A foundation, Axios Senior Citizens, has unveiled its plans to reintegrate retirees and senior Nigerian citizens back into society through social interactions.
The founder of the foundation, Murjanatu Habibu, in a statement she issued in Abuja on Wednesday, said the perception that the people linked to retirement and person should be changed.
To this end, Habibu said her foundation would involve the senior citizens in things they used to love and would encourage them to learn at least a new skill.
She said: “Globally, people wrongly link old age to retirement, pension collection, and withdrawal from society. This perception needs to be reviewed because the aged can still be very active in nation-building.
“We aim to reintegrate/re-engage our seniors back to society by making them more active and by encouraging social interactions for them. This will be achieved through our planned services such as Day Centres, Foodbank, and Social clubs.
“We aim to get our seniors involved in things they used to love or encourage them to learn at least a new skill. These activities will reduce the sedentary lifestyle seniors are usually pushed into after retirement and in old age. We aim to promote active aging and reduce depression and other age-related diseases.
“It is therefore a thing of joy to finally see the foundation delivering on one of its objectives. Our first community outreach is taking place in Kubwa because I grew up in Kubwa. This community shaped me into the woman I have become today.
“It was, therefore, imperative to give back to the community that has given me so much. We intend to expand our reach to other communities. I thank our volunteer Health Team led by Dr. T Momoh for their professional and intellectual support. I also thank my father-in-law Alh. Aliu Habibu for funding very important needs for this event; and Mr. A Danesi for supporting him fully to make today’s event a reality.
“We also thank our able medical professionals for giving back to society through this event Of today. We plan to open our Food Bank and Social Club in January 2023 and intend that the seniors will run the clubs and the food bank themselves. That way they will be involved in every aspect of Axios SCF”.
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