Dearest Grandmothers and Grandothers,
It looks like spring has finally sprung in Canada, and while some of us might be wishing away swollen rivers and soggy trails, it seems like the perfect time to celebrate new beginnings. First, a heartfelt welcome to new members and groups in Canada – and also to new members in the UK and Australia! The Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign is made up of thousands of passionate older women who use every skill and resource at their disposal to stand in solidarity with African grandmothers, and raise the critical funds and awareness necessary to turn the tide of AIDS in Africa.
We’re just so eager to share something with you that we might as well get to it right away! We are happy – no thrilled! – to share a special SNEAK PEEK trailer of the upcoming African Grandmothers Tribunal Film. At the Tribunal, African grandmothers from Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe testified about their struggles and their hopes, issuing a joint Call to Action for further support and systemic change. Canadian grandmothers bore witness to these testimonies, listening and responding with strength and tenderness – recommitting to the promise they made in the Toronto Statement, “We will not rest until they can rest”.
We wish we could be there with all of you as you get your first glimpse of the Tribunal film. We know you’ll be as deeply moved as all of us and that you’ll want to watch it again and again.
To view the trailer, please click here!
Warmest regards,
Ilana and Graham
Grandmothers Campaign T shirts
Most of you are familiar with the black shirts with the white Grandmothers Campaign logo, but for those who are not, they can be seen online here. They cost $20 each including postage and group orders are preferred when possible. Sweatshirts are also available for $25 each. The next ordering deadline is May 15th.
For further information or to order please contact Linda Taberner at lindataberner@yahoo.ca. Linda is a long-time member of the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign who has been generously donating her time and talent to make sure that the Campaign shirts are available to everyone. Thank you Linda!
Stride to Turn the Tide
Stride season is upon us! We’ve heard from many groups across the country that plan to walk this year in solidarity with African grandmothers… and it’s not too late to start planning your Stride!
No matter the scope of your walk – Stride is a great way to come together as a community and raise awareness and funds. Remember, this isn’t a marathon. It’s a leisurely or spirited walk or run – with friends and family, outdoors or indoors (yes, mall-walking counts too), for new groups or established groups, on city sidewalks or country lanes. Be creative and think of your African sisters with every step!
To kick-start your Stride fundraising, new and improved Stride online fundraising pages are available at www.stridetoturnthetide.ca. We’ve already heard some great feedback and would love to have as many groups as possible take advantage of this helpful tool.
This year, the SLF will be organizing insurance for all Stride walks. In order to be covered, please click here to access all Stride materials, including the Walk Registration form, which should be mailed or emailed to stride@stephenlewisfoundation.org by May 16th. Even if we have already been in touch about planning your walk, please send in a Walk Registration form to ensure coverage!
Since we know that many venues have asked for insurance information up front, we have created an Insurance Information letter that you can edit and print off – this should be all you need to secure your venue.
Here’s how the insurance process works:
- If your Stride location requires proof of insurance, print off and fill out the Insurance Information letter available here, and give this letter to the Walk venue.
- Fill out your Walk Registration Form with your planned location and send it to us by May 16th.
- Once we have received your Walk Registration form, we’ll provide you with your policy number and information in the weeks leading up to your walk.
As always, please be in touch at stride@stephenlewisfoundation.org with questions you might have about planning a Stride walk, or setting up your online fundraising pages. Happy Striding!
More Kazuri Jewellery Success!
In 2013, 73 grandmothers groups and 4 “grand-other” friends hosted over 210 successful Kazuri sales from Nova Scotia to British Columbia to the Yukon.
Kazuri continues to be a popular, fun and effective fundraiser for the Stephen Lewis Foundation. Who doesn’t want to support 300 Kenyan women who earn a living wage by crafting colourful, hand-made jewellery AND at the same time raise funds for hundreds of African community-based organizations that are turning the tide of AIDS?
If you would like to host a Kazuri sale (or add it to an existing fundraising event) in Fall 2014 or would like more information, please contact Lori Blinn at loriblinn@rogers.com. Please note that the deadline for submitting Fall orders is June 2014.
Beds without Breakfast
As the weather warms up and some of us start to think about travel plans within Canada rather than heading south, we’d like to remind you about Beds Without Breakfast. 60 host grandmothers in communities across the country have opened their homes to grandmother-travellers in return for a donation to the Stephen Lewis Foundation.
Hosts and travellers alike rave about the friendships they develop and the connection they feel to grandmothers across Canada. Plus, when travelling somewhere new, host grandmothers are the perfect source of local knowledge to make your visit memorable!
There’s no need to sign up or become a host grandmother in order to find a Bed Without Breakfast. Just plan well ahead, as grandmothers lead busy lives!
Interested in hosting? New hosts are always welcome! To find a Bed Without Breakfast or for more information on travelling or hosting, please click here or write to Linda Taberner at lindataberner@yahoo.ca.
Show and Tell… with an emphasis on the Show
From time to time, grandmothers groups send us fabulous video shorts of fundraising initiatives such as sack gardening, Stride hikes, guest speakers or educational presentations, and we have long wondered, wouldn’t it be great if we could share these with everyone?
It turns out we can! We would like to invite you to submit short videos that highlight the work of your grandmothers group. Videos can include yourself, your group or your whole community and could include one or more fundraising initiatives, or even promotions for an upcoming event. Each video should be between 2 and 5 minutes in length and all participants must agree to have it posted on YouTube and/or Facebook.
To submit a video or for more information, please email us at campaign@stephenlewisfoundation.org.
News from your Campaign Team
Welcome to Gerri!
A warm welcome to Gerri Lutaaya, who has joined us on the Grandmothers Campaign team during Tammy Ebuen’s maternity leave. Gerri has already been reaching out to many groups and in her words, “I have been learning so much about the Campaign and I am humbled by the extraordinary commitment, creativity and drive you all share!”. We couldn’t agree more!
A Note From Sydney
The last few months have been a whirlwind… nobody knows that better than members of the Grandmothers Campaign! From the Tribunal to the recent Grandmothers Campaign trip to Africa, to the countless events held, time flies. I would like to slow down and take a moment to say hello to those of you I haven’t had the pleasure of speaking with yet. Looking back at how I started here at the Foundation – transcribing interviews for the upcoming Grandmothers Book – it is only fitting that after a short time filling in on the Programmes Team, I returned “home” to the Grandmothers Campaign a few months ago. Hearing stories from grandmothers in Africa and Canada, I learned not only about the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign, but also about the dynamic women who are at its heart – talk about smashing stereotypes! I look forward to learning more about you and about the Campaign and working together to continue this remarkable and vital work for African grandmothers.
Oceanside Grandmothers to Grandmothers 