Quinte Grannies Founders Still “Striding”
Win Perryman and Bernice Hassay are encouraging everyone to ‘Stride to Turn the Tide”, a fundraising initiative of the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s Grandmothers Campaign which raises money to be delivered directly to community-based organizations at the forefront of the response to HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa.
The two are founders of Quinte Grannies for Africa which celebrates its 16th anniversary this September. Being 101 and 92 years of age, respectively, is no barrier to their continuing efforts to support grandmothers in Africa who have been raising a generation of children orphaned by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Perryman says, “The community-based organizations provide helpful services such as medical care, education about HIV/AIDS, support groups and economic opportunities for the grandmothers. Progress was being made but now they must also cope with the strain of COVID19.”
With lockdowns in place, access to food and medicine limited, people cut off from support groups, SLF partners have worked tirelessly to get HIV medications to rural communities, delivered emergency food assistance to children and their caregivers who have lost their livelihoods, found new ways to offer mental health support virtually, and expanded programming to prevent and respond to gender-based violence – just to name a few ways in which they are providing a lifeline to African grandmothers and youth. At the intersections of HIV, COVID-19 and human rights, SLF partners are a lifeline for those at greatest risk.
Hassay comments “We know how difficult the last couple of years have been here in Canada but it has been even tougher for our partners in Africa. As AIDS falls off the radar again due to the COVID crisis and the war in Ukraine, we must not forget African grandmothers who are raising the next generation of leaders.”
On June 11, Quinte Grannies will walk in solidarity with the African grandmothers. They will meet at St Thomas church at 9:45 a.m. to begin the walk and end at Belleville Market Square where they will have an information table. They invite everyone, regardless of age, to walk with them or visit them at the Market. Should you be unable to join them, you may support the walk by going online to ‘Stride to Turn the Tide 2022’, clicking on Donate and choosing their team, Quinte Grannies for Africa.
