Kenya's elders continue working since the system has failed them

Woman working in the fields in a small African village. [Courtesy/GettyImages]

Last Friday, I visited the farm of 86-year-old Mike Harris in Thika, Kiambu County with my prayer group. Before we saw him, a 75-year-old gatekeeper slowly got up to greet us, bent by age, but still happily working.

Naturally, we asked Mr Haris about him. His reply was quiet, but unforgettable. “He was supposed to retire 20 years ago,” he said. “But every time we got close, he would ask to stay on. He still had children in school. He needed the salary.”