Pepetua's Story

In Tanzania, many older people face challenges, such as an unreliable income and limited access to health and social care. Our local partner in Tanzania, HelpAge Tanzania, provides older people with essential items and cash grants. This vital assistance benefits not only the older person but also their loved ones.

Pepetua is building a brighter future

In a quiet village in northern Tanzania, Pepetua begins each day with determination and hope.

A mother of four, Pepetua has lived with paralysis in her legs since she was five years old, after a severe fever changed the course of her life. Yet, her strength and optimism shine through every challenge.

Life without electricity

At home, life can be tough. Pepetua, her husband, and their children share a small one-room house that serves as both kitchen and bedroom.

“When it rains,” she explains, “water enters our house and wets our blankets, mattresses, and even the children’s school notebooks.”

Without electricity, evenings are long and dark.

“Cooking at night is very hard, and the children struggle to study,” Pepetua says. “When I walk in the dark, I sometimes fall down because I don’t have a torch.”

Simple items, big difference

When HelpAge Tanzania, reached Pepetua’s village, life began to improve.

Thank to their support, she received a mattress, blanket, basin, soap, and a sheet. These small items brought huge relief to her family.

“Before, I had nothing to wash clothes with, and we slept on the ground,” she says. “Now, we sleep on a mattress. The mosquito net I received, I gave to my children so they could be safe from mosquitoes.”

For Pepetua, these simple comforts have brought back dignity, safety, and peace of mind.

Dignity and hope in later life

For Pepetua, the support from HelpAge Tanzania has made life more stable and secure. It’s also helped her children take small but meaningful steps toward a better future. Her story reflects quiet perseverance and the difference that steady support can make for older people and their families.

A mother’s dream

Even with all she has achieved, Pepetua dreams of more for her family. She hopes for a dry, safe home and an electric light, so her children can study in the evenings.

“If HelpAge Tanzania assists me again,” she says, “they will bring light to my children who are studying, and to me and my husband, in advancing our family.”

You are helping older people like Pepetua

Around the world older people, like Pepetua face many challenges. Thanks to the support of the Grandparents United community, life can be more stable, more comfortable and safer for older people and their families.