Wonderful visit from Prof Jennifer Fish and Prof Bette Dickerson

Professor Jennifer Fish and Bette Dickerson returned to GAPA last week amidst a very emotional meeting in which we were wishing Vivienne happy birthday and taking stock of all our achievements for the year.

Their arrival was an added celebration. The grandmothers saw the rewards of their work with Prof Fish's student in 2007 who raised funds to purchase us a much needed and welcomed netbook.

We are so grateful to have partners who promote awareness of the grandmother's stories and uphold their dignity on every front.

Below is an email from Jennifer that I thought should be shared. It highlights some of the links to GAPA activities.

"Dear Sojourners and Friends,

We have shared an incredible opportunity to bring GAPA to South Africa's international conference on reconciliation [http://www.beyondreconciliation.co.za/]. The grandmothers were featured in a roundtable discussion and we collectively presented our own initial research on the dual trauma women face in living with memories of apartheid and burden of HIV/AIDS. Bette is here with me, which has been another profound journey that solidifies our work on this project, as well as our kindred connections.

While at the conference, I showed pieces of the documentary Rachel is producing to the GAPA speakers and the organization's Director, Vivienne Budaza, and filmed their initial responses. I hope you will enjoy this beautiful piece.

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qAwoGhUOB0]

[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCP20_O_MC0]

Felicia Mfamana, one of the grandmothers in our presentation, was also recently featured for World AIDS Day on Aljazeera News [http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2009/12/200912180763259.html]

Sending my best from Cape Town!

Jennifer "

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GAPA
Grandmothers Against Poverty and AIDS
Tel/fax: 021 364 3138
www.gapa.org.za

Secure the Future Feature

Read an article written by BMS
http://www.bms.com/news/features/2009/Pages/stf_anniversary.aspx

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GAPA
Grandmothers Against Poverty and AIDS
Tel/fax: 021 364 3138
www.gapa.org.za

Test post using email

This is a test post, we're  learning how to post using our email address.
World Aids Day post to follow

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GAPA
Grandmothers Against Poverty and AIDS
Tel/fax: 021 364 3138
www.gapa.org.za

Visit to Tanzania by GAPA granny and staff.

In November three people from GAPA visited their sister organisation in Kibaha, outside Dar es Salaam. Twelve months ago the GAPA model of support was explained to grandmothers and representatives from KICODET, an NGO in Tanzania. After one week of workshops and visits to villages the GAPA reps participated in the formation of nine grandmother groups. On our return visit in 2009 we discovered that 24 groups had been formed. The groups are all active in AIDS education, psychosocial support and income generating projects. The self esteem, general well being and mood of the grandmothers has done a complete turnabout. The grandmothers have taken up their rightful place once again as leaders of their communities.

The Tanzanian team is hard pressed financially to spread the model to the many many grandmothers that have heard of the "new ways and ideas" and that want to form their own groups and have access to education about coping with HIV/AIDS.

In loving memory of Mrs Mavilo

Mrs Mavilo">Mrs Mavilo was a wonderful friend, teacher, mother and grandmother. She passed away suddenly this weekend due to cardiac arrest

Here are some of the things that we loved about her:

"She was very friendly with children"

"She always say things that will make us laugh"

" She was a business co-operative leader, she made many wonderful items that have been bought by our staff. She was very skilled and organised, she used to make traditional clothing. She was a God-fearing person, highly religious. "

"She was very good with a sewing machine"

"She instilled many values into our children"

"She was a peace-loving person, who didn't like conflict"

"She was always eager to learn, and always innovative ideas"

"She used to remember everything that she learnt and use it to teach others"

"She was someone we could trust"

The children she taught in our aftercare miss her so much, they remember how she used to mend the holes in their clothes and teach them songs and stories.

Mrs Mavilo may you rest in peace and may those that interacted with you remember how much richer you made their lives

August at GAPA

GAPA has been very busy in August. The month started off with a visit to Cedar House, a school in Kenilworth, CapeTown. The occasion was the celebration of the end of a year long involvement between the learners and grandmothers at GAPA. As part of their community intervention programme the learners visited GAPA several times in the year They swapped skills with the grandmothers and both age groups benefitted greatly from the meetings. The party was enjoyed by all and the grandmothers came back to GAPA with a video that the learners had made of their time at GAPA.

Community Outreach programme by the SRC of Cape Peninsular University of Technology.
(Bellville campus) On Sat 29th August 135 children from the Aftercare at GAPA and 14 grandmothers were treated to a day of fun at the campus of CPUT. There were jumping castles, slides, clowns, face painting, games and food aplenty.
All children were given a bright blue T-shirt which said "we are members of the community before we are students"