The China National Committee on Ageing (CNCA) yesterday released the findings of the final evaluation for the project entitled "Poverty Alleviation for Older People and Their Communities in Western China" in Beijing.

The project, jointly managed by the HelpAge International (HAI) and the CNCA, was funded by the European Commission for the period 2003-2006. Launched in August 2003, it covered the rural and remote communities of nine counties in Sichuan, Shaanxi and Hunan provinces. The total cost was 1,000,000 euros.

According to Eduardo Klien, HAI regional representative for Asia Pacific, the objective of this project was to alleviate the poverty experienced by 14,000 people, including 3,500 poor and disadvantaged older residents in 35 village communities in the western region,

Over the past three years, more than 1,000 people have been given approximately 200,000 euros of the funding. This helped increase the income level of recipients in Shaanxi, Hunan, and Sichuan by 100 percent, 21.5 percent and 12.4 percent respectively.

A geriatric assessment was conducted by the project health partners, providing 2,169 older people with a health check-up, as well as a database of information on the health status of older people in the 17 project villages.

And 35 Older Peoples' Associations, elected by the local older residents and responsible for associated work, have been established. Around 192 elderly leaders have been trained as an effective way to organize and strengthen these associations.

According to a survey conducted by the CNCA Administrative Office in 2002, there were about 10.1 million older people living in poverty. Around 1.5 million of them live in cities and towns and 8.6 million in the vast rural areas.

Problems such as a lack of food and clothing, poor medicines and health conditions, financial difficulties, psychological and mental pressures and a range of other complaints still exist.
 
CNCA President Li Bengong pinpointed following factors which caused poverty among older citizens: unbalanced development of regional economies, underdeveloped social assurance system; and insufficient family support.

China pays great attention to the promotion of sustainable livelihoods and the well-being of poor and disadvantaged older people, their families and communities especially in western undeveloped regions, said Li.

He spoke highly of the Sino-EU project, saying that it had brought the foreign advanced management experience and concept into China's reform of endowment assurance.

Over 3,400 older people and more than 23,000 villagers from rural and remote communities in western China have benefited from it, Li noted. He also said that he greatly appreciated HAI's help.

The HAI network is the only global grouping of not-for-profit organizations with the mission of improving the lives of disadvantaged older people. It was established in 1983 by five agencies in Canada, Colombia, India, Kenya and the UK. The network now has more than 70 affiliate organizations in 50 countries. Together, these link with hundreds more organizations around the world, working to improve the lives of older people.

(China.org.cn by Staff Reporter Wang Ke, July 13, 2006)