From September 17-18, 2024, the delegation of HelpAge International (HAI) visited an Intergenerational Self-help Club (ISHC) established under the framework of Project VIE085 “Supporting disadvantaged older people through replicating Intergenerational Self-help Club in Vietnam – Phase 2″ and worked with Hoa Binh Association of the Elderly (AE)
On the afternoon of September 17, 2024, HAI delegation worked with AEs at all levels, representatives of the People’s Committee of Mai Chau district and related parties. Hoa Binh AE presented a brief report on the context of aging population, ISHCs’ activities in the province and their impacts, the role of AEs at all levels in supporting ISHCs to ensure their quality and sustainability as well as the need for ISHC replication and Hoa Binh province’s plan of replicating ISHC model in the coming time.
According to Mr. Vi Xuan Truong, Chairman of Mai Chau district AE: “ISHC is a very humane and superior model, having various positive impacts on the social welfare policies of our Party and State, especially for older people. With 8 very specific and practical areas of activities, ISHCs have brought many benefits to older people’s lives, especially disadvantaged older people. Additionally, HAI’s projects have contributed to improving the role, position, organizational and executive capacity of AE officials and members.”
On September 18, 2024, HAI delegation visited Tong ISHC, Tong Dau commune, Mai Chau district. Having attended the monthly club meeting of Tong ISHC, Ms. Rhea Tariq, a representative of HAI Global Working Team, expressed her delight witnessing that despite being newly established, the club has implemented many meaningful activities, bringing benefits to its members and other people in the local community. She believed that the club would continue to grow sustainably. The delegation also spent time working with the Club Management Board (CMB) to learn about the club’s bookkeeping system, its challenges when establishing, managing and operating the club, and solutions to overcome those obstacles.
After that, the delegation visited 2 cases benefiting from the Project VIE085. Ms. Lo Thi Ach (63 years old) is a disadvantaged club member who has borrowed the club’s revolving start-up grant to implement her income generating activity, raising income for herself and her family. The home care beneficiaries are Ms. Bui Thi Oanh (54 years old) and Mr. Lo Van Khon (65 years old), who have struggled with critical illness and difficult circumstances, and have been taken care of by the club’s volunteers. According to Ms. Lo Thi Luu – Chairwoman of the ISHC: “The home care activities of Tong ISHC have been currently recognized by all local people and authorities at all levels. Despite being newly established, CMB and volunteers have acquired a lot of experience and are gradually improving skills regarding health care for older people. Moreover, the club is actively seeking and mobilizing resources to provide more material support for various home care cases, thereby helping the club’s home care activities to be more effective and widely spread.”
Project VIE085 – “Supporting Disadvantaged Older People by Replicating Intergenerational Self-Help Club Model in Vietnam-Phase 2” is funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) through HelpAge International Korea (HAK), implemented by HelpAge International Vietnam (HAI) and the Association of the Elderly/Representative Board of the Association of the Elderly in 06 provinces/cities with technical support from the Central Association of the Elderly of Vietnam.
