Twinning and Penpalling: Table Banking

Some bits and pieces:

I heard Ilana talking yesterday about a meeting with a large group of African project people, where they discussed the impact of twinning and penpalling. In short, they are nightmares for the project participants and coordinators. They feel threatened with loss of support if they don't reply to letters from the First World "twin", and they spend inordinate amounts of time and precious resources trying to meet the expectations of the "twin". At least one project has lost funding because of not living up to the expectations of a missionary group. And in another project one participant received a Christmas card containing $100. None of the other participants received such a gift. It was understandably upsetting and disruptive for the group. The point was that First World sponsors and penpals do it for themselves, not for the benefit of the recipients.



I heard about an effective practice for microfinancing within groups. Each woman puts X amount on the table and the group decides which two of the group can borrow half of the money for a month. The two then undertake an income generating project, and return the money with 10% interest next month. Then another two have a turn- until everyone has had a chance. They help each other out with initiatives that prove challenging (drought slows plants; someone is sick; whatever). At the end of a set period- eg at Christmas they may split the "pot" to allow for gifts for the children.



Judi from Tobermory is a nurse practitioner. She described visiting a health care project here in the Joburg area. She held the hand of a man who lay in bed completely unresponsive, apparently close to death. Then a group of 4 men who were touring the room surrounded the bed. A burly man among them said-Look at me- I was there (in the bed) in 2008. That was ME. YOU're gonna get better. Before you know it, you're gonna kick those covers off the bed. Another of the group affirmed that it was true, and commented that the healing of the mind goes along with ARVs.





Short-term (fundraising) and Long-term (advocacy). The two pillars.

Some updates: I did manage to get some info on the two children I blogged about before I left home: Mantua is apparently thriving, and doing well on her meds. One of the Canadian Grannies visited the project in Soweto where Mantua's grandmother participates in programs- the Can. grannie has an email address where I can follow up for more details if I wish.

Bruno will graduate from his final year of school this year, and he is no longer alone and isolated. The projects coordinator said he is doing just fine.

In both cases, the SLF contribution plays a role. Something said by one of the Can. grannies comes to mind. When she talks to groups she holds up a $50 bill and asks them what they would do if they lost it? Had it stolen? What impact would it have on their lifestyle?

Then she describes the impact $50 can have on lives such as Bruno's.

Now on CAMR- Canadian Access to Medicines Regime. Elizabeth Rennie- one of the most charming and effective members of the Canadian delegation here- has written the brief to Canadian gov't on behalf of the National Advocacy Network. The brief urges our government to live up to our promises regarding provision of generic ARVs- antiretroviral drugs- that are crucial in the treatment of AIDS. In her oral presentations she asks politicians three times to imagine their own daughter needs the meds, and they can't get them. Fixing them finally with her lovely blue eyed stare.

The issue as I understand it is that gov't has imposed so much red tape that the generics manufacturers have been unable to comply- therefore only one shipment of ARVs has been delivered in the 6 years since CAMR passed parliament. People are dying/have died who could be living full and productive lives now. Children become orphans who could still have parents now if only they had meds. The bill (C 393) has passed 2nd reading and has gone to the Industry, Science and Technology committee which will take submissions and then report back to parliament.

In Canada almost no infants are born HIV-positive because mothers are given ARVs through their pregnancies. In Africa- if I have heard the stats correctly, only 10% of pregnant women receive ARVs, and the children of those who don't have a 50% chance of being born HIV-positive. (Medical people among you will know there is a drug- novirapine? that when given during the birthing process has some prophylactic effect- where available, it is used.)

"Let no leaders make decisions that don't affect them."

First, apologies that I've not written anything for days. Too much on the agenda. But now to jump right in-

you will likely find much in the media- BBC, CBC, Michael Enright, Readers Digest (Sally Armstrong), Zoomer magazine, G & M, and the stephenlewisfoundation.org blog to give you an idea of the magnitude of what's happened. It's amazing and heartening what one determined woman can do. This event was the brainchild of Siphiwe Hlophe, who many met last year when she spoke at the LE Shore library in Thornbury. She is a forceful, delightful bundle of energy. Not only did she get a huge and enthusiastic turnout for the Grandmothers Gathering, she also attracted the Swazi royal family and senior political figures.

Some quick notes in no particular order-

-on the day of our departure from the Gathering, the Ethiopean women were selling their clothing. Their project coordinator said their need is dire.

-I'm sure each and every one of us had several pleas- "can I send you the purses I make so you can sell them for me?"; "Could I get a job in Canada? I'm a teacher, but I'll do anything."; or simply "Please take me with you." The last from a senior woman in clothing I thought suggested somewhere in mid-northern Africa. Her daughter had left her with 5 children. Gone? Died? Don't know.

We may have the illusion that traditions make it easy for African grannies to care for the children. Without the family breadwinner, it can be desperate.

Then there is Ann. Talk about a force of nature! Anybody who met Ann immediately lights up. She is the youthful coordinator of a project in Kenya that began as a counselling service for grannies who were severely depressed. She said they would sit on the graves of their children , waiting to die. Ann tells them "You're not allowed to die! If you die I'll come to your funeral and make you live again and beat you in front of everybody so you won't dare die! And if you are thinking about dying, call me and I'll tell you if you're allowed to die. You have to have a VERY good reason...."

The project participants who came with her were dancing and singing and very persuasive in selling their craft goods, which they make under the project umbrella. They were all delightful. SLF, along with other NGOs, provides support for the project- the impact is huge for the grannies and their communities, and especially for their grandchildren and the other orphans in their care.

We met so many women from so many places with so many stories- all different, but in my mind a common theme emerges: GIVE THEM ACCESS TO RESOURCES. These women have been working together, giving each other what support they can, struggling to hold the families together, so often in severe poverty. They are very resourceful, they don't need much, but they do need enough.

After two long days of travel, we're here.

A group of 10 travelled together- as someone said we're already "best friends" thanks to lots of getting-to-know-you time during 10 hours layover in Frankfurt. We arrived in Joburg tired and hungry, and nonetheless ready for anything. Another group already at the hotel had organized a tour of Soweto township, so after a quick lunch, off we went. It was a pretty overwhelming day- hard to process. How do you think about all that sprawling squalor, undoubtedly a true picture of the daily lives of many of the ~30,000 inhabitants, shown to us by an articulate young guide, in a somewhat staged setting. But the standpipe for water for each section, and the smelly portable toilets were authentic. Being there was uncomfortable for more than one reason. The hopeful aspect for me was that our young guide represented a community group who use the money generated by what some are calling "poverty tourism" to get local kids to school and provide food as needed.



The Soweto visit included a tour of Nelson Mandela's home, now a well-organized museum, with another excellent guide. Photos, quotations, bullet holes in the ceiling.



Lots of random impressions- the hotel is buzzing with sophistocated, articulate, thoughtful women who have found a "calling" as social justice activists - what ever happened to Little Old Ladies- none of them here.... Just Wise Old(er) Women.

Mothers

Over the weekend, I "heard" my mother come out of my mouth. I wonder how many other people have that experience, hearing themselves saying something their mother would have said. Mothers have such a fundamental place in our mental lives- I'll bet lots of others "hear" their mothers long after their deaths.

It made me think again about something I've wondered recently: what happens in a community and a society when the mothers/parents are gone, and the children don't have the security of their love and protection, as well as their teachings about how to relate to others, about cultural norms, -their socializing influence. Many of the AIDS orphans have mother surrogates, often the grandmothers, but so many don't.
I wonder what future history will teach us about that.

We leave tomorrow on this great adventure!

I've been thinking about what motivates us to become involved in the Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF) and its Grandmothers to Grandmothers (G2G) Campaign.

For me, it's partly the Wise Old(er) Women, the WOWs, who I have met and read about through the campaign. Women like the members of our local Grey Grannies group who get together to sell jewelry or Dare to Dance or have "hatching parties", to make Grannybirds, token gifts for donors to SLF. Women like Siphiwe Hlophe who is organizing the Grandmother Gathering in Swaziland, along with playing a key role in the operation of Swaziland Positive Living.

Stephen Lewis himself is a huge motivator, as almost anyone who has heard him speak with such passion about the HIV/AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa will agree.

And the children.

I remember as we were settling into our first house in St. John's, a neighbor took me under her wing. She set out to introduce me to Newfie-speak, to tease me when I couldn't understand so much of what she said, to give me tastes of seal meat (yuck!) and fresh hot toutens with molasses (yum!), and, to ensure I wasn't taken advantage of by any of the other neighbors. "You're too soft!" she told me repeatedly, when I didn't take issue with someone over some infraction or other.

Actually I'm pretty impervious, oblivious to lots of things, pretty hard-nosed. I don't cry- almost never. But, reading "Bruno's Story" in the SLF's Grassroots publication had me close to tears- still does. Bruno was a small Ugandan boy aged 14 who was living isolated and alone, after the deaths of all the adults in his family compound. As the field representative described it: "No people, no pets, no company, no protection. No paraffin lantern or even a candle for light after dark. No food in the kitchen except for some bananas and a few mangos. And just one small boy, trying to make it on his own, day by day." The shreds of hope in the story were that Bruno went to school every day, to the Nyaka AIDS Orphan School, and that the SLF field representative had made contact with him.

Then there is Mantua. She lives in Soweto with her grandmother Salome and younger brother Joseph. In the SLF film "Grandmothers: the Unsung Heroes", 9-year-old Mantua tells us she wants to be a doctor. There is hope and determination in her shy face. One hopes she can live her dream- she and so many others in sub-Saharan Africa, where they can fill such a need.

I have an idea, a fantasy probably, of learning more about Mantua when I visit Johannesburg. But in any case, Bruno's story and Mantua's underline the key role of access to schooling. Our support can contribute to ensuring the Brunos and Mantuas can get an education .