| Abstract: | Like many other poor countries, absence of or ineffective social security systems
and deteriorating livelihood situation have left aged people vulnerable to povertyridden
socio-economic ordeals in Ethiopia. Relatively speaking all but the very old
people who never had the opportunity of formal employment and those selfemployed
individuals in past do not have a regular income are believed to suffer
from lack of even minimum survival needs. Where there is no provision by the state,
reports show that the aged people livelihood depends on traditional social safety
nets within and across families and informal community transfers. The intuition that
these people are taken care of by family members during their old age, sickness, and
unemployment tells half of the story. Recent studies indicated that the young family
members are reportedly failed to maintaining the traditional role as major source of
support to the elderly. The main purpose of this study is therefore to assess the
existing livelihood/survival strategies in which the elderly rely on; identify the
various challenges faced by them; examine any role(s) played by local NGOs,
formal and informal associations working for the betterment of life of older people
in Kolfe -Keranyo Sub-City. This study used both qualitative and quantitative
research method. The data collection work is conducted through direct household
interview, key informant interview, group discussions and relevant documents
review. The findings of the research unveiled the existing livelihood strategies of the
elderly people is unbearable to aging community, where all most all interviewed
people subsidize their income by engaging in humiliating informal sources such as
begging. The study include lack access to food, poor health status, poor hygiene and
sanitation; isolation, loneliness and worthlessness as the major problems facing
older people. All sorts of their livelihood assts are exhausted while overwhelming
majority of them is characterized by ill-health and bed-ridden life including chronic
diseases, impairments, and disabilities. Existing initiatives deserve credit, but not
cognizant to age, health and capacities of the old people. The provisions by state
(except shelter) and non-state actors are far from meeting survival requirements.
Indeed, in the absence of minimum operation standard, consistency and integrationfragmented
and project-centric results that were claimed to be successful once in
the past were found to a white elephant during the survey. To reverse the problems
the research recommendations are: (1) formulate a separate policy and social
security scheme for non-contributory and non-pensioner poor elderly people; (2)
design tailor-made livelihood support that fits the physical strength, age, health,
interest and skill of individuals; (3) provide unconditional/free aid support
including free health service, food and non-food transfer, to the very old, diseaseridden
and isolated old people; (4)International NGOs and donors should
encourage elder association, local NGOs, voluntary individuals who support elders
not only in financial resources and in building good practice (standardized and
comprehensive support) thereby provide effective and sustainable projects. |
