International Women's day

On 10 March we held a special day of remembering how important we are and women. This was held in the GAPA centre with grandmothers who were attending our health club.

The grandmothers identified that women were important because:

• A home is not a home without a mother
• Women carry huge responsibility
• A gathering of women has strength
• ]Where there are women there is value
• A mother is the pillar of a household
• Children without a mother are sometimes not properly raised
• Women are important, they take charge of a household, even if a man is successful a woman is usually his support
• A woman is like a hen who seeks food for the chickens, to feed them and protect them from vultures
• A woman is needed in times of illness and death, she protects people in the house
• A woman has a huge role in the house, even when a man is present she is the one who makes will come up with a plan
• women are powerful on their own
• Women are important because many women's organisations are fully fledged because of the women present
• During apartheid women were instrumental in confronting 'straydom'
• The value of man is enhanced because of women.
• Women are powerful because they are adaptable to change. Even without education women learnt about HIV/AIDS and are teaching others

These were important statements for the grandmothers as many of them care for households of orphaned children on their own (without husbands). 

These women have endured the dangers of apartheid, the change from rural to urban lifestyle, poverty and the onslaught of HIV/AIDS.

This was followed by a moment of silence to acknowedge the years in which these women have remained strong. There was so much emotion in the room in which the grandmothers shared their heart-breaking stories of the challenges they face.

We wish to acknowledge the women of GAPA for the pillars of strength they are in the community

Poem by Mrs A Mdaka

Depression is my name

Depression knows my name!

It knows every details

Even my weight down to scale!

It seems to know the route to my

happiness

As it calls me in my sleep

following my dreams as they go 

deep

it feeds off my life support

and because of this, I know my life 

will be short

They don't understand me. You see

and what we don't understand we attack

killing everything about it that

sccares you

bit by bit if fades away

Until nothing but sadness and

damned faces are left

All thanks to theft

that came and swept away all

problems

Permanent hybernation and all its

glory

But as the struggle against

depression grows

more than not knowing who is the 

stronger

There is one thing that I can't stand any

longer

and that is...

In all the fairness and in all the truth

one question remains the same

Oh Great Depression!

How do you know my name?!!!!!!!!

Invite to Media

MEDIA ADVISORY

African and Canadian Grandmothers to Unite in Symbolic

Solidarity Action on March 25 in Select Cities 

—  African grannies raising many of the 11.6 million AIDS orphans — 

Cape Town, March 19, 2009 – On March 25, hundreds of African and Canadian grandmothers will gather in different cities to perform a symbolic act of solidarity. They will do this to draw attention to the crucial role African grandmothers play in raising many of the 11.6 million children who have lost one or both of their parents to HIV/AIDS. They will also call attention to the need for increased funding for African grassroots organizations that provide critical support to grandmothers and their grandchildren.

In Africa, hundreds of grandmothers will gather in rural areas in Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Uganda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia Zimbabwe and Swaziland. In Canada, grandmothers and their families, friends and grandchildren will gather in public spaces in the following cities: Ottawa, Vancouver, Toronto, Whitehorse, Hamilton, Orillia, Alliston and Halifax. 

In each location half of those in attendance will sit or lie down to represent the unprecedented suffering and loss caused by the AIDS pandemic for millions of African families and communities. After a short time, the rest of the group will begin to sing, dance and take the hands of those on the ground to pull them out of their individual suffering and offer them strength. The group will then form a circle while singing and dancing to show the power of communities to turn the tide of the AIDS pandemic. 

 

WHO: GAPA - Grandmothers Against Poverty and AIDS www.gapa.org.za

  

WHEN: 11h00

  

WHERE: GAPA centre, J415 Qabaka Cresent, Khayelitsha

Directions to GAPA

Take the N2 out of Cape Town towards Somerset West. After Mew Rd look for the next exit. This is exit No 29 (Spine Road). Take this exit off the highway.Turn right over the highway towards Khayelitsha. Proceed round the small circle to the first intersection. This is Lansdown Rd. Turn right and then 400 m along turn left at Lawulo Rd. The back of the GAPA centre will now be visible. Turn first left and then left again into Qabaka Cres to access the main gate of the GAPA centre.

  

WHY: This solidarity action was inspired by grandmothers across Africa who use song and dance to overcome their grief and build solidarity. Canadian grandmothers have raised more than $4 million for African grandmothers and the children in their care through the Stephen Lewis Foundation (www.stephenlewisfoundation.org). 

GAPA is funded by the Stephen Lewis Foundation in Canada. 

GAPA is a voluntary organization that implements programmes to support grandmothers affected by HIV/AIDS in urban and rural communities to continue with their lives and to cope better as providers of care and support for their infected children.

Programmes include:

support groups and cooperatives

educational workshops

Aftercare facilties

Pre-school bursary schemes

  

Note to Journalists: The solidarity action will begin at 11h00 a.m. sharp. Media should arrive early to set up for photos.

 

Media Contact:   Vivienne Budaza. Tel: 021 364 3138. nolulu@telkomsa.net

Keeping track of our compliments

The aftercare is becoming more and more loved by children.

Just last week one father came to tell us that: " Last year his child was in a different aftercare and didn't like going but this year now that he is in GAPA aftercare his child is loving aftercare"

Children love the 'Makhulu' - Grandmothers and often draw them pictures to tell them this.

This is just evidence that we are growing from strength to strength.