Ghana International Women's Club donates to HelpAge

The Ghana International Women’s Club (GIWC) has donated items including pharmaceuticals, cloths, food, and clothing, to HelpAge Ghana, an organization that promote the prospects of older persons in the Ghanaian society.

The presentation, which is done every year by the club, is to help the aged with their medications based on their request and other necessary items they find difficulty in accessing due to lack of finances.

Vivian Schandorf , a nurse who treats and care for the aged when they come around the HelpAge Centre, stated that the organization has been hit financially and this has reduced the amount of care needed by the aged.

“At first when they come around we cook for them to eat, chat, have fun and network before serving them with their necessary drugs but now we are down financially so we can hardly do that any longer,” she said.

She also advised the public against stigmatization of the elderly which she explained is very common amongst the old people she visits whiles administering their medications. She further urged the private sector and the government to support the aged with funds and vehicles, which will help with the house to house visits and foodstuffs for the underprivileged.

The Director of HelpAge Ghana, Ebenezer Adjetey-Sorsey also stated that the organization will do its very best to make sure the third draft of the first ever Aged Act is pushed through parliament and implemented.

GIWC donates yearly to HelpAge Ghana, some schools in Brekusu, the Orthopedic Centre and the Mental Hospital. The organization has handled about 112 projects including raising funds through health walks, bazaars and galas to help treat diseases such as cervical cancer and many others affecting women and children.

The organization has a bazaar coming up on 8th October and a Gala coming up on 2nd December, both to help raise funds in supporting the needy and under privileged in the society.

HelpAge, established in 1988 by the late Alberta Olenu, is a non-governmental, non-religious and non-profit making organization with the aim of creating public awareness on ageing issues and the problems facing older persons and to initiate and assist organizations working with and for older persons in Ghana to develop appropriate community-based services for older persons.

It is a full member of HelpAge International (HAI) which is based in London.