Imagine that you’re a grandmother having to raise four or more grandchildren on what little income you have. How will you feed and clothe them? Pay their tuition for school?

That’s the position of sub-Saharan grandmothers who are raising their grandchildren alone, who at the same time are losing their adult children to AIDS.

Grandmothers’ Necklace, a collection of prose and poetry from over 60 writers in Canada, the US, and Ireland, is the brainchild of  editor Patricia Elford. She had joined the Petawawa Grannies, Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign of the Stephen Lewis Foundation and wanted to do something to help. In her own words, “Knitting and crocheting are not among my skills,” but she thought that she could contribute by gathering stories and poetry,  editing and compiling them into book  form, using skills she already has.

From the introduction to the book

Stephen Lewis, when he was the UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, was struck by the desperate plight  of the women of Africa, particularly the grandmothers who, in their 50s, 60s and even 70s have taken on the raising of their orphaned grandchildren as they lose their own sons and daughters to AIDS.

Three launches have already taken place in the Belleville and Petawawa areas, and two more are in active planning stages.

Contributors from Waterloo Region and beyond will be hosting a launch on May 1st at St. Philip’s Lutheran Church, 236 Woodhaven Road in Kitchener, from 2-4 pm, with all profits going to the Stephen Lewis Foundation to help these sub-Saharan grannies.  Guests will be treated to readings by local authors. Books will be available for purchase.

Other upcoming fundraising for Grannies to Grannies include: A  benefit concert for Grannies to Grannies at Bloor St. United church April 24th, and a book launch will be held in Scarborough May 7th.  More information on this launch in an upcoming post.

To learn more about the Stephen Lewis Foundation, go here.