Agewell Foundation

Agewell Foundation, India has been working for the welfare and empowerment of older persons of India since 1999 and has set up a network of volunteers spread across India and interacts with older persons on daily basis through its volunteers’ network. They endeavour to bring about a change in society's perceptions of older persons, while promoting improved interactions between generations.

Their programs include:

• Helpline for Older Persons: aims to disabuse the popular mind-set that regards old age with a sense of pity for their helplessness. A network of thousands of volunteers is already at work in given areas. The counsellors identify and assist the elderly with family and social problems, financial and health related issues, etc. It works as a bridge between the assistance seekers and assistance providers.
• Research and Advocacy Centre: Agewell conducts studies in areas relating to ageing and uses these findings to advocate on issues concerning the welfare of the elderly with the government, international agencies and others. It also carried out a nationwide survey to study the issues related to gender discrimination faced by the elderly in India. It has also participated in all sessions of United Nations Open Ended Working Group on Ageing and submitted its representations/study reports from time to time.
• Equipment Distribution Agewell organizes camps in various localities as per the convenience of the beneficiaries and distributes free healthcare equipment to destitute elderly. It provides medical accessories to destitute elderly in Slums of Delhi & NCR for 9 years. During the year under review, Agewell volunteers identified 17,500+ destitute & elderly as prospective beneficiary under the project & Free Food Packets Distribution campaign is also initiated to provide food ration.
• Employment Exchange: Agewell helps provide opportunities to the retired elderly in areas such as consultancy, accountancy, tuitions and training.
• Digital Literacy: Agewell provides Digital Literacy training to senior citizens to bridge the intergenerational gap in the society. So far, around 25,300 have been trained under this program.
• Squalor to Scholar Program: It supports school education of children belonging to poor families living in slum clusters of Faridabad in the state of Haryana, expenses like school fees, uniforms, books and stationery, tuition, transportation expenses, medicines, etc. are covered.

Agewell Foundation has been recognized for its efforts and the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) has granted it Special Consultative Status at the United Nations.