Back in 2007, Stephen Lewis, Canada’s former UN ambassador and the former UN special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, spoke at Meaford’s United Church about the plight of grandmothers in many sub-Saharan African countries.

With AIDS rampant in many countries, these women have stepped in to care for their orphaned grandchildren – sometimes caring for as many as 10 to 15 in one household. One estimate suggests that 40 to 60 percent of orphans live in grandmother-headed households. After burying their own adult children, and often with little support, they do their best to care for and raise the children. “They display astonishing reserves of love, courage and emotional resilence, even while grieving the loss of their own adult children,” says the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s website.

The Foundation’s Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign had stepped in to provide support for these women, raising funds to invest at the community level – food, educational supplies, medical care, counselling, programs to help them become self-sufficent and more.

Hearing the stories, a small group of women in the audience that day decided to start their own local fundraising chapter, and Meaford Grannies was soon an active fundraising group.

Meaford Grannies holds a number of fundraisers every year, including a garage sale, plant sales, and a slient auction, and they welcome new members to help run the events.

If you’re looking for a worthy cause to get involved with during your retirement, this might be it. Becoming a Meaford Granny is easy – just let them know. (In fact, you don’t have to be a granny – or even a woman – to be part of the effort.)

Your help to raise local funds will have a huge impact on African grandmothers in these difficult circumstances.

For more information, call Sandy Farrell at 519-538-4259.