"In many low income African countries, three factors are placing an undue burden on the eldery. First, the burden on the eldery has enormously increased with the increase in mortality of prime age adults due to HIV AIDS pandemic and regional conflicts. Second, the tradionational safety net of the extended family has become ineffective and unreliable for the eldery. Third, in a few countries, the eldery are called upon to shoulder the responsibility of the family as they became the principal breadwinners and caregivers for young children. While a number of studies have examined the welfare consequences of these developments on children, few studies have systematically analyzed the poverty situation amoung the eldery (relative to other groups) in the low income countries Africa, and the role of social pensions. The study aims to fill this gap."