MALAWI: Trying to alleviate the burden of the old

BLANTYRE Tuesday, November 11, 2008 (IRIN) - The respect Malawi's elderly once enjoyed in society is being soured by the twin pressures of poverty and HIV/AIDS, according to a recent report, and the government is introducing social grants to alleviate the burden they carry. "In the past, the elderly in Malawi used to depend on the economic and social support of their children and the community. With increased socio-economic difficulties and changing family ties, children fail to look after...