A non-governmental organisation, AXIOS Senior Citizens Foundation (ASCE) has launched a hub for senior citizens in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to give them a sense of belonging and keep them engaged physically.
Founder of ASCE, Mrs Murjanatu Habibu, during the opening of the foundation’s senior citizens hub in Kubwa weekend, used the opportunity to call on the government to prioritise senior citizens’ welfare by supporting NGOs that take care of the aged in the society.
According to her, the NGOs should be supported financially to meet their daily demands to take care of the senior citizens who need all the care they can get, saying that they want to have more hubs around the country to help in keeping the aged engaged physically.
“As a nation, no one wants to prepare or talk about ageing, yet we pray to grow old. My vision has always been to create an environment where our senior citizens can enjoy their golden age every day while passing down their knowledge and experience.
“As many of you may already know, we have a range of activities and services planned for the elders: from a food bank aimed at catering to the less privileged seniors to a centre where seniors can socialise and make new friends. All these activities will help us to realise our core objectives which are to reduce isolation, promote active ageing and re-engage our seniors back to society,” she said.
Habibu, while speaking on the new senior citizens’ hub, said that they are excited to provide a space for the seniors in the community to come together and enjoy a variety of activities, events, and educational opportunities tailored for them.
“We understand that seniors’ are essential to every community, and we want to do all we can to show our appreciation for their valuable contributions. We hope the hub serves as a centre for those seeking to enrich their lives with new experiences, form new friendships, or socialise and enjoy themselves with old friends.
“We have put a lot of effort into creating a space that is reasonably comfortable, safe, and welcoming so that elders can feel at home here. In addition to carefully organised events and activities, we have dedicated areas for wellness and fitness and more.
“The hub aims to promote not just activity and entertainment but also learning, help, and support, and to cater to different needs. As we open the doors to our new seniors’ hub, we also want to extend our gratitude to the team who worked tirelessly to make this happen, and to our volunteers – many of whom are seniors themselves, for their dedication and commitment to helping others in the community.
“Supporting active ageing is a community effort. Therefore, we call on community members to donate items such as books, games and puzzles, and other things they know will help elders. The hub still needs a freezer, exercise equipment, and arts and craft,” she said.
The director general of the National Senior Citizens Centre, Dr Emem Omokaro represented by Kayode Fagbemi, director of Active Ageing Centre, while speaking during the launch, said the commitment of the outgoing administration of Muhammadu Buhari to enhance social inclusion of the vulnerable and the population left behind, informed the establishment of the National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC) in June 2021.
