Helpage Elders Walk adds colour to Nuwara Eliya
Elders have a firm belief that the month of October belong to them. Elders or the Senior Citizens not only in our country but in other countries are engaged in various activities during this month to raise awareness on their issues. Most of them demand their rights and entitlements with the objective of living with dignity.
Although the UN declared October 01 as the `International Day of Older Persons ’ many elders organisations in our country celebrate it throughout the month of October. Helpage Sri Lanka (HASL), one of the oldest Sri Lankan organisations which was established in 1986 by the late Mr. H.P. Gooneratne to provide eye care, medical care facilities and many other projects completely free of charge to empower the underprivileged elders, conducted its annual `Elders Walk’ on a grand scale at Nuwara Eliya recently.
The ceremony was conducted by Helpage with the assistance of the `Age Demand Action’ Campaign programme of the Helpage International, UK and supported by the Nuwara Eliya District Secretariet and the Berendina Development Services. An unexpected number of over 1500 elderly citizens, mainly estate workers between the age group of 60 to 85 years in Nuwara Eliya and surrounding areas keenly participated in the `Walk’ in spite of the cold breeze and the mist that enveloped throughout the Nuwara Eliya town during the day.
The walk was witnessed by school children and the general public as well as foreign tourists who were at Nuwaraeliya Town on that day. They shouted slogans and displayed placards demanding their rights and entitlements. While walking they also took part in fun-filled activities such as singing and dancing.