African, Canadian grandmothers reach out to help orphans

The Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign is mobilizing the support of Canadian grandmothers to help grandmothers in Africa who are caring for AIDS orphans, in a campaign launched by the Stephen Lewis Foundation on the eve of International Women's Day in 2006.

In August 2006, the foundation held a Grandmothers’ Gathering in Toronto that brought together 100 grandmothers and project facilitators from 11 countries in sub-Saharan Africa with 200 Canadian grandmothers who have recognized the terrible burden being borne by African grandmothers. On August 13, 2006, the grandmothers presented the 'Toronto Statement' to representatives from UNAIDS and the XVI International AIDS Conference. 

Since the launch, more than 150 groups of Canadian grandmothers have raised over $1 million for the campaign. SLF has directed these funds to community-level organizations in 14 sub-Saharan African countries that provide grandmothers with much needed support, such as food, housing grants, school fees for their grandchildren and grief counselling.

Grandmothers have emerged as the 'unsung heroes' of a continent in which an estimated 13 million children have been orphaned by AIDS - a number that may rise to 20 million in the next four years. Grandmothers bury their own children and then in their 50s, 60s and 70s begin to parent again, raising their grandchildren with little or no support. In some countries, 40-60% of orphans live in grandmother-headed households. These courageous and resilient women have no time to grieve. Their priority is the next generation: the infants, toddlers, and teenagers who are left behind.

The campaign’s goals are to raise awareness in Canada about Africa's grandmothers and their struggle to secure a hopeful and healthy future for Africa's children; build solidarity amongst African and Canadian grandmothers in the fight against HIV/AIDS;  and actively support groups of grandmothers in Africa who are dealing with the painful loss of their own children and struggling to care for AIDS orphans. Funds will provide grandmothers with much needed assistance, for example: food, school fees and school uniforms for their grandchildren, income-generating projects, counselling and social support, and coffins to allow for a dignified burial of their loved ones.

UPDATE: Canadian Grandmothers Raise $3 million

Since the launch in 2006, some 200 groups of Canadian grandmothers have taken up the call to action. To date, the campaign has raised more than $3 million for African grandmothers and the children in their care. The Stephen Lewis Foundation has directed these funds to community-level organizations in 15 sub-Saharan African countries that provide grandmothers with much needed support, such as food, housing grants, school fees for their grandchildren and grief counselling.

For more stories about children orphaned by HIV/AIDS, see:

Centre brings women together in African slum to care for AIDS orphans

Campaign to educate AIDS orphans in Uganda began with one child's courage

Canadians reach out to help the orphans of Lesotho attend school

Coping with the grief and loss of AIDS: memory projects bring hope to Africa

Fishmongering brings self-help to HIV-positive people in Homa Bay

Kenya women's network focuses on local food sources to support people living with AIDS

Successful model sustains AIDS orphans by rebuilding villages sustainably