Stories written by Kim Samuel

What it Means to be ‘Too Old’ and a Woman: Systemic Gendered Ageism and Loss of Belonging

By Kim Samuel and Bridget Sleap
Chung Sun-cha started collecting cardboard, plastic, and other recycling materials off the streets of Incheon, South Korea, to sell when she was in her mid-70s. She is now 87. Without an adequate pension, Chung worked six days a week, sometimes seven, in the wind, rain, and snow until she fell and broke her arm while working in 2025. “I couldn’t find any other work because of my age,” she said.

Ending the Unthinkable Injustice of Human Chaining

By Emina Ćerimović and Kim Samuel
When Akanni’s mother died in early 2018, she stopped eating for three weeks. Her mood became unpredictable; she was often shouting or sulking angrily. Medicine from a local pharmacist didn’t help. At a loss for what to do to handle the trauma, Akanni’s father took her to a church in Abeokuta, Ogun state, in Nigeria. And then he left her there.
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