This microproject will protect 130 older persons from three villages of Traditional Authority Kuntaja in Blantyre District from abuse, neglect, and exclusion through community awareness dialogues, home visits, and referral support. EAN is working with village leaders and older persons to create safer communities where older people are respected, heard, included, and connected to basic support services.
In Malawi rural, older people face severe forms of abuse, discrimination and social exclusion most notably physical violence, torture, and killings. According to MANEPO Malawi records between 25 and 30 killing of older people per year driven by baseless witchcraft accusations, yet their struggles are often ignored or un reported. This project will support older people by creating awareness, strengthening community protection and connecting abused older persons to support and referral services
The POPA Malawi project will reduce abuse, neglect, discrimination, and violence against older people in Blantyre rural through community awareness, advocacy, and protection activities. EAN will conduct village dialogues, community sensitization meetings, and home visits to educate families, youth, and community leaders about the rights and dignity of older persons and the harmful affects of abuse and witchcraft accusations.
In long-term the project will help reduce abuse, neglect, discrimination, and witchcraft-related violence against older people by changing harmful beliefs and strengthening community responsibility for protecting vulnerable elders. Over time, the project is expected to directly and indirectly benefit approximately 500 - 800 older persons and it will also strengthen local leadership and community reporting systems, creating lasting protection structures that continue beyond the project period.
This project has provided additional documentation in a DOCX file (projdoc.docx).
