The Grey Grannies will do almost anything for donations to the Grandmother’s Campaign supporting African grandmothers raising their orphaned grandchildren. Last year in 2022 they partnered with Rotary on a couple of occasions: to hand out water for their Turkey Trot running race, and to stuff food bags for the Lobsterfest.
For the Thornbury plant sale they set up a table and sold a huge variety of plants, cuttings from garden plants, as well as seedlings. After gathering hundreds of books a couple of book sales were held, enthusiastically attended by many community members. The makers in the group kept the knitting needles and sewing machines humming, creating a variety of lovely crafts for sale.
Throughout May The Stride To Turn The Tide (of AIDS in Africa) enabled the walkers/swimmers/cyclists among the group to commit to daily tracking of activities reminiscent of the long walks some African women and girls are compelled to do in search of water, food, and medicine.
In solidarity with other groups across Canada, the Grey Grannies from Collingwood, Thornbury, and Meaford partner with dozens of groups in 15 sub-Saharan countries to bring civil rights and economic opportunities to older women and girls.
Reach Out Mbuya celebrates the power of grandmothers, Resilience of Older Persons in a Changing World, the United Nations’ theme of this year’s International Day of Older Persons, perfectly captures the leadership and roles grandmothers have around the world. To celebrate the day, Reach Out Mbuya (ROM), an SLF community-led partner in Uganda, gathered members of their grandmothers’ groups and the wider community together. Grandmothers spoke to their community about their entrepreneurship skills, and the impact peer support has on their life journeys. Hilda Achayo, Community and Social Support Manager at ROM, said: “This day reminds us of what jajjas (grandmothers) do in our lives; they are custodians of our homes, raise grandchildren, look after animals and much more.”
The 1 Home:1 Garden project aims to give families a sustainable source of nutrition that will help prevent hunger over the coming months of ongoing employment disruptions and loss of income. The supply of fresh seasonal vegetables, supplied by HACT’s Plant Nursery, will help to reduce food insecurity. The food grown in these gardens will also help to keep immune systems strong and healthy, an important factor for many grandmothers and their young families.
