Granny (70) bears brunt of HIV/Aids

There are rarely statistics done on this age group.
The role of grandparents has changed as most of them have been “recalled” into parenthood.
HelpAge Zimbabwe, founded in 1989, focuses on this forgotten generation, striving to improve their living standards especially with the rate of orphans escalating.
HelpAge Zimbabwe estimates that up to two thirds of people living with HIV/Aids are cared for by parents in their 60s and 70s.
This makes 60 percent of orphans under the care of the aged people who make up just 7 percent of the population.
“The impact of HIV/Aids on the elderly is enormous yet most organisations focus on the youth and the working class, we have thus taken the elderly as our concern,” said Conrad Gweru, the Advocacy and Information officer for HelpAge.
“As an organisation we are helping the aged, we have a project in Zvishavane and one in Mufakose.
“But due to limited funding, the Mufakose project has not been operational for some time now,” Gweru said.
HelpAge Zimbabwe is piloting a project in Zvishavane rural where it is assisting older persons aged 60 and above with agricultural inputs, building toilets and boreholes.
“Those aged 80 years and above receive bi-monthly cash transfers of US$30. The impact has been positive.
“A number of these older persons no longer depend on well wishers who do not frequently assist them . . .
“They can assist their neighbours with food, but above all they can look after themselves and their families with so much ease,” said Gweru.
Gweru, reiterated the importance of grandparents who today provide the role of parents for no remuneration.
“Old people are an asset, they are there when needed but due to failing health, lack of basics and some even being HIV infected they have many challenges,” he explained.
Gweru revealed that they were focusing on the role of the traditional health practictioners, bone setters and faith healers had on the notion that old people are witches and wizards.
“The effect of these mentioned here is underestimated in society but everyday, we have horrific stories of ritual murders or a rape after someone has consulted any of these people.
“We want to conscientise these ‘influential people’ that what they say to a desperate person holds and that person can even kill because the n’anga said so,” he said.
In seeking ways to lessen the negative impact by these, the organisation held a workshop for trainers and caregivers who are directly involved with the communities.
Gweru pointed out that care giving needs to be highlighted as it is not as easy as it sounds.
“A caregiver has to be empowered through correct knowledge, supplied with kits for use and given basics to use in the day to day living,” he said.
Gweru noted that the elderly are also sexually active and must be catered for in the various schemes that are offered but in most instances they are not covered.
He pointed out that they were currently pushing for a Bill to cater for the elderly.
“Policy issues of the elderly are treated on the periphery and we are advocating for a Bill to cater for the elderly,” he said.
One family in Mufakose that used to be a beneficiary of HelpAge is that of Ambuya Nyazuwa Rusia.
The family of seven young and vulnerable orphans with the oldest boy in Grade Seven is looked after by Ambuya Rusia born in 1941.
She is one such person who will benefit from the Bill.
The old woman who stays at 17 Shuramurove Road in Mufakose has been bedridden since January 2010.
She has not been to any clinic as she is not able to move on her own neither can she afford clinic fees.
In a recent interview from her home in Mufakose, she appreciated a stranger visiting as she rarely has anyone coming to see her.
She says looking after the orphans is an uphill task as she takes each day as it comes.
The family barely has enough to eat.
Two minor grandchildren attending school, have been in her care since their parents died.
“All these seven young children were left by my sons. Their wives died too and I have tried to provide but now with failing health we sometimes go to bed hungry,” said Ambuya Rusia.
“We last had a meal yesterday afternoon and they went to school on empty stomachs,” she said.
She said all her sons and daughters-in law died from HIV-related illnesses ranging from TB and pneumonia.
“My children died from the pandemic and am taking care of the children. The youngest was six-months-old when the mother died and I have fed him porridge since then.
“At times he eats sugarless porridge as I do not have money to buy sugar,” said the ailing old woman.
Of the seven grandchildren, only four are attending school.
The two brothers who are in Grade Seven occasionally attend school as they are always sent back home for non payment of fees.
Trying to put the children on the Basic Education Assisted Module (Beam) was fruitless as the headmaster told them that all places were taken.
The fees which is only US$10 is beyond the reach of their guardian.
The other grandchildren are twins and are in Grade 3 at a primary school in the neighbourhood.
The school fees for the twins is paid by World Wide Foundation after the Child Protection Committee co-ordinator highlighted their plight.
“Unfortunately, the foundation does not pay arrears, they started on a clean slate and have been paying their fees,” said Mr Michael January, the CPC co-ordinator.
Two other boys aged 10 and eight have not been fortunate to attend school.
The 10-year-old would have been in Grade 3 now had his fees been paid.
One of them only attended school for one week.
He longs to be in school like any other kid of his age, but spends the day playing in the dusty streets of Mufakose.
The two have lost all interest in school.
I shudder to think of a future with no education for the young boy and his cousins if nothing is done to assist right now
Mr January has promised to take the children’s case back to the school authorities again but nothing concrete had come out by the time of going to print.
Mrs Mary Chidziva, a tenant at Ambuya Rusia’s home, helps her with the everyday requirements.
She helps her bath two or three times a week, time permitting, as she has to do odd jobs to earn a living.
She also has an orphan in her care.
The boy, who is in Grade Three, is Mrs Chidziva’s grandson from her late daughter.
“My grandson lives with us but has gone to school.
“I do odd jobs, cleaning people’s yards and doing their laundry for a fee and that is how I pay rent,” she said.
Ambuya Rusia adds that the little she gets from her tenant is all swallowed by the bills which is not not sufficient to cover all the needs.
She also has several disputes with her grandson (20) who is employed, but refuses to pay rent for the room he uses.
She says she needs help so that she can evict the young man.
“He calls me names and even wishes me dead. When I was so ill last year he had the audacity to ask me to die. Can someone help me? I am scared of him,” she said.
She adds: “My husband died just after independence and I looked after the children on my own but now they have all died from the pandemic.
“God is my keeper as he sent me this good-hearted tenant.
“She could go and live somewhere where she is not bothered, but she looks after me.”
Ambuya Rusia’s house was bare, not even a morsel of bread in sight.
She only had a pot full of green vegetables.
“Vendors from the market sometime send tomatoes that are about to go bad and vegetables, that is why we have these but the children have been having these plain vegetables without sadza. The little one cries,” she said.
That a family can survive on greens without even any starch is unbelievable but true.
The vegetables were salted as cooking oil is out of ambuya’s reach.
“I am not asking for meat or bread but maize-meal and cash to pay the arrears.”
Her current arrears for the City of Harare stand at US$377, 69 and she is afraid she may lose her house.
“Someone once came and said I had to sell the house to settle the arrears and they would give me the change which I refused,” she said.
Con artists and shrewd characters are many out there.
Who then looks after such old people, when they have to be breadwinners once more in the twilight of their years.
That Mrs Chidziva is what the doctor ordered is an underestimation, she is God sent.
What do the city fathers do in such cases.
The Mayor of Harare Muchadeyi Masunda promised to help when contacted.
He said the fund once known as the Mayor’s Christmas Cheer Fund has changed its name to Mayor’s Fund and assists such needy cases.
“As a city we are concerned, there are issues we need to grapple with and such cases are looked into by the committee,” he said.
Ambuya Rusia also appealed for warm clothing and blankets as winter is fast approaching.
She is also seeking assistance to foot her medical bills as she hardly sleeps owing to the excruciating pain in her swollen knees.
“Right now I crawl. I am a baby again and I do not get a wink of sleep due to the pain.
“The painkillers that my tenant buys no longer offer any relief,” she said.
She said she is a member of the Faith Apostolic Church but they only come to pray for her.
Only the Anglican Church helps her now and again and the last time was during Christmas.
Churches must be there for the well-being of the soul and the physical being.
But it appears that there is no equilibrium in Ambuya’s Rusia’s case.
There are many more desperate cases in the suburbs and ambuya is just one of the many.
A touching case also in the same suburb is that of two orphans who live alone.
They live in an unfinished house and depend on well wishers.
The well wishers themselves are going through a tough time and the alms keep dwindling.
“The dependence that orphans have on well wishers sometimes ends with them being abused, that is why as CPC we meet the children every Saturday in the community Hall so that at least they speak out their grievances,” said Mr January.
“A child may never know that he/she is living under abuse unless they are told what abuse is and what is not,” he said.
Old people are a treasure and for Ambuya Rusia to go to bed hungry is a negation of duty for all Harare reside- nts.
May we not let a generation perish in abject poverty when a cent or a pair of second hand clothes could bring a cheer to that vulnerable child and to the burdened grandparents.
May you get love and understanding. Till then, God bless.
[email protected]