This reflection was actually a proposal that I made for a grant to help a group of elders in two cities in Venezuela, San Antonio de los Altos and Margarita, since the current situation in Venezuela and the massive migration, especially from the youngest population leaving the elder population behind. Unfortunately, I did not get the grant, but I still want to share my proposal because, for me, it is important to show what is happening in my country.
The Ecclesiastes 4:12 Project will serve 32 elderly individuals, divided into two groups: 12 people in San Antonio de los Altos, Miranda, where I was raised, and 20 people on Margarita Island, Nueva Esparta, home to a significant elderly population. As an asylum seeker, I will coordinate the project online, collaborating with local coordinators at each location. Dr. María Viloria, a sociologist and retired university professor, will oversee the group on Margarita Island, while Trinidad Pérez, known for her extensive community work, will coordinate in San Antonio de los Altos.
In San Antonio de los Altos, there will be weekly assistance with food, medicine, medical equipment, clothing, and transportation to doctors for the elderly residents of the Casa Hogar Mamá IMBY Foundation. We will also count on Beatriz Valera, who holds a bachelor’s degree in education; she will implement the importance and the practice of motor activity. Additionally, we will celebrate monthly birthdays with live music to honor the lives of these important individuals.
In the case of Margarita, the participating elderly will be selected based on a living environment with the greatest precariousness and state of abandonment, but with the physical and mental conditions to make sure that they can take advantage of the socio-humanitarian intervention program. The selection will be made by the regional coordinators with the support of non-governmental organizations. These same NGOs have some resources in terms of physical space and human talent that they have made available for the development of the project activities.
A weekly program of activities will be carried out that will begin with a general medical examination to establish the health status of each of the participating elderly people. These exams will be carried out in partnership with the Oxígeno Foundation, which has a large team of medical and psychological professionals, and with COMTITCONE, which also has personnel in the area of health and complementary natural medicine. This program will also include musical and dance workshops for the participants.
In close consultation with medical experts, we will design a comprehensive set of activities around personal development, recreation, and music education. We will rely on the experience and support of COMTITCONE and Beatriz Valera for both implementations. Music is also a key component of this project and will be used as a tool for socialization. To achieve this, live musical groups will be hired, and performances will be held in spaces provided by shopping centers in the towns.
References:
Davis Projects for Peace Guidelines – Wesleyan University. www.wesleyan.edu/patricelli/grants/Guidelines-Davis-Projects-for-Peace.html.
“El Sol De Margarita.” El Sol De Margarita, elsoldemargarita.com.ve/movil/post/id:212275.
Sifontes, Y., M. Contreras, y M. Herrera Cuenca. «Envejecer En El Complejo Entorno Venezolano». Anales Venezolanos De Nutrición, vol. 34, n.º 2, marzo de 2022, pp. 76-83, http://saber.ucv.ve/ojs/index.php/rev_avn/article/view/23549.
