How African grandmothers are saving their continent

Joining the march
On the last day of the Gathering, we walked several blocks through downtown Toronto to present a statement to a representative from the United Nations and the cochair of the XVI International AIDS Conference. Torontonians were with us, and I felt jubilant. Our lively group of grannies attracted people, especially young parents pushing strollers, and our numbers grew as they joined the march.

In three days, our disparate group had bonded. Grandmothers, even in Canada, are often invisible. It's not surprising that on the world stage people think about those who are dying from AIDS, but we don't think about who is left to care for those who remain.

As my best friend and I drove home to Ottawa at the end of the Gathering, we expressed what all of the Canadian and African grandmothers felt -- that doing nothing was not an option.

Canadian grannies
We went home to network, fund-raise, speak out and form groups. At the time of the Gathering there were about 40 granny groups across Canada. Now there are more than 150, including 14 in the Ottawa region. I helped to form The One World Grannies, and I act as a regional networker so the Ottawa groups can share information and support one another's activities.

Since the SLF is primarily involved in funding projects directly, the Canadian granny groups have pledged to act as fund-raisers and ambassadors for our sisters in Africa, to raise the volume on their long-suppressed stories and to apply political pressure. One example of advocacy work saw grannies across Canada petitioning the Canadian government to live up to our promise to get generic HIV drugs to Africa.

As of this past spring, almost three years after Parliament voted to fast-track the export of cheaper generic drugs (including HIV drugs), not one single pill had been shipped to Africa or any poor country requesting them. Grandmothers from Africa and Canada are also united in their efforts to pressure national governments and international agencies to eliminate school fees, support grandmothers with pensions and increase education opportunities for girls in Africa.

I haven't seen Mary since we met in Toronto, but I heard that she was able to make enough money by making and selling jewelry to send her daughter to hairdressing school. Her daughter now works in Nairobi and brings a regular income into the household.

Mary is also an active participant in a local chapter of The Kenya Widows and Orphans Support Programme, which is supported by the SLF. The program helps widows develop income-generating activities to pay for school fees and other needs and provides emotional and social support to grandmothers who are grieving and parenting again.

I pray that Mary stays well and enjoys some happier times with her daughter and grandchildren, and I hope she knows that the Canadian grandmothers are with her all the way.

How you can help
• Join or start a granny group as part of the Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign organized by the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

• Make a donation to the Stephen Lewis Foundation or host a fund-raising even through your church, synagogue, or other religious centre, or a community group.

• Support other nongovernmental agencies that provide aid and advocacy for orphans, women and older people in Africa. These include organizations such as HelpAge International, World Vision Canada, UNICEF, Save the Children Canada and the “Adopt-A-Gran” program run by Help the Aged Canada.

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