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Supporting Projects Which Enrich People’s Lives in Kamloops and Around the World
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Council of Canadians -Kamloops Chapter |
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ALTERNATIVE GIVING CANGO GRANNIES
The CanGo Grannies – Local Grandmothers’ respond
The CanGo Grannies are a grassroots organization that began with 3 grandmothers who were inspired by the words of Stephen Lewis when he was a guest speaker at the President’s Lecture Series at the University College of the Cariboo on March 25, 2004. Lewis’ address challenged these women to “do something” to ease the burden of African Grandmothers who have watched their own children die are now raising their orphaned grandchildren. He refers to these amazing and vulnerable women as the Unsung Heroes of Africa.
The African Grandmothers story spread in our community and the CanGo Grannies have increased to over 35 equally passionate grandmothers committed to easing the pain that HIV/AIDS has inflicted on the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The CanGo Grannies are organized to raise awareness and funds to support the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s projects in 14 Sub-Saharan countries in Africa.
Stephen Lewis and the Stephen Lewis Foundation
Stephen Lewis is a Canadian diplomat with a long history of service in Africa. He served for 5 years as the UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, during which time he was deeply affected by the desperate plight of the oldest and youngest of the countries he visited. Millions of children were being orphaned by the death of their parents, Africa’s work force. At present, an estimated 16 million orphaned children exist in Sub-Saharan Africa and this number is expected to climb to 20 million by 2010. The Stephen Lewis Foundation was established as a way of raising awareness and funds to ease the pain of HIV/AIDS in Africa. The Stephen Lewis Foundation is deeply committed to applying 90% of all contributions directly to our project work in Africa. They work very hard to keep their administrative costs as low as humanly possible. To date, SLF has received nearly 50,000 personal contributions from people all across Canada. By December 1, 2006, SLF had distributed and committed $10 million to grassroots initiatives across 14 sub-Saharan African countries. The Foundation Mandate The Stephen Lewis Foundation funds community-based initiatives in Africa. Our funding works in four areas: to provide care at the community level to women who are ill and struggling to survive, so that their lives can be free from pain, humiliation and indignity; to assist orphans and other AIDS-affected children in every possible way, from the payment of school fees to the provision of food; to support the unsung heroes of Africa, the grandmothers, who bury their own children and care for their orphan grandchildren; to support associations of people living with HIV/AIDS — courageous men and women who have openly declared their status - so that they can educate themselves and share information with their broader communities on prevention, treatment, care and the elimination of stigma. To learn more about The Stephen Lewis Foundation visit www.stephenlewisfoundation.org
The Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign – Canadian Grandmothers’ respond
Like an idea who’s time had come, a synergistic response was emerging across the country as other grandmothers began mobilize into action. In the summer of 2006 the Stephen Lewis hosted a Grandmother Gathering in Toronto in conjunction with The International AIDS Conference. The Foundation brought 100 African grandmothers to the Toronto Gathering who were joined by 200 grandmothers from across Canada. For two days these 300 grandmothers from two continents shared stories, learned, sang and cried together, forming a lasting bond and the Grandmother to Grandmother’s campaign was spearheaded with the purpose of providing support in the fight against the AIDS pandemic in Africa. Toronto Statement On August 13, 2006, African and Canadian grandmothers delivered a message to the world. The 'Toronto Statement' is the culmination of the key points from the Grandmothers' Gathering. It was presented to representatives from UNAIDS and the XVI International AIDS Conference at the close of the Gathering.
Since the launch, more than 150 groups of Canadian grandmothers have taken up the call to action and together have raised over $1 million for the campaign. SLF directs these funds to community-level organizations in 14 sub-Saharan African countries that provide grandmothers with much needed support, such as food, housing grants, school fees for their grandchildren and grief counselling.
This phenomenal grassroots movement continues to grow as more grandmothers mobilize across Canada. Grandmother groups have formed in the USA, New Zealand and Australia as well.
For further information on the Grandmother to Grandmother Campaign visit www.stephenlewisfoundation.org
The Work of the CanGo Grannies
There appears to be no end to the creative ideas, enthusiasm and energy of the Kamloops CanGo Grannies.
Since its inception in March, 2004, the Kamloops Grannies have raised over $50,000 for the Foundation, and continue to loan their voices to the desperate cry for help half a world away.
Product Sales: The now familiar CanGo Granny booth is found regularly at the Farmers’ Market as well as various craft venues throughout the year. Playing with Fire, Art in the Park, The Pottery Guild, Ten Thousand Villages, TRU International AIDS and Sun Peaks Quilt Show to name a few. The product sold at these venues are primarily designed by our own members and have included, T-shirts, tote bags, art cards, dolls, and jewellery.
Projects: Fund raising projects have included A silent Art Auction - 2005 The Chair Affair 2006 & 2007 – A live Auction of fabulous and funky Adirondack chairs painted by local artists Grannies Attic - 2007 – A sale of collectables and antiques
Special Project – The Great Canadian Quilt “Building a Better World... One Square at a Time”
The Great Canadian Quilt is the brainchild of Sue Cooper, one of the Kamloops CanGo Grannies. Together they created and produced a 7’ x 5.5’ red and white quilt, flag-like in design and shape, with each white patch signed personally by great Canadians. Our members created a master list of influential Canadians. Using the principle of “Six Degrees of Separation”, we combed the internet, explored personal contacts, made cold calls, and used the most powerful method of all, calling people’s mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers. Some patches were sent multiple times, some names did not respond. 205 Signatures were received in support of the project. For more information on the Great Canadian Quilt Tour please visit www.greatcanadianquilt.com
The CanGo Grannies meet on the Third Monday of the month in the meeting room at the Station Plaza, 496 Lorne Street from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. Members and guests are welcome to bring a lunch and gather for a social time after the meeting. New members are welcome.
Upcoming Events: October 19 to 21, 2007 the CanGo Grannies will host 2 African Grandmothers from Uganda as well as dignitaries from the Stephen Lewis Foundation. A public community gathering on October 21st will commemorate this event.
Spring 2008 – The Cowboy Festival the Grannies will sell donated prints by the late artist Jack Lee McLean.
Advocacy The CanGo Grannies support advocacy initiatives generated by The Grandmother to Grandmother Campaign in raising awareness and advocating for political changes on behalf of the African AIDS pandemic.
We support The AIDS Society of Kamloops (ASK) in their September Walk for Life and the Candle Light Prayer vigil on World AIDS Day in December.
In summary: We feel honoured to be part of the phenomenal Grandmother to Grandmother movement and to support the incredible work of the Stephen Lewis Foundation in easing the pain of those suffering from HIV/AIDS in the Sub-Saharan countries of Africa. We are a truly a grassroots organization thinking globally and acting locally.
With Gratitude: We are deeply grateful for the amazing support we have received from the Kamloops community. The local arts community has been truly generous in supporting our projects, the media continues to cover our story and report our events with enthusiasm and style and the citizens of Kamloops have opened their purses and touched the lives of the African grandmothers and their children struggling with incredible odds.
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