About Grandmothers United

• We are a group of UK grandmothers helping South African grandmothers, known as gogos, who are struggling to care for their orphaned and vulnerable grandchildren.
• We passionately believe that grandmothers in the more affluent societies can help grandparents less fortunate than themselves and are forming an international network to assist our South African counterparts.
• We are putting on tea parties and other events to raise awareness and funds. Why not host an event yourself?.

Why Grandmothers United Makes a Difference

• Very often, grandmothers who have endured the tragedy of losing their children to HIV/AIDS, take in their orphaned grandchildren in what are commonly referred to as ‘gogo-headed households’.
• The majority of these grandmothers are poverty-stricken. They may well have been receiving essential financial support from their children who have now passed away.
• In their twilight years, when they are physically slowing down, these grandmothers now find themselves under extraordinary stress to provide adequate food and shelter, education and healthcare for their grandchildren.
• Accessing social grants to assist in supporting their grandchildren is a difficult and time-consuming procedure especially for those in remote, rural areas who are far from municipal centres and not adept at dealing with bureaucracy.
• Even those who do manage to access social grants still remain cash-strapped as this small allowance does not cover all the basic needs of growing children.
• Children living with ageing grandparents are extremely vulnerable to hunger and sickness; and they are more likely to drop out of school.
• Donations from Grandmothers United have touched the hearts of ASAP’s South African grandmothers who feel enormous relief and gratitude for the extra help that enables them to buy children’s shoes, enough food for the month or to pay for transport to a clinic. It brightens their world that there are other grandmothers in the world that care about their struggle and offer them a helping hand.

Host a Party

• Grandmothers United events are a way for grandmothers, grandfathers and step grandparents to get together to talk about their grandchildren and offer support to the African grandmothers in our programmes.
• No Minimum and No Maximum: We strongly believe that Grandmothers United fundraising should not involve any minimum or maximum donations. Even small amounts can go a long way in South Africa.
• Tea parties particularly, but also coffee mornings, cocktail parties, lunches or dinners are a few suggestions for ways to raise awareness and fundraise.
• Funds raised by Grandmothers United will be used to support the increasing numbers of ‘Granny-headed households’ in the communities where ASAP operates.
• We have prepared an event package with a DVD photo slideshow; ASAP leaflets; donation cards with GiftAid information; and contact information for those attending tea parties.
• If you wish to hold Grandmothers United event, please contact us for a package:

  UK Camilla Corbett 14 Hertford Court, Falcon Road, London SW11 2PH camilla@africansolutions.org

  USA No problem! Just email Camilla Corbett and we can send you material to print yourself or ship you a package.

Tips for Planning Your Event

• Invite your family, friends and neighbours.
• Send out an invitation well in advance so people can get it in their diaries.
• It is important to let people know why you are holding your event for ASAP's grannies so please make sure everyone has access to the leaflets and information that is included in the party pack.
• If you are having a big event you could introduce other activities to raise further valuable funds: a cake stall with homemade cakes and biscuits, guess the weight of the cake! Other ideas include holding a quiz, a dress-down day at work or school is also always popular!
• For smaller events you could make it perhaps a more regular event, rotating the host.
• Whatever the size, whatever the event, make sure you record it with photographs so we can put them up on the website.

Tell Us About Your Event

We'd love to hear how your Grandmothers United event went. Please email photos of your event to photos@africansolutions.org. Include a description of your event and, if you want, captions for your photos. If you can resize your images, make them 640px in size.

By submitting pictures you grant us permission to display them on our website. If you'd rather we didn't, just let us know.

Successful Grandmothers United Events

Rosie Blencoe – Papworth, Cambridgeshire, July 2009

Rosie's Tea Party

A lovely afternoon at the home of Mrs Rosie Blencoe in Papworth, Cambridgeshire where over £140 was raised.

See more pictures and previous Grandmothers United events on our Flickr page.