Liana-Lois Odoh
The Udukhotse Foundation on Saturday, 17th December 2022 visited an elderly people’s home, Amazing Grace Foundation, to bond with senior citizens in the Abuja metropolis.
The Udukhotse Foundation was formally established in 2015 with the core aim to cater for elderly persons, and people living with disabilities; and to further nurture young adults and students, empowering widows, and women and giving voice to the Girl-Child.
The organisation, with the objective to render selfless services, and ensure positive transformation of deserving and disadvantaged persons, has maintained a follow-up culture for the vulnerable in society. It has maintained the culture of promoting and advocating the need of the disadvantaged to the government.
In her opening remarks, Lois Otse Adams, a passionate and selfless founder of the Udukhotse Foundation, thanked all who created time and commited resources to make the event a successful one.
Having maintained that the Christmas season is a special time when the elderly people must be given utmost care and love, she stressed that people should make out time out of their busy schedules to visit them and to draw wisdom from them.
She said: “Every Christmas season gives us reasons to appreciate God for all that He has done for us. In that spirit, Udukhotse Foundation has taken it upon itself to use the little resources, and with the support of well-meaning partners to show love to elderly people, people living with disabilities, young adults, and challenged Girl -child and women. One will never realize what he or she is missing until you bond with them”
While highlighting the achievements of the foundation in the past years, she attributed the success of the foundation to the resilience of volunteers and partners in upholding the objectives of the foundation.
She used the occasion to unveil the action plan of the foundation in the first quarter of 2023.
In her words, “The purpose of this visit at the Amazing Grace Home for Elderly People is to plan towards a carnival of joy, a meeting of 1000 people, including elders and people living with disabilities in the first Quarter of 2023. So, this visit is to know their needs and how we can further partner with the Home in many other areas.”
Acknowledging the efforts of the organisation co-partner, Adams whose appearance was brief appreciated the Amazing Grace Foundation Team for their professional touch and also their morally inclined attributes in the discharge of their selfless duties
“I want to thank the founder and her Team for taking this huge burden of accommodating our beautiful elders.”
She reiterated future collaborations will be timeless, as the Udukhotse Foundation is a lifetime commitment that will continue to see to the needs and aspirations of the vulnerable in society irrespective of tribe, race, religion, and tongue.
“We want to indicate our interest in a lifetime partnership in ensuring that our elders feed well, take their vitamins, look clean and smart, and think healthy.”
In addition, the founder of PureHeart Family Foundation, Mrs Sam-Sedi, made the elders understand how lucky and blessed they are to have lived up to their ages. She further charged them to be grateful to God.
On her part, Mrs. Chioma Sophia Anyora, a Nurse who oversaw the medical session, addressed the elderly people on the need for them to take their medications as recommended.
She urged them not to reject their prescriptions and also encouraged them to eat timely and sleep well. She further educated them on exercising and
keeping fit. “Exercise is good, come outside in the morning and walk around the buildings.”
Citing the disadvantages of running instead of walking, she advised them to desist from the former to avoid fatalities.
“Avoid falling, it can lead to stroke and increase in blood pressure. Wear fitting slippers and do not run.”
The medical team gave out free supplies and supplements to the senior citizens.
The interactive session that followed saw the participants engaging the elderly people.
The senior citizens were delighted as they shared personal life experiences. Some of the elders who engaged the audience include Joy Ekeopara, a former employee of NTA, Patricia Ariagiegbe, a Widow, and Mama Sarah.
Another elderly participant, a widow who wishes to remain anonymous, attributed the secret to her good health of mind and body to God and her late husband.
Speaking on the role of the family in maintaining a moral society, the mother of six, who claimed to have 54 years of experience in marriage, advised that couples should endeavour to love each other unconditionally.
“When a husband loves his wife and wife respects the husband, the children they birth will take that love outside the home and into the world.”
Some of the partners during the session commended the outing and the wealth of experience from the elders.
Mrs. Ann Ayodele Odoh, a volunteer, applauded the staff of the foundation for taking good care of the old people.
She recommended that a mini gym be introduced to all elderly people’s homes nationwide.
“Government should create mini in-house gyms that will help them do minor workouts because most of them might not be able to go out.”
Mr. Nixon-Patrick Osikhena, a volunteer with the NGO, commended the NGO for the gesture. Osikhena, a governing Board member of the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology, advised Nigerians to find time to relax with the aged and give them support.
“I came to get the feel from the old folks and, you know, we will all get old some day,” Osikhena said.
The visitation had participants from government and non-governmental organisations, clergymen and women, entrepreneurs, medical professionals, students and volunteers who came together to advocate, facilitate, and also create awareness of the plights of elders who are called Nigerian senior citizens.
The event of the day came to an end with dancing, singing, clapping, massaging, a make-up session and a presentation of gifts.
The event that was Coordinated by Olubukola Akintolu, Abuja Coordinator of the Foundation had 10 volunteers from civil societies and government organisations and four partners in attendance.
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