Helpage India Gets $1.3 Million MetLife Foundation Grant For Rural Elders
India-West Staff Reporter
NEW YORK, NY – In a bid to address the specific challenges facing vulnerable elders in some of the poorest parts of rural India, American Friends of HelpAge India (AFHI) has received grant support from MetLife Foundation of $1.3 million.
This grant will support ‘Project Saksham’ and will be implemented in Bihar, West Bengal, and Puducherry by AFHI’s partner organization, HelpAge India which has been serving the needs of India’s disadvantaged elders for over 44 years, a press release said.
This project will enable HelpAge India to provide practical and comprehensive digital and financial literacy training to more than 16,000 seniors so that they can gain access to government benefit programs and use digital financial services in a secure and confident manner.
HelpAge India will also provide comprehensive training and financial support to start or grow their economic activities as well as access to high-quality primary health care services – a holistic model to ensure elder empowerment and dignity.
“American Friends of HelpAge India is very thankful to the MetLife Foundation for this milestone grant which will be implemented by HelpAge India and will tackle some key challenges facing elders in rural India in a holistic manner,” said Pramod Bhasin, President, American Friends of HelpAge India.
“This grant hugely compliments our efforts to galvanize greater support for India’s 138 million elders, 90% of whom are outside of the formal/organized sector and are often overlooked within the broader developmental narrative,” he added.
“This is a unique project since it takes a 360-degree view of the various vulnerabilities facing rural elders in particularly low resource settings – these issues do not operate in a vacuum and need to be tackled in an inter-linked manner,” said Rohit Prasad, CEO, HelpAge India.
“The grant from MetLife Foundation will provide a boost to digital inclusion and equity – especially in terms of access to financial services, government linkages as well as livelihoods.”
HelpAge India is a charitable organization working with and for older people in India for the past 44 years. It runs healthcare, age care and livelihood programs throughout the country & advocates strongly for the cause of the elderly and fights for their rights.