P.O.BOX 58, Morogoro, Kitope St. Tel: 073-2930159, 023 2613115

E-mail: moretea2004@yahoo.co.nz

                                                                       

 

                                                                                                                 

STRATEGIC PLAN

TO

YR 2020

 

 

 

Contents

 

1. Tanzania and older people.

 

2. Our work with older people.

 

3. Our actions to 2020.

 

4. Our targets to 2020 – measuring our progress.

 

5. Our approach and ways of working.

 

6. Increasing our capacity to deliver.

 

7. Ensuring we are accountable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Facts and figures.

• 96 % of older men and women live in poor rural areas – nearly

          four-thirds of the Tanzania’s total older people population.

 

• 53% of poor older people are the careers of grand children orphaned by HIV/AIDS and other poverty related diseases.

 

• More than 95% of older people live in poverty.

 

• By 2045, people aged 60 and over national wide will outnumber children under 14.

 

• In Urban and rural of Morogoro in Tanzania, more than 50 per cent of older men and women continue to work past the age of 60, the          overwhelming majority in the informal sector.

 

• Two-thirds of the Morogoro older population live in areas affected by conflict.

 

• Two-thirds of the Tanzania’s older people who have chronic illnesses (such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease) live in rural and peri urban areas of the country.

 

• In Morogoro and all regions of Tanzania, older people are the main careers of more than 40 per cent of people living with HIV and AIDS and children who have been orphaned by AIDS.

 

 

 

 

Tanzania and Older people.

 

The ageing of the Tanzania population is one of the triumphs of development over the last century. In the new millennium it presents great challenges but also great opportunities. The fact that currently there are nearly 2.1 million people aged over 60 national wide is a cause for celebration. However, the fact that nearly two-thirds of these older men and women live under poverty line also calls for urgent action. Millions of older men and women in urban and rural areas of Tanzania face the immediate problems of poverty and poor health. They name health and income security as their key priorities; their health status not only determines their physical, mental and social wellbeing but, in many cases, is also crucial to their ability to earn a living in the absence of pensions or other income. International development policy and practice ignores older people. The Millennium Development Goals make no direct reference to them. While MDG 1 commits to halving the proportion of those living in extreme poverty by 2015, the deep poverty of millions of older men and women makes it likely that they will remain in the “other half”, not reached by programmes to achieve the MDG target.

 

 

When it comes to healthcare, older men and women’s care-giving and care-receiving roles are closely intertwined. Often older people who need care themselves are caring for others. The increasing care needs of rising numbers of “older old” people will be a challenge, particularly for their families and communities. At the same time, a vast number of older people are careers of grandchildren whose parents have migrated in search of work, or who are ill or have died of HIV-related illnesses.

 

In Morogoro region and Tanzania in general, millions of older people live below even minimum poverty lines. The majority of older people in Morogoro and other regions in Tanzania do not retire. They lack even a basic pension, working to make a living well into old age, often in insecure, poorly paid jobs, until they are too ill or frail to continue. Those who are unable to support themselves face an old age of destitution and hunger.

 

The global financial crisis, resulting in increasing and sometimes unaffordable prices of food, transport and housing, has only worsened their situation. Family and household poverty has a particularly severe impact on the youngest and oldest family members. Older people whose children have migrated in search of work, many of whom are looking after grandchildren, have seen remittances fall or disappear. For poor older people living in poor rural areas, there is little prospect of improvement.

 

The key role that older men and women often play in supporting households and communities remains largely unrecognized and unrecorded. Older men and women living in weak and failing community and those exposed to the hazards of environmental degradation and climate change are especially at risk.

 

Conflict and other causes of political and environmental instability are also undermining the security of increasing numbers of older men and women in poor rural and peri - urban areas. At the same time, global population ageing presents opportunities to draw on the resourcefulness, experience and wisdom of older people. A secured income and good health in old age are attainable goals in Tanzania, enabling older men and women to continue to participate in society. The challenge is to ensure that these goals are also in the programmes of the wider development community and government.

 

 

Our work with older people

Our vision and mission

 

MOREPEO has a vision of a Society in which all Older People and their dependants (OVC/MVC/PLWHA and disabled) live in a dignified, healthy, secure and improved quality of life.

 

While its mission is to raise societal awareness and influence on older people’s needs, wants, rights and entitlements in Morogoro region through advocacy and lobbying.

 

MOREPEO looks back on significant achievements since our inception in 1997. MOREPEO is uniquely committed to challenging the prevailing negative images of old age and enabling older men and women in Morogoro region to fulfill their potential. It has grown from in size and capacity, and has expanded geographically. It has maintained rapport with local Government Authorities of all six district councils of Morogoro region namely:- Morogoro Municipality, Morogoro Rural, Mvomero, Kilosa, Kilombero and Ulanga where we are in operation. Our work from village/mtaa, ward and district council levels has directly improved the lives of thousands of older people in Morogoro rural poorest areas.

 

We work with more than 20 local age care organization registered in Tanzania and Help Age International. The strength and diversity of MOREPEO network with other age care organizations, CSO, CBOs and FBOs are essential to our identity and values, enabling us to serve and empower older people living in poverty.

 

Direct service provision, practical support and trainings are central to our work. With our partners, we provide assistance to more than 2,500 older people and their families and we draw on this experience to influence other service providers, indirectly reaching thousands more. Responding to the needs of older men and women in emergencies is a particular priority.

 

We also highlight the right of older men and women to a secure income and appropriate healthcare, and we show how this benefits not only older people themselves, but also wider society, especially their grandchildren. And we continue to stress how older people’s human rights are violated, simply because of their age. Recognizing that the contributions of older people can be enhanced when they act together, we support community-level initiatives to enable older men and women to take leadership roles. Our geographical priorities are defined by our wish to maximize the impact of our work across a broad cross-section of Morogoro region, where the abuse of older people’s rights is especially prevalent. in both stable and failing states, and in influential and emergent countries.

 

We have contributed substantially to raising the profile of ageing in Morogoro region and all six districts with the international community, donors and governments around the world. We continue to influence politicians, officials and a wide range of others working in development to include the challenges facing older people in their strategies to reduce poverty.

 

We have formal relations with some of the most influential agencies in the sector, including consultancy status with the Help Age International (T). We are committed to following the Sphere Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response. We are recognized as key partners by local and national governments of Tanzania in all the districts where we work. We recognize that as population age, new organizations are appearing in the field of ageing. This provides an opportunity of MOREPEO to forge new partnerships and strengthen our distinctive contribution to promoting ageing and development.

 

Our targets to 2020 – Measuring our progress.

 

We will increase by two-thirds the number of services directly supporting older men and women, their families and communities and other service providers from 150,000 in 2010 to 300,000 in 2015. Our work to promote pension provision, better health services and more appropriate emergency responses will continue, potentially benefiting thousands more older people. We will substantially expand our policy and advocacy work.

 

We recognize that by working in partnership with other organizations, stake holders and local government form village/mtaa, ward to district councils` levels we can multiply our impact many times over. We will therefore continue to strengthen our existing network and we will build alliances with new partners in development, both within and outside the field of ageing.

We have established the following targets to help us measure our scope and impact. By 2020:

 

 

 

 

We will enable older men and women to have secure incomes:

 

• 100% of older men and women in Tanzania are receiving state non-contributory pensions or benefits.

 

• Households containing older men and women experience sustained improvements in their income and food security in Morogoro and Tanzania in general.

 

We will enable older men and women and those they support to receive quality health, HIV and care services:

 

• Older men and women in 6 districts of Morogoro region can prevent and manage chronic illness.

 

• Older men and women in 6 districts of Morogoro region receive guaranteed free access to age-friendly health services.

 

• Older men and women in 6 districts of Morogoro region receive appropriate HIV services.

 

• Older men and women receive a range of appropriate primary healthcare services in Morogoro   region.

 

 

Our actions to 2020.

In the face of the national economic crisis, rapid population ageing, climate change, the HIV pandemic, age discrimination and violence against older people, we will respond directly to the expressed needs and capabilities of older men and women, as well as raise awareness of these among the National events, major development institutions and the general public. To end the poverty, discrimination and killings faced by thousands of older men and women:

 

1. We will enable older men and women to have secure incomes.

 

1. We will enable older men and women and those they support to receive quality health, HIV and care services

 

1. We will enable older men and women to actively participate in and be better supported during emergency and recovery situations.

 

1. We will build global and local movements that enable older men and women to challenge age discrimination and claim their rights.

 

1. We will network with other age care organizations from other regions of Tanzania   to work effectively with and for older men and women.

 

We will enable older people to actively participate in and be better supported during emergency and recovery situations:

 

• Older men and women receive direct assistance from us and our partners to prepare for, with stand and recover from emergencies.

 

• Ten major humanitarian agencies recognize and respond to the needs and capacities of older men and women in emergency preparedness, response and recovery.

 

We will build global and local movements that enable older people to challenge age discrimination and claim their rights:

 

• Older men and women lead community action to realize their rights to services and practical support in all six districts of Morogoro region.

 

• Older men and women are helped by work that prohibits or reduces discrimination against them in Morogoro region and in other region of Tanzania.

 

We will network other age care organizations to improve their work with and for older men and women:

 

• MOREPEO will form a network with NGOs, CBOs, FBOs and CSOs shaping and supporting a common agenda and leading, regional, national and international initiatives.

 

• Local and national campaigns take place in all districts and regions of the united republic of Tanzania to demand changes in laws and policies to respect the rights of older men and women.

 

• Awareness on ageing agenda is raised through campaigns and development education in the Morogoro region and all regions of Tanzania.

 

• Training, information-sharing and networking opportunities are key services for the MOREPEO network provided by its secretariat.

 

 

Our approach and ways of working.

 

In the delivery of our work, we emphasize:

 

Social justice and empowerment.

1. We put older men and women at the heart of our work by involving them in program design, implementation and review.

 

1. We ensure that "older age” is central to our mission by building on the strengths and contributions of older men and women.

 

1. We seek to work with the most disadvantaged, frail, disabled and vulnerable older men and women, speaking out on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves.

 

1. We recognize that people experience ageing differently, depending, for example, on their sex, age or disability, and we recognize these differences in our work.

Partnerships.

1. We seek to work in partnership with like-minded organizations in fields outside ageing to ensure that ageing issues are understood and given a high priority.

 

1. We seek especially to work with children and family organizations to highlight the impact that issues affecting older people also have on children and other family members, and identify solutions that benefit all generations.

 

Service delivery.

1. We deliver essential services with non-governmental and private providers, where governments are failing to reach older men and women.

 

1. We respond to emergencies urgently and effectively.

 

1. We work to understand, protect and secure the natural environment, ensuring the environmental sustainability of our activities.

 

1. We help older men and women build their resilience to the impact of natural and political crises, including the effects of climate change.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evidence and policy change.

 

1. We develop tested ways of improving older men and women’s lives by monitoring and recording the effectiveness of our programs.

 

1. We use robust evidence to persuade intergovernmental bodies, governments and the private sector to address ageing issues.

 

Increasing our capacity to deliver.

 

To enable us to deliver our regional and national actions to 2020, we

 

• We will build our annual income to Tshs. 455 million from diverse sources – including income that we can use flexibly – with 30 per cent of our income coming from membership contribution.

 

• We will be more transparent about our governance, involving MOREPEO members in proposing appropriately skilled members of our board.

 

• Our Headquarter office and all 9 older peoples` Advice and Information centers will demonstrate high levels of management practice and accountability.

 

• We will invest in our staff to build the skills we need to achieve our strategy.

 

• We will develop systems to ensure that we can continue operating at all times.

 

 

 

Ensuring we are accountable.

We are accountable to our donors, our partners and the public National wide. Above all, we are accountable to the older men and women with and for whom we work. In our programs, we will continue to enable older men and women to make informed choices and know what to expect from us. We will also arrange external evaluations of our work to show whether we are fulfilling our stated objectives. We are refining an accountability framework for use in emergency programs. We will extend this to

our development work.

 

We will develop processes for reviewing and learning from our work, to enable us to identify key achievements and gaps and inform our annual planning and budgeting. We will also assess our work against one specific national action or set of targets each year, to ensure our work is accountable and continues to improve. We see this strategy as reflecting a continuous process of improved programming, advocacy and learning. We recognize that the world is changing rapidly and we will be ready to adjust our strategy to respond to new realities.

 

MOREPEOenables older people to demand for

their rights and entitlements, challenge discrimination and

overcome poverty, so that they can lead dignified,

secure, active and healthy lives.

 

Morogoro Elderly Peoples` Organization (MOREPEO)

Kitope Road, Morogoro Municipality,

P.O. Box 58

Morogoro Region

Tanzania

 

E- mail :- moretea@yahoo.co.nz

 

Tel: + 255 (0) 23 2613115

Mobile + 255 (0) 73 2930159

Fax: + 255 (0) 23 26137