Being productive has no age limit

You can only be productive at a certain age, is a common misconception relating to ageism, as people often assume once one gets to a certain age they are no longer of productive value. This is a sentence that is just not true, there are many ways to keep productive in one's older years. A perfect example is Mr Kasmudin, a 78-year-old male, from Loli Tasiburi Village in Donggala District, Central Sulawesi. A retired police officer living with his wife and grandson. He is a beneficiary of the Making Market Work for the Poor (M4P) program.

M4P is a program aimed at supporting small to medium-sized businesses to increase their benefits from the market system. Increasing local fishing economies and re-establishing a strong fishing community post-2018 Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami and during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020/21. 

Mr. Kasmudin originally wanted to make a Bagan (a bait-fishing platform) to catch fish, although the amount of assistance was not sufficient to build it. So, after long consideration, he decided to start raising chickens.

Mr. Kasmudin has been a chicken farmer for five months now, since June 2022. Following his work as a farmer, he takes care of the chickens every day. “My wife helps me every day, now we have the morning ritual of feeding the chickens and my two hens have now laid eggs”, he said proudly. 

Mr. Kasmudin has demonstrated his commitment to the program and the benefit of the monthly monitoring system, expressing how it encourages him to stay diligent in the workings of the business. He ensures the books are kept up to date, saves bills and records every purchase in detail. The activities have given him the motivation to be more active through his regular daily activities.

The story of Mr. Kasmudin serves as an example and encourages that there is no age limit to stay active, productive and independent.