Call to support old people’s homes

Manicaland Bureau
Government has been urged to consider funding old people’s homes across the country to help them meet their day-to-day needs.

Speaking at a tour of Zororai Old People’s Home in Sakubva on Wednesday, chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Labour and Social Welfare Cde Magna Mudyiwa said their visit to seven provinces indicated that almost all old people’s homes were financially hamstrung.

So far, the committee has visited homes in Kwekwe, Masvingo, Matabeleland South, Matabeleland North, Bulawayo, Marondera and Manicaland.

Cde Mudyiwa said the situation at old people’s homes in all provinces had to be attended to urgently.

“Authorities in all homes in the provinces that we have visited so far are complaining that there has not been adequate funding from the Government, if at all there has been any,” she said.

Government, she said, needed to upwardly revise grants given to old persons in these homes from the current $15.

“Senior citizens are supposed to be getting a small stipend of $15 every month from the Government, but these citizens have been crying foul that these monies have not been getting to them at all and that they last received those stipends way back,” she said.

“Because of the economic challenges this country is facing, Government has not been able to fully support old people’s homes financially. We, however, as a committee have come to see the situation on the ground, to familiarise ourselves with the old people and hear the challenges the homes are facing.”

The findings are expected to the tabled in Parliament.

The matron at Zororai Old People’s Home, Sister Blandina Mariko, said had it not been for donors and well-wishers, the home would have closed its doors along time ago.

She said the home last received a $700 grant from Government in December 2017.

“The grants are very small and coming inconsistently,” said Sister Mariko. “They are supposed to be deposited into our accounts monthly, but sometimes it takes close to two years or more before we get anything from the ministry.

“There are also personal grants, which are to be given to the residents according to the ministry, but they are not coming at all as our residents have never received them.”

Government, said Sister Mariko, had now left them to fend for themselves.

The committee will be visiting the remaining provinces soon.