ANNUAL REPORT 2 0 1 7 - 1 8 Dignity Independence & HOPE Years of helping elders live with dignity Head Office: C–14, Qutab Institutional Area. New Delhi – 110016. Tel. No.: 011 - 41688955 – 56. Telefax: 011 – 26852916. Email: [email protected] HelpAge Elder Helpline (Toll free): 1800-180-1253 Detailed Accounts with Schedules & Audit Report are available at the Head Office. Also available online at www.helpageindia.org The Government of India has recognised HelpAge India’s work by according donations made to it eligible for tax exemption. Years of helping elders live with dignity MESSAGE FROM THE MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRPERSON CEO geing is inevitable, we all are going to get there and there is no he population of India's elderly has grown to almost 9 running away from that reality. How we choose to age and how percent of the total population. The fabric of the Indian Awe choose to treat those ageing, lies entirely on us. United Tfamily structure is rapidly changing. A country which Nations has termed India, an ageing country, we have an elder strength of always prided itself in respecting elders, today faces the grievous 104 million. We need to prepare now to ensure that our elders and our challenge of 'Ageism', discrimination based on Age. This trend later years are lived with independence & dignity. can in fact be seen globally across all countries. The impact of Elders today are struggling against the odds of failing health, lack of 'Ageism' and elder abuse can be seen across all strata of society. financial resources, retirement, bereavement, lack of social inclusion, They face discrimination not only from society at large, but from isolation, financial constraints and Elder Abuse. We need to strive hard to their own kin. make India an age-friendly nation and empower our elders, and The government as a measure of protection and a tool of implement programs catering to their social, financial, psychological and empowerment therefore, came up with the 'Maintenance and holistic needs. Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act' in 2007, as per which As I join the board of HelpAge India as its Chairman, therein lies a huge the primary care-giver / children have to fulfill their responsibilities of looking after their elder parents and task ahead of me, of serving our vast family of disadvantaged elders. 88 percent of our elders over the age of failing to do so would hold them punishable by law. 80 years face chronic ailments. 12 million are blind and 90 million need to work in order to survive. These are While the Act in itself is a huge step towards bringing elder needs to the forefront, there is much left desired hard numbers to contend with. Needless to say the challenge is formidable. in its implementation. This year we therefore conducted a 'Preliminary Study on the Effectiveness of the Act' By 2050, the elderly are projected to constitute 20 percent of the total population, 324 million. India is ageing with the aim to assess and understand its effectiveness on-ground. The results of the Study were disturbing faster than we think. as you will see in the highlights of this Annual Report. There is a huge lack of awareness about the Act. We at HelpAge therefore conduct awareness workshops with Senior Citizens Associations so elders become aware Todays' elders also face the challenge of the 'digital divide' alienated by technology and struggling to cope of the legal recourses they can take in case of abuse & neglect. with the millennial generation, they no longer feel they are the Gurus of knowledge, for now there is Google Search. We at HelpAge strive hard to bridge this divide by conducting Digital literacy workshops, so they are With increasing digitization of India, elders often get left behind, socially excluded, as they are unable to keep not isolated socially and become independent. up with changing technology, our Digital Literacy program for elders has gained much popularity amongst the silver haired generation and we are planning to step this up further in the coming years. While in rural India, we work towards making them self-sustainable, by encouraging them to form Elder-Self- Help-Groups. To envision a better India for our elders, it is important that we be connected with the ground We continued working hard in our focus areas like - access to healthcare, eradication of preventable realities. One needs to get innovative, find means and look at solutions that work for the elderly at the blindness, ensuring entitlements, creating a national platform for elderly, livelihoods for elders and ground level. inculcating agecare values in the younger generation. We launched our pilot Homecare project in 3 locations Leh, Shimla and Cuddalore and stepped up home visits to immobile elders. It is important that we remain Proper Healthcare and social security are foremost needs of the disadvantaged elder. HelpAge is therefore honest & transparent in our workings, we therefore became the first non-profit to open itself to public driving vigorously our advocacy efforts with Central and State governments at the policy level. We work with scrutiny by organising village level Social Audits in the form of Jan Sunvais at the village and block levels. not only a Welfare, but as well as a Rights based approach, the aim is to ensure our elders get what is rightfully theirs. While work carried on, we faced many setbacks along the way, the foremost being the loss of our beloved President Emeritus, Mr. M.M.Sabharwal, the Man behind the Mission – our strength & guiding light. He left As Indians, we have always had the power to innovate, create and transform. If we put this very skillset to us with a sense of deep loss, leaving behind an unforgettable legacy. His passing away has left an indelible use, to create a better environment for our elders and treat them with love, care & respect there is nothing mark on all of us here at HelpAge. we cannot achieve. Every time a disaster strikes, we all open our hearts and purses generously, to help those in need, if we made that little effort on a daily or more frequent basis, we can change the lives of millions of As we move into our 40th year, there is much left to be accomplished, elders need to be empowered and elderly. Every single rupee goes a long way in helping those who have nothing or no one to support them. need sustainable solutions to live life with independence. We have come this far thanks to the generous support from our donors from all spheres – corporates, individuals, schools, institutions and partners. I thank It is humbling to see the focus and dedication of my staff and colleagues at HelpAge India. They work them deeply for their continued belief and support towards the elder cause. I hope they continue to walk the tirelessly to help our elders in need. mile with us in creating a society where our elders can live with dignity, independence & hope. The road ahead is filled with challenges, but as we look ahead, we envision a society where elders live with dignity and self-respect, and we will continue striving hard to make that a reality. Kiran Karnik New Delhi Mathew Cherian New Delhi Chairman Sept. 2018 CEO Sept. 2018 2 3 REMEMBERING THE MAN BEHIND THE MISSION Years of helping elders live with dignity Madan Mohan Sabharwal (1922 – 2018) This was a landmark achievement, as for the first A glimpse into his life… time a person from the developing world received such distinction. Tall, stately, dignified with a warm smile always ready to greet you. That for most was Madan Mohan Sabharwal. But behind that smile In 1998, the British government honoured him was a will of steel. with an OBE for his role in promoting Indo-British partnership in social welfare. He was nominated It was year 1980, which brought this force to the doorsteps of HelpAge member of the National Council for Older Persons India, an individual who was to become an integral part of the by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment HelpAge story and its landscape. in 2005, and honoured by the Union Minister for Madan Mohan Sabharwal was born on August 21, 1922, he graduated Social Justice and Empowerment with the from St. Stephen College in 1942. Thereafter, inducted as a trainee Chirayushya Samman in recognition of his with Dunlop India Ltd, he rose to be the Chairman of the company. exemplary contribution to public life. It came as no Retiring from the post after 35 years. He became a force to be reckon surprise therefore, when he was later awarded the with in India's corporate circles, Sabharwal's rich career included Padma Shri Award in 2008. being former Chairman of several conglomerates including Shalimar Sabharwal has always maintained that in a society Paints, Needle Industries (India) Pvt. Ltd, Britannia Industries and Bata whose fabric is changing as fast as India's, the India. elderly need to be taken care of more than ever Tragedy struck when his wife died, leaving him a widower at the ripe age of 51. Bereft, Sabharwal began to before and it was this belief that finally led him to focus his attention on something meaningful where he could make a positive difference - the cause of the join the cause. He wanted to raise funds for aged. He decided to use his corporate network for the good of the destitute elderly in India. He diverted his programs that would assist the elderly and educate energies and passion towards helping the disadvantaged elderly.