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Alicia Mdaka PHEZU KOM KHONO! (Raise Your Arms, Women!) “We grandmothers are very proud of all we had achieved in our community…look here, grandmothers, we are not alone, there are so many working – all over africa, all over Canada. Together big things are happening.” - Mariam, Phoebe Education Fund for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (PEFO), Uganda Grandmothers in Africa: “Unheralded heroes of the continent” – Stephen Lewis Siphalele, at 68 has become the oldest woman carpenter in eswatini, where women carpenters are largely unheard of. Isabella, 72, plays defense on a granny netball team. “…when we play together as grandmothers, it makes us stronger…when we fall we get up and start playing again, so that’s it.” “Issues of HIV & AIDS touch issues of education, touch issues of poverty, touch on all the issues that impact grandmothers. People fail to see that our national advocacy in all of these fronts is HIV & AIDS work. It is grandmother support work. Nothing is more important than African civil society being empowered to do their advocacy with the government that they elected. People fail to see all of these connections. But they will.” – Siphiwe, Swaziland Positive Living (SWAPOL) When the grandmothers speak, the world will be healed. – Hopi prophecy |
WHAT DOES INVOLVEMENT IN THE CAMPAIGN MEAN?
Solidarity with women who intend to make a difference in their lives, who advocate for social justice and gender equality, who are determined to create an AIDS free world for future generations
ARRIVING AT OUR NAME AND PURPOSE
The first step for many organizations in sub-Saharan Africa is to bring local grandmothers together. Living in an environment of crisis and scarcity and facing stigma makes connecting very difficult. Creating structured, neutral spaces for grandmothers to meet is key to breaking the isolation. Alicia found strength by sharing her story with other grandmothers through grandmothers against poverty and AIDS (GAPA), South Africa. She said, “together, we became strong, like grandmothers of steel.” We have taken our name from Alicia’s words as a constant reminder of the strength and determination of the grandmothers in Africa.
Grandmothers of steel is a member group of the campaign. We are grandmothers and ‘grandothers’, (people of all ages whether or not they have children or grandchildren), who share a common bond in our commitment to these grandmothers. We gladly welcome any person committed to global health and wellness, social justice and women’s rights to join us in our efforts. We concentrate our efforts on raising awareness and generating funds.
We do talks, presentations, workshops and lessons at all levels of education.
A BIT OF BACKGROUND
The Stephen Lewis foundation grandmothers to grandmothers campaign was launched in 2006 to engage grandmothers in Canada to act in solidarity with their sisters in Africa. In sub-Saharan Africa, hardest hit by the HIV and AIDS pandemic, grandmothers have assumed the role of caregivers to children who’ve lost their parents to the pandemic, caregivers to the sick, income-generators, community leaders and advocates for women’s rights.
“At the center of the grandmothers’ movement is the identity of ‘grandmother’ and what it means. Being a grandmother means more than being a woman, or a woman of a certain age –It is an identity that is created by relationship, an identity that places love at the center of its being...these interwoven layers of relationships provide the passion, fuel and direction that drives their movement ever forward.” (Powered by Love, p.141)
WAYS YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
Join us…in our commitment to grandmothers in africa
- Meet like-minded women
- Form new friendships
- Learn new skills
LAYERED MEMBERSHIP/INVOLVEMENT:
- Active members who enjoy meeting and committee work
- active members who work well independently and are vital contributors through their chosen ways of involvement
- associates who are willing to be called upon to offer their skills or services
- friends who support our work
SUPPORT US!
- Celebrate someone’s birthday, wedding, retirement, anniversary or memory by donating in their name
- participate in a local grandmother group event
- donate Aeroplan miles .