Shades of Us Visits Amazing Grace Foundation for the Old

Shades of Us Visits the Amazing Grace Foundation in Commemoration of Nelson Mandela Day

By Cynthia Umeh

On July 25, 2025, Shades of Us marked Nelson Mandela Day with a visit to Amazing Grace Foundation, an elderly care home in Abuja. The foundation provides shelter, medical care, and compassion to older people and those living with terminal illness. It also rehabilitates traumatized widows and victims of family violence, offers counseling, and works to ensure that no elderly person spends their final years in loneliness.

This visit was essential to us because elder care is a subject that is often overlooked in Nigeria. Retirees face numerous challenges, including disassociation from persons in their social networks. Perceived social isolation or loneliness can impair the quality of life in old age and contribute to mental health problems. Research has suggested possible links between loneliness and depressive or anxiety symptoms, as well as comorbid health conditions. This highlights the urgent need to strengthen systems of care and community support for older people in Nigeria.

When we arrived at Amazing Grace Foundation, we were welcomed into a space filled with quiet conversations, whispered prayers, and the occasional bursts of laughter. We could imagine that many of the residents may have once lived full and vibrant lives as professionals, caregivers, and community leaders. Now, their present reality often seems shaped by long stretches of time, waiting for companionship, family visits, or simple human connection.

We shared gifts and food items, and, most importantly, our time. 

During the visit, our Founder and Portfolio Director, Ramatu Ada Ochekliye, spoke about the importance of creating a society where older people are valued, respected, and supported. She reminded us that aging is a shared human experience and that we all have a responsibility to ensure it comes with dignity, care, and love.

We also spoke with Chioma Obegole, Matron of Amazing Grace Foundation, who carries the daily responsibility of caring for people who once cared for others. She shared both the joys and the struggles of the work. Providing daily meals, maintaining adequate housing materials, and ensuring medical care are constant challenges for the home. She explained how donations of food items, toiletries, and bedding go a long way in keeping the residents comfortable. In her words, even a simple visit can lift spirits, break the cycle of loneliness, and remind the elderly that they are still valued members of society.

One of the mothers prayed for us in a voice that was frail, yet steady. Her words were heartfelt and full of grace. In that moment, we were reminded that aging should not mean invisibility. Dignity in old age is not a privilege. It is a right.

For us, this visit was about marking a global day and reaffirming our commitment to use storytelling and presence to shine a light on communities that are often forgotten. Nelson Mandela’s life was about service, and this was our way of carrying that spirit forward.

Support Amazing Grace Foundation

We encourage everyone to support the Amazing Grace Foundation so that together, we can ensure that older people in Nigeria are cared for with love and dignity. Your donations provide food, medical support, and companionship to the elderly.

Bank: GT Bank
Account Name: Amazing Grace Foundation
Account Number: 0052997205

We believe that if we are fortunate, we will all grow old. The true test of our humanity is whether we create a society where no one has to grow old alone.

Curating Stories at the Amazing Grace Foundation during our visit in commemoration of Nelson Mandela Day