Netherlands
World Granny
Established in 2004, World Granny is a non-profit organisation that empowers older people, eliminates extreme poverty in developing countries and raises awareness of older people’s issues.
World Granny works with local organisations in the developing world. Their international partners are mostly other members of the HelpAge global network.
HelpAge International and World Granny have worked together on a number of projects including areas such as social pensions, fundraising and health.
Other World Granny international projects include providing shelter for the homeless in Ethiopia, promoting healthy and productive lifestyles in Peru, securing access to health insurance in Bolivia and supporting older people to claim their rights in Laos.
World Granny also works closely with other Dutch organisations, such as Cordaid and Wild Geese.
Dorcas International
Dorcas is a relief and development organisation that works to improve the resilience and livelihoods of vulnerable people affected by poverty, social exclusion and armed conflict. Dorcas was established in 1986 and is active in ten countries in Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa. Dorcas works directly with vulnerable individuals, the communities around them and the wider societal structures to ensure that programmes are relevant and have a lasting impact.
Dorcas joined the HelpAge network in 2019. The organisation uses Asset Based Community Development approach to mobilise communities to come together to achieve positive change using their knowledge, skills and experience to protect the rights of older people and other vulnerable groups.
Poland
Foundation for Seniors ‘Bonum Vitae’
The Foundation for Seniors Bonum Vitae has been operating in Poland since 2013 as a charity organization working for retirees, pensioners, older people and people in need of support. It was established with a view to providing help and actions to improve their life situation. The mission of the organization is ‘Good Life for Seniors’.
The “Bonum Vitae” foundation works to support older people achieve their social goals, including helping them integrate themselves into the communities and building and strengthening intergenerational ties. The foundation also conducts activities for the integration of people at risk of social exclusion, who are in a difficult life situation, and addresses authorities and organisations to defend the interests of older people.
Slovenia
Slovene Philanthropy
Slovene Philanthropy is a non-profit and non-political organisation, established in 1992 to develop and promote humanitarian activities in Slovenia.
They support a voluntary network for humanitarian assistance in Slovenia and encourages voluntary work to assist vulnerable groups.
Slovene Philanthropy’s main strands of work are carried out through three centres: the Centre for Promotion of Voluntary Work, the Centre for Psychosocial Assistance to Refugees and the Centre for Promotion of Health.
Slovene Philanthropy collaborates with the Slovene Association of Pensioners on projects such as the “Elderly for the Elderly”, which aims to improve the quality of life for older people in their homes.
Slovene Philanthropy has been working with HelpAge International since 1993 and became a HelpAge network member in 1996. They have also participated in several Age Demands Action campaigns.
Spain
HelpAge International España
HelpAge International España was established in 2009. The three main aims of HelpAge International España are to raise funds from the Spanish public for HelpAge’s work, raise funding for HelpAge’s programmes from institutional donors and raise awareness among the public and the private sector on issues of global aging
HelpAge International España has built up a donor base of regular givers and has worked closely with AECID, the Spanish government’s aid department to mobilised valuable funding for humanitarian work in Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Occupied Palestinian Territories and Colombia.
HelpAge International España joined the ADA global campaign in 2011 and works with UDP, the biggest older people’s association in Spain with over 1.5 million members, to put older people’s rights on the agenda.
HelpAge International España became a HelpAge global network member in 2012.
Sweden
Pensionärernas Riksorganisation
Pensionärernas Riksorganisation (PRO) is the largest pensioners’ organisation in Sweden and is an influential advocate for older people within Sweden, but also a strong and well-connected voice on ageing issues in the Nordic region.
PRO was established in 1942 and has from the beginning been a non-party actor in Sweden – today with a member base of almost 400.000. Throughout its history PRO has been focusing both on advocating for improved rights and services for the older population in Sweden as well as providing services and activities for its members.
HelpAge International’s relationship with PRO dates back to 2006 and links have been gradually developed since then. The collaboration has focused on how to bring global ageing and development issues into the heart of PRO’s plans and activities. In 2013, this resulted in the establishment of PRO Global – an association within PRO responsible to promote this international programme of work for the organisation.
PRO became a member of the HelpAge Global Network in 2013.
Switzerland
Kwa Wazee Switzerland
Kwa Wazee Switzerland was established in 2004 to support Kwa Wazee Tanzania in the rural Muleba District, which had just started with cash transfers for extremely poor older people and children in their care.
Based on the obvious effectivity of social pensions and child benefits the number of beneficiaries was gradually increased to around 1,100 households in 2012. Intergenerational approaches like the formation of mutual support groups of both older people and people in their care and special health initiatives aim to further strengthen the self-help capabilities. As older people’s issues continue to be marginalized a special focus is put on research, networking and advocacy.
Evidence from Kwa Wazee’s field experience has been most valuable in supporting HelpAge’s advocacy work. For example, the programme itself and key findings from the evaluation report ‘Salt, soap and shoes for school‘ produced in 2008 in cooperation with HelpAge were discussed in an influential meeting on social protection in development cooperation at the European Parliament in 2011.
Kwa Wazee participated actively as a partner in the first HelpAge regional network meeting in April 2011 involving all of our European Affiliates. The organisation has very close project partnerships with HelpAge’s country office in Tanzania and with EU Affiliates such as HelpAge Deutschland and World Granny. Kwa Wazee was represented in Osnabrück at the HelpAge conference in December 2012 aimed at building political support in Europe for stronger international instruments on older people’s rights.
KwaWazee’s national contacts and knowledge have also supported HelpAge International’s preparation for meetings with the Swiss Agency for Development.
Kwa Wazee became a member of the HelpAge global network in March 2013.
United Kingdom
Age International
Age International was established in 2012 by HelpAge International and Age UK to raise awareness of ageing and development in the UK and to raise funds for the development and emergency relief work of HelpAge.
Age International also undertakes influencing and advocacy activity in the UK to ensure that older people’s needs are met in emergency situations, as well as in longer-term development programmes.
It is part of the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), a network of humanitarian agencies in the UK. And it is a member of the Age UK family, the UK’s leading organisation focusing on the needs of older people.
Age UK (as Help the Aged) was a founder of HelpAge International in 1983.
Centre for Policy on Ageing
Established in 1947, the Centre for Policy on Ageing (CPA) was set up by the Nuffield Foundation to focus on the needs of older people.
Today, CPA’s work is primarily directed towards informing and influencing service providers. They aim to discover and advocate what older people themselves want and need.
CPA is an independent centre of research and reference that aims to formulate and encourage policies that enable a full life in older age. They also promote debate about ageing, raise awareness of older people’s needs and spread good practice.
The Centre’s objectives are realised through the Policy and Research Department, the Library and Information Service and CPA Publishing.
CPA’s work covers a range of issues including health and social services, residential and community care, religious belief, living arrangements, transport, citizenship and leisure activities.
CPA has been working with HelpAge International since 1989 and became a HelpAge global network member in 2004.