Sarah Lamba at the Forum with fellow QCS bursary delegate Sailesh Mishra, Founder President of Silver Innings, India
Having attended The Ageing in Common: an international perspective incorporating the inaugural Commonwealth Elders’ Forum and the NFC UK Conference in April on our QCS bursary, Sarah Lamba has been inspired to implement changes in the programme Save Elders Tanzania.
Sarah is the Director of SYEAC (Smart Youth Effort for Advanced Community) and this was her first time in the UK. Under the organisation’s Save Elders Tanzania programme, this remarkable young woman has mobilised a team of young volunteers to actively assist in helping older people on a regular basis. Using social media they highlight the issues and challenges older people face and how small actions can make a real difference to an older person’s life.
The team is currently working on the project called ‘choo-chamzee’, which involves installing sanitation and solarforall in older people’s homes.
At the conference, Sarah says she appreciated the networking opportunities and learning from leaders in other countries, particularly the discussions about the role of interruption and connectivity, and the need to respect old people’s beliefs.
As a result, key developments for Save Elders in the future include:
To mobilise more youth in other regions
Some of the SaveElders volunteers
“At the conference, I learned the importance of intergeneration activities. This is what I am already practicing in my home via the Save Elders Project where by youth role to help old people, so when I heard this at the forum, it has given me more courage to grow the organisation further,” Sarah says.
As a participant in our Story Telling project, she enjoyed seeing pictures of her work displayed. “I realised my work is adding value to the world and to all old people who are in need,” she adds.
Sustainability
Having seen the presentation on the implementation of sustainable livelihoods for old people in Cameroon given by Francis Njuakom, Director, Community Development Volunteers for Technical Assistance Cameroon (CDVTA), Sarah plans to instigate a similar programme in Tanzania.
And after passing an Oxfam shop in London, she is considering opening a shop so Save Elders has sustainable funds to run programs!
Challenge and update our national age policy
“We need to make recommendations on heathcare, and issues of intergeneration and build care-centres,” says Sarah.
When Sarah returned to Tanzania, she was interviewed on BBC Swahili Live to talk about the Commonwealth /youth and old people.
We mobilize youth in Tanzania by the use of social media to impact Elderly with vulnerability to have better life : Thank you @bbcswahili @CommonAgeAssoc @ALarpent @HelpAgeTanzania @FCSTZ @NCFCareForum @silverinnings pic.twitter.com/wkKJlEjyJI
— SaveeldersTanzania (@saveelderstz) April 20, 2018
The formation of the CommonAge African Chapter at the Elders’ Forum April 2018
Sarah is now a part of our African chapter and is working with colleagues in South Africa, Uganda, Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria and Malawi to increase CommonAge networks in African Commonwealth countries as we work to putting older people on the agenda for CHOGM 2020.
“I would like to thank QCS and CommonAge for giving me the opportunity to come to UK and attend this event,” says Sarah. “I have learned so much and inspired to do more in my country.”
See more of the work been carried out by SaveEldersTanzania by visiting its website and following it on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook
Sarah with Mzee Juma at Babati, Tanzania
