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When we visit the West or East, we are fascinated by the skyscrapers, the highways, airports and occasionally some monuments.
Ask anyone who has travelled majuu (abroad) what they saw. Travelling abroad has joined owning big cars and homes as a status symbol. It pays if you can pay attention to the “small things” in your travel. They matter perhaps more than the big tangible things. It reminds me of my last visit to Toronto, Canada.
The city has an efficient transport system; a single ticket can be used on a bus, underground train or tram. All these transport means are owned by the Toronto Transport Commission. In Kenya, every means of transport is opened by someone else making integration hard. Remember Nyayo Bus Service? When will Nairobi have such a commission?
Forgot about trains and buses. I noticed something - students and the elderly pay less for transport.
Their fares are discounted. What a great idea! Students normally have no money, they are supported by their parents.
The elders too have less money. They are likely to be retired and earn less money through pension. Such small gestures can go a long way in making everyone feel valued. May I add it is a show of patriotism?
I recall with nostalgia when we would give up our seats to elders in buses, matatus and churches. Now it’s rare. The reason: “I have paid.”
We all fear ageing because society treats it as a problem. Yet it’s a reality. We all celebrate the birth of babies with baby showers. Should we not celebrate the elderly in the same way?
They are as vulnerable, having spent their lives making it easier for the next generation. Have you noted the attention babies get? Why not the elders?
Our socio-economic system after the end of the traditional order treats society as made of perfect people, forever young. With advances in medicine and hygiene, our life expectancy went up from 53.9 in 2000 to 66.8 years in 2021, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
We have to think of the elderly more than in the past. We love talking of the youth bulge in Africa, which will one day turn into an elderly bulge. We better prepare for it.
We should help the elderly age gracefully. After all, the status of a country is not gauged by the height of skyscrapers and other concrete structures but by how well they take care of the most vulnerable members of society like babies and the elderly.
Food for thought: Why, do we escort vans carrying money and not babies going home from maternity?
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