Local Mother's Day auction aims to raise funds for program in Africa
Grandmothers 4 Grandmothers hosts online sale to support women caregivers
Most people buy flowers or make a favourite family meal for Mother's Day, but Grandmothers 4 Grandmothers (G4G), a Regina charity dedicated to raising money for elderly women in Africa, has set their sights a little higher.
In the weeks leading up to May 9, they'll be running Mother's Day Madness, an online auction featuring items from artists and business-owners across the province. All proceeds will be donated to the Stephen Lewis Foundation (SLF), an organization that supports grandmothers in sub-saharan African communities who care for children orphaned by AIDS.
“These African grandmothers became instant parents again amid the crisis, putting their children through school, educating them, so a huge challenge for them,” said G4G volunteer Sherry Wolf in an interview Friday.
Mother's Day Madness, which will open on April 20 and continue until May 5, will feature a variety of themed packages with initial bids ranging anywhere from $5 to several hundred.
Wolf said they're planning to include cooking packages, African jewelry, vouchers for bicycle tuneups at Dutch Cycle, sweet treats from Milky Way, a painting by Saskatchewan artist Rose Steadman, a musical surprise from Canadian country singer Jeffery Straker and more. They will be offering curbside pickup or free delivery for those who participate.
Since G4G started in 2006, the charity has raised $900,000 for SLF. SLF donates the money to African communities to ensure that grandmothers can send orphaned children to school, provide for them financially, help them find legal aid and arrange for adequate health care.
SLF also runs projects to support women and children, but grandmothers have been a particular focus for them, as they lead communities while younger demographics battle with HIV/ AIDS.
“Over time grandmothers have been developing networks and organizing with one another to seek justice, claim human rights and collectively advocate for their own futures as well as the futures of their grandchildren,” said Sarah Dopp, senior manager of SLF'S grandmother campaign.
The World Health Organization estimates that 25.7 million people in Africa are HIV positive, and COVID poses a particular health risk for those who suffer from it.
“There's been impacts by way of restrictions, limitations, curfews in communities which have a direct impact on individuals' abilities to be moving within communities,” explained Dopp, adding that people have had more difficulty getting to medical appointments for treatment
Dopp stated that much of the money they receive is being put toward mitigating health risks, ensuring people have access to hand sanitizer, protective masks, soap and clean water.