Abandoned and Forgotten – Over 2000 Elderly in Teso Living in Extreme Neglect.

By Peterson Hiirya.

Across villages in the Teso sub-region, a silent humanitarian crisis is unfolding. More than 2000 elderly people are reportedly living in extreme poverty, isolation, and neglect—many abandoned by the very families they once struggled to raise.

Many elderly people spend days without food and water and live in extremely bad conditions in dilapidated condemned houses unfit for human stay.

Salme Okure, Executive Director of Emerald Foundation Uganda, said elderly people are living in conditions that are simply heartbreaking,” Okure says. “Some sleep on animal skins or bare floors. Others live in leaking huts with no mattresses, blankets, or food.”

In some homes, elderly men and women spend days without meals because they are too weak to farm, walk to a shop, or fetch water. Some are bedridden and unable even to close the doors of their houses, leaving them exposed to cold nights and insecurity.

Healthcare access is another major challenge. Many elderly people walk long distances—sometimes over 10 kilometers—to reach health facilities. But even when they arrive, drug shortages and long waiting hours discourage them from seeking treatment again.

“Some simply give up and wait to die,” Okure says.

The organization recently assisted an 82-year-old woman who had never slept on a mattress in her entire life. When she received one, she broke down in tears.

The neglect is even more disturbing when many of the elderly have children living comfortably in towns.

According to Salme Okure, Emerald Foundation Uganda, the situation is alarming and demands urgent attention from families, communities, and government authorities. The organization supports marginalized older persons across Soroti, Serere District, Amuria District, Katakwi District, and Kapelebyong District.

Alex Eriso, Program Officer at Emerald Foundation Uganda, says the foundation is considering launching a “name and shame” campaign to expose individuals who abandon their ageing parents.

“It is painful to see young people enjoying chips, chicken, and daily drinking in bars in Soroti City while their parents are starving in villages,” Eriso says. “Some elderly people are literally rotting away in collapsing houses while their children post photos on smartphones showing luxurious lifestyles.”

He says the erosion of traditional African values—where communities once protected and respected elders—has worsened the crisis.

Legal experts also say Uganda lacks strong enforcement against those who abandon elderly parents.

According to Iyebu Valentine, the legal officer Emerald Foundation, while the law strongly punishes people who neglect children, similar action is rarely taken against individuals who abandon aging parents.

Iyebu is calling on the government to establish elderly care centres that can provide specialized medical attention for older persons who struggle to access treatment at overcrowded public hospitals.

“Everyone will grow old one day,” he warns. “If we do not act now, we are creating a future where ageing will mean suffering and neglect.”

Advocates are now urging cultural leaders, churches, NGOs, and local authorities to urgently intervene to protect elderly people and restore the community values that once ensured older persons lived their final years with dignity.

For many of the elderly in Teso today, that dignity is rapidly disappearing.