP for more details in vain.

According to Nun Murimbane, the ministry of Social Affairs only pays water charges but it gives an amount of BIF 900,000 per year to the center. “It is not sufficient for old people who need special care, treatment and food”, she says adding that arable lands may help the center have special food according to their age.

Cyrille-Fresh Isirahenda, legal representative of another center “Family which receives old people and orphans”, says his center shelters 12 people including seven men and five women. “We provide them with material, social assistance and juridical supervision”, he says.

For having lived for a long time with old people, Isirahenda says he knows their needs. “I only use my salary and my spouse’s pay to satisfy their essential needs”, he says.

The ministry of Social Affairs has already assisted the center with one tone of rice in 2017 “ but thanks to Caritas “Cathédrale”, we get one bag of rice and another one of beans after every three months,” he says. For him, if he receives enough money he can erect a house that would allow him to shelter many old people as possible.

Martin Nivyabandi, Minister of Human Rights, Gender and Social Affairs, says conventions and partnerships between Burundi government and centers as well as associations sheltering old people have been established. “This allows them to receive the annual subsides, payment of water and electricity invoice and enjoy the exemption of goods and services from abroad” says the Minister.

In 2012, Burundi government has also established a national policy of social protection for more care of vulnerable people including old people. “The recent National Development Plan also considers old people in its implementation”, he says.