Yuletide: Former Women Affairs Minister calls for support for the Elderly

By Okwe Jude

Nigeria's former Minister of Women Affairs, Iyom Josephine Anenih, has applauded the National Senior Citizen Centre, over the support some elderly persons in her community have received from NSCC.

She said this on Thursday during the 2023 Christmas Party for the Elderly in Amawbia Anambra state.

The party was organised by the Alzheimer's Disease Foundation (ADF)

" We thank the NSCC for the support some of our members and partners have received from the Centre. They supported two persons with cash grants used to set up businesses for them under her Continuing Engagement programme for seniors who are actively engaged in different crafts and businesses.

"One of the beneficiaries received N100,000 while the other received N500,000" she said.

Also, She has called for care, love, and support for Senior Citizens in our communities, especially during the Christmas season and beyond.

The Founder of ADF, Iyom Josephine Anenih, said that elderly citizens are people who have given their lives to the growth and development of the community, state, and nation.

She noted that ADF celebrates older women and men in this season as a symbol of love and hope, to reassure them that their good works have not been forgotten.

"We are here to celebrate with our beloved older relatives and friends, to remind them that we appreciate their presence in our world," she said.

The event started with the celebration of the Holy Mass presided by Rev Fr Jerome Nwafor-Nso.

In his homily, Rev. Father Nwafor-Nso called for more engagements with elderly people in communities to help them live memorable lives. He said they represent a symbol of long life.

He applauded Iyom Josephine Anenih for the initiative to humanitarian services her foundation provides for these people.


"Let us thank our sister, daughter, and friend for coming up with this wonderful idea, our elderly parents are usually not cared for as much as they should be," he said.

"She has shown such a great commitment to this foundation, we can see the impact already, our fathers and mothers are feeling alive again," he added.

About ADF

As part of efforts to assist Senior Citizens in Nigeria, ADF was founded in 2016, to create awareness on the need to provide adequate care for those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

Also, it aims to create awareness of the need to safeguard the environment and health of the citizens of Nigeria.

The foundation has so far assisted over 500 elderly men and women in the community with routine weekly medical checkups, brain tests, and exercise.

ADF trains its members on soft digital skills on how to operate phones, crafts and art works and painting.

Alzheimer's is a progressive disease that destroys memory and other important mental functions. Brain cell connections and the cells themselves degenerate and die, eventually destroying memory and other cognitive abilities.*