Welcome to Grandmothers Partnering with Africa

About Us

“We will not rest until they can rest”.

The Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign was launched in 2006, as an initiative of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, in response to the emerging crisis faced by grandmothers in Africa. Since 2006, more than $40 million has been raised in support of grandmothers and the community-led organizations that support them across 14 countries in Africa. In the face of discrimination based on gender, age, and HIV status, they are courageous advocates for their families and communities.

The Stephen Lewis Foundation is a progressive, feminist organization rooted in the principles of social justice, international solidarity, and substantive equality. The SLF was created with the express purpose of supporting community-led organizations working on the frontlines of the HIV epidemic in countries across Africa.

Many of these grassroots organizations were originally formed by small groups of individuals responding to the crisis AIDS had wrought in their own lives and in the lives of their neighbours. Over the years, they have developed into thriving organizations with deep connections to their communities. The SLF’s community-led partners are building a future free from AIDS by providing care and support to women, children orphaned by AIDS, LGBTIQ communities, grandmothers and people living with HIV and AIDS.

Starting with just a few groups in Canada, the Grandmothers Campaign now includes 10,000 grandmothers and grandothers in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Grandmothers groups organize fundraising events and activities and act in solidarity with the grandmothers and the SLF’s community-led partners in 14 countries across Africa.

This international grandmothers movement amplifies the voices and expertise of grandmother in Africa and shows the world that grandmothers have a critical role to play in reclaiming hope and rebuilding resilience.

Grandmothers Partnering with Africa is proud to be part of this Campaign and supports the Stephen Lewis Foundation.

Other Grandmother Groups

We often work in partnership with other grandmothers groups in the GTA. We may have different fundraising projects & products but we always have the shared goal of supporting the SLF. Feel free to visit & support these Groups.

SLF Impact

The SLF’s work is grounded in our firm belief that the expertise needed to end the HIV epidemic is found at the community level, but sufficient funding for community-led organizations is not. Since the SLF was established in 2003, we have channelled resources directly, reliably, and accountably to our partners. Through their work, they are cutting the HIV epidemic off at its roots in Africa.

Our SLF partners have taught us that to measure the full impact of responses to HIV and AIDS, we need to understand what success looks like over the long term, for individuals, families, and communities. While lasting change is better understood through the testimonies and experiences of communities, it is clear that our grassroots partners’ reach is tangibly changing the lives of individuals affected by HIV and AIDS.

SLF partners made remarkable impact in their communities

last year. Some highlights are:

2.1 million

accessed critical services for HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health and rights

650,000+

received health care services, including home-based care and mental health support.

67,000+

people living with and affected by HIV gained income-generating skills and financial literacy to improve their economic well-being.

62,000+

children and young people, with a focus on girls, received educational support.

466,000

accessed protection, like legal support and safe spaces, including survivors of gender-based violence.

711,000+

were reached through advocacy for the rights of LGBTIQ communities and disadvantaged groups.

7,500+

grandmothers, supported by 94% of SLF partners, mobilized to participate in local governance, awareness and advocacy activities.

86,000+

reached through programs to increase climate resilience and improve food and income security and the impact on women and girls.

“It’s so amazing, because the big organizations cannot reach the local level, but we are here and we are with the community. We are hands on. Even during lockdown, we can carry on supporting the community. Thank you for understanding us. Without your method of support, this community would be suffering a lot.”

— Sthembile Ndlovu, Director at Izimbali Zesizwe, an SLF partner in South Africa