The great granny revolution

Description

The Great Granny Revolution describes the remarkable partnership between black South African grandmothers who are raising their grandchildren, orphaned by AIDS, and a group of grandmothers from North America. It all began with Rose Letwaba, a psychiatric nurse counseling these orphans at a township clinic. She noticed that often their caregivers were Gogos (meaning "Granny" in Zulu). She brought the Gogos together for mutual support every Wednesday afternoon. Before long forty Gogos were meeting for comfort, sewing classes and to work in the garden. These women had survived oppression under the apartheid regime and the riots during the struggle for democracy. They endured the isolation that the stigma of AIDS brings to families and the heartache of burying their own children. Now, in old age, with poverty forced upon them, these women had the burden of the next generation. In 2004 Rose Letwaba spoke to a small group of people in Quebec about her concerns for these women, and the next day Norma Geggie, an 80-year-old, decided to do something about it. Twelve women gathered at Norma's home to offer moral and financial support to these Gogos living half a world away. They inspired others to get involved and more groups were formed. Meanwhile, the simple knowledge that women on the other side of the world cared about them brought hope to the Gogos and invigorated their efforts. Eventually there was a meeting in Toronto of women from both continents which sparked an exciting new movement. In Africa the AIDS pandemic continues to rage, but where governments have failed to respond, grandmothers in North America have decided to act.

Runtime

52 min

Creator

Rooney, Robert, 1950

Subjects

Geography

Genre

Date of Publication

2009

Database

Alexander Street

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