Since 2006, Carolyn Nixon, right, has helped South African grandmothers support their grandchildren
By Shelley Cooke
Across sub-Saharan Africa, hundreds of thousands of people still die each year from AIDS-related causes. Behind those statistics are families, including grandmothers who have stepped in to care for grandchildren orphaned by the epidemic.
In the Valley of a Thousand Hills in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, more than 2,000 grandmothers (gogos) are raising their grandchildren. For many, becoming caregivers has meant becoming parents for a second time, supporting children whose lives have been disrupted by loss.
In 2006, the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign was launched to support African grandmothers caring for grandchildren who have lost their parents to AIDS-related illnesses.
Centennial resident Carolyn Nixon first learned about the grassroots movement through her daughter, Stephanie, who was living in Durban, South Africa, conducting research on the AIDS crisis as part of her postdoctoral work.
As a new grandmother eager to get involved, Carolyn served as a delegate at the inaugural Grandmothers to Grandmothers gathering in Toronto, where 100 African gogos and 200 Canadian grannies came together. There, she met three Zulu delegates – Cwengi Myeni, Princess Mkhize and Lindeni Mbutho – from the Valley of a Thousand Hills near the Hillcrest AIDS Centre.
Carolyn told the women that she planned to visit her daughter in Durban for two months and wanted to support the grandmothers in their community. When she asked what she could bring with her, their response illustrated the depth of their need: “Everything and everything,” they told her.
Since 2006, Carolyn has regularly returned to the Valley of a Thousand Hills to visit Cwengi, Princess and Lindeni, and the four have since become known as “the fearsome foursome.” On each trip, she arrives with hockey bags packed with everything from reading glasses for the gogos to toys, clothing and health supplies.
In 2011, Carolyn, a retired physical education teacher, came up with the idea for the Gogolympics as a tribute to the grandmothers. It was a chance for them to step away from the daily demands of caring for several children and simply have fun.
“They have so little joy in their lives, and I wanted to give them something fun to look forward to,” Carolyn said. The annual Gogolympics, organized by both Carolyn and Cwengi, brought the community together in a celebration of physical activity, friendship and fun.
During this year’s visit, Carolyn saw the impact of funding she and her Canadian friends provided for nursing equipment, as well as recent progress, including diabetes-awareness programs and a new home for children with severe disabilities.
Carolyn said the grandmothers still need greater personal and financial support. Access to healthcare and educational opportunities for young people remain critical, while limited resources continue to make it difficult for many families.
When asked how working closely with the grandmother groups has changed the way she sees her life in Canada, Carolyn said, “It changes your whole soul. You become very aware of what we have and what they don’t.” She encourages others to get involved in whatever way they can: “It’s so special to see how even a little amount of help can create change.”
Back home, Carolyn raises money to support the gogos and children by hosting an annual ladies’ golf tournament. Each year, she gives the tournament a fun and creative theme, bringing together friends and fellow golfers to support the cause.
While greater access to healthcare, education and financial support is still desperately needed, Carolyn’s years of advocacy have brought the gogos hope, joy and a stronger sense of community. At its heart is a simple bond: grandmothers supporting one another.