BUBANZA, October 3rd (ABP) – Elderly people in Bubanza province (northwestern Burundi) are asking for unwavering support for a good end on earth because they have contributed a lot to make their homeland what it is today, they said on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, during the celebration of the World Day of Older Persons.
Those ceremonies were organized by their association called “Association Abahumure Twarakoze, Dusazane Iteka n’Ijambo”.
During that celebration, they mentioned that this World Day came at a time when some of the elderly live in poor conditions, due to their health, while others languish in extreme poverty.
One of the retirees who was a teacher, indicated that some of them were retired unexpectedly, which caused them difficulties in repaying bank loans because the retirement age for teachers was initially set at 65 years.
However, the national head of the “Association abahumure Twarakoze, Dusazane Iteka n’Ijambo (ATDII)”, Jacques Kenese, commends the efforts of the State in favor of the elderly, in particular the various aids, medical care and others.
He said that this association has a project to build a reception center for the elderly, as well as the establishment of lawyers to assist defenseless elderly people who are mistreated, sometimes by their children following land conflicts.
Mr. Kenese called on the elderly to meet often and discuss their situations because, he said, loneliness risks hastening their death. He invited them to solidarity and mutual assistance, and to do sporting activities, in order to stay healthy.
To the State, he asked for the implementation of a law requiring contributions for the pension from a younger age, and a fund for those who are unable to contribute, in order to deal with begging in old age.
Note that 72 elderly, vulnerable people, benefited from health insurance cards from their association.