The Daily UbuntuThread 07 · Digital Solitude · September 25, 2026
The phone that rings on Monday
Since 1962, Les Petits Frères has matched isolated elders with volunteers, in person or on the phone, so that no one grows old alone.
1 · The scene
Trois-Rivières, Monday, 10 a.m. Madame Gagnon has put on her blue dress, even though no one will come. The coffee is ready next to the corded phone, the one with big numbers.
It rings at the promised time. It's Julien, 29, a volunteer. He tells her about his week; she talks about the tomatoes on her balcony and her sister in Gaspé. He writes down her sister's name so he won't forget it. Before hanging up, she says: "Until next Monday, dear."
Original vignette
2 · The documented case
Les Petits Frères, a lasting presence
In Quebec, the organization Les Petits Frères has been accompanying people aged 75 and over who live alone and isolated, free of charge, since 1962. Its principle is simple: match each elder with a volunteer who will become a faithful presence in their life.
The organization has 15 local teams in 12 regions, from Montreal to Rimouski by way of Saguenay. According to its own figures, it reached 2,651 isolated elders over the past year, and 75% of them are matched long-term with a volunteer.
Alongside visits and group outings, there are "friendship calls": a phone conversation at least once a week with the same volunteer, trained in listening. During the pandemic, this approach was a real lifeline for staying connected. It also makes it possible to reach elders in rural or remote regions, where the teams don't go.
At a time when we talk about digital solitude, this example reminds us that the simplest technology can serve connection, as long as there is a person on the other end of the line. Ubuntu does not ask for grand gestures: only for being there, regularly.
3 · The voice
“I always look forward to the next Monday, when the phone will ring!”
4 · The question
Who on your street or in your family may be waiting for a call without daring to ask?
Sources
- Les Petits Frères, organization home page, consulted in 2026 (in French). petitsfreres.ca
- Les Petits Frères, "Un accompagnement qui rassemble," consulted in 2026 (in French). petitsfreres.ca
Every figure on this page links to a verifiable public source.
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