By Angela Atabo
Senior Citizens Network, has commended the Wiki for Senior Citizens Network, for building their capacities in digital literacy, supporting and engaging them in activities to curb loneliness.
The aged gave the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), during the end-of-the-year party by the Wiki for Seniors Citizens Network in Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Wiki Senior Citizens Network is an initiative under the Wikimedia Foundation.
A senior citizen, Violet Utazi, said the year was quite fruitful and the party was a step in the right direction to unwind and engage with people.
“I enjoy the work Wiki for Senior Citizens *Network* does, I commend them for the initiative. I have been on one of the training sessions they organised and it was quite impactful.
“I must say I have enjoyed myself. I met different people, both young and old, it was so interesting.
“It is very important to engage the elderly, you know, like they say an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. Most of the elderly ones have retired and are lonely sometimes when others have gone to work.
“Loneliness is something that is really very bad, so it is good to come out once in a while to meet other people. You will you will feel very refreshed and renewed,’’she said
Mr Collins Nweke, a senior citizen, lauded the network for the initiative of engaging them, adding that the engagement chased boredom away.
“Most times people feel because we have retired or are old, we do not have anything to offer again, this is not true.
“We still have our skills and knowledge intact that the society can benefit from when they engage us. So, I will advise organisations and the society at large to see senior as resource persons and always engage them.
“If more organisations and the government are engaging us like Wiki, it will mean a lot to us.’’
Ms Obiageli Ezeilo, Assistant Director, Ministry of Education and a volunteer under Wikimedia Foundation, said that the Network was created with focus on bringing more senior citizens to participate in wiki activities.
She said this was because most of the wiki activities in Nigeria were mostly done by young or middle-aged so advanced, retired persons and senior citizens do not participate in them.
“ This leaves a gap as ideas, opinions and concepts differ between senior citizens and other categories of persons.
“Therefore, Wiki for Senior Citizens Network is created to fill this gap because we reorganise that senior citizens have more time in their hands and if activated, could be more dedicated and contribute more.’’
Ezeilo said that this would also promote inclusiveness which is a major goal of the foundation.
She said that the foundation encourages them to acquaint themselves with the use of information technology tools, such as Wikipedia to improve their knowledge.
“Today we came together to celebrate all the things we have achieved this year. It is not all about editing Wikipedia. Now we are having fun and thanking Wikipedia for giving us a platform.
“We are also saying thank you to ourselves for doing the job and learning all the things that Wikipedia has taught us like digital literacy, editing, pictures snapping, inputting data, creating data among others.’’
Ezeilo expressed hope that 2024 would be better as the foundation would continue to support and engage senior citizens. (NAN)
Edited by Joseph Edeh
