Overview & History

In the face of adversity and limited access to healthcare, my father’s life was cut short. A humble peasant farmer, he lived in a world devoid of resources and information that could have prolonged his days.

When I came into this world, he was already 63 years old, and despite his age, he was the father of other children. We were a family trapped in the clutches of poverty, residing in a destitute community with seemingly no hope beyond primary education.

In those challenging times, proper healthcare and social services were an unattainable luxury for our community. The British would visit us once a year, bringing the promise of essential health and social care. However, to be a part of this lifeline, one needed to register their name and ailment beforehand. Then, the list of those in need would be sent to the British, who would then send an outreach team to assist.

It was during these visits that my father made a fateful error that would cost him his sight and ultimately his life. You see, my father had cataracts, but due to his illiteracy, he didn’t register for treatment like the others. Instead, he chose to rely on traditional healers who administered questionable concoctions, like ground snail shells in his eyes. Tragically, instead of improving, his condition deteriorated into glaucoma, a relentless degenerative disease. He lost his sight, and it broke my heart.

During those difficult days of blindness, I became his constant support and caregiver. It was then that I realized the harsh reality – no one cared about my father, and our community lacked the resources to assist the elderly. His life slipped away due to poverty, the absence of crucial health information, and societal neglect. I could see first-hand that the absence of community resources, social security, and support systems for the elderly was akin to consigning a whole generation to a living hell.

With my father’s passing, I made a solemn promise to change this grim narrative for the aging population. My journey began as a nurse, utilizing my skills to educate and bring essential sustenance and medication to the elderly. Yet, the task soon became too vast for one person to handle. I rallied kind-hearted men and women who shared my vision, and together, we forged a remarkable Non-Profit and Non-Governmental Organization.

Our mission was clear: to confront the disparities in healthcare and social services among the aging and vulnerable populations (Homeless people and victims of Gender-Based Violence). We aimed to reshape the fabric of public health policy, pushing for increased government commitment and fostering community action to uplift health and social services. We committed ourselves to socio-economic empowerment and capacity building so that aging people could survive and thrive, leading long and joyful lives.

Our cause is not just a mission; it’s a calling, a movement that has the power to change lives, to give the aging population a chance to live and enjoy their golden years to the fullest. We invite you to join us on this remarkable journey, to be a part of this transformation, and to make a real difference in the lives of those who need it the most. Together, we can bring light and hope to those who’ve been left in the shadows for far too long.

OVERVIEW

Health service disparities are increasing due to increasing inequalities in socioeconomic status. GCVSI is making significant cases and advocacy and address the growing marginalization and discrimination between high-income and low-income families, as well as among the different demographic populations. The burden of poor health continues to fall disproportionately on lower-income families and the most vulnerable populations (Older Persons, homeless people, refugees, and victims of Gender-based violence). The resulting social and economic insecurity is rapidly translating into an increasing gap between rich and poor within various communities in accessing the necessary health and social services as well as socio-economic opportunities to develop resilience in the face of any stress agents.

GCVSI VISION 

To envisage a society of equal rights for all age groups hence promoting the eradication of all forms of marginalization and discrimination against Older Persons and vulnerable populations (homeless people, refugees, and victims of gender-based violence) through multi-level stakeholder engagements, multisectoral and interdisciplinary integration of policy frameworks, health promotion, capacity building training for the workforce, project implementation and coordinated advocacy geared towards changing the narratives.

GCVSI MISSION

The Mission of GCVSI is to take research-based health information, health, and social services plus socio-economic support programs to the doorsteps of the aging and vulnerable population (Homeless people, refugees, and victims of gender-based violence) in communities amongst low-income families. As well as research aimed at redirecting government policies towards forgotten and abandoned existing realities, while improving positive health-seeking behaviors of the underserved, utilizing the principle of Population Health Service (PHS) and Implementation Science in restoring social justice and strengthening the human rights of all.