Lady Comfort Ani
National President of YWCA Nigeria
Wednesday April 25, 2007 ? 3:30 ? 5:00 pm
75 MacNab Street South, Hamilton
5R Conference Room
Lady Comfort Ani will speak about the HIV and AIDS crisis in Africa, and its impact on
women and girls. Q&A session to follow. Refreshments will be served. Please RSVP your
attendance to YWCA Hamilton Development Department at 905-522-9922 ext.111 or by
email at lynnemb@ywcahamilton.org.
HIV and AIDS is the largest global emergency to face women and girls in our lifetime. In
Sub-Saharan Africa, the region most devastated by HIV and AIDS, three out of four people
under the age of 25 years living with HIV are young women, and 59% of infected adults
are women. Globally, women make up almost half of the 39.5 million people living with
HIV, and this figure is rising. Since 1999, the World YWCA, one of the world?s largest
organizations for women and girls, with a membership and outreach of millions, has been
aggressively tackling this deadly disease. At the heart of the World YWCA?s global
strategy is the mobilization of women in local villages and communities to lead the fight
against HIV and AIDS.
Monday, April 23, 2007
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Minutes of last mtg
GRANDMOTHERS OF STEEL MEETING
Tuesday, April 17, 7:00
Michael DeGroote Centre of Learning building, McMaster
Members present- Anne Philpot, Georgina Hewitt, Jan Lukas, Bithika Raychaudhuri, Shirley Routliffe, Kay O'Sullivan, Sue Hanna, Maureen Godden, Mane Arratia, Heather Johnston, Ruth Pearson, Barb Benjamin, Mary Beech, Jessie Kaye, Eileen Benson, Shelley Porteous, Rose Janson, Theresa Randles, Amita Raha, Aditi Raha
Regrets- Martha Paynter, Maggie Thomas, Judian Shardlow, Lisbie Rae
Pre-meeting scarf/jewelry/print sale
Anne introduced the guest speaker, Dr. Basanti Majumdar.
Key points of Dr. Majumdar's presentation on Empowerment: -the women are very active, creative and industrious in Africa, so the focus of strategies for Income generation is local business women.
-empowerment in terms of primary health care involves providing basic knowledge about major diseases (signs, symptoms), malnutrition, infection
-the impact on women is improved nutrition, increased assets, household stability, improved intra-family relationships and increased social status
-HIV/AIDS can't be considered in a vacuum. Biological determinants are one thing, social determinants are another. Poverty (which often connects to war), education, access to health care, depression, women's status all have a strong co-relation to HIV/AIDS
Dr. Majumdar then showed slides of Income generation and Health and Lifestyle from Zambia and South Africa.
The rest of the meeting mostly dealt with updates and information.
-a reminder that the production of Half Life in Waterdown on April 26 is a Grandmothers of Steel fundraiser and could generate $4,000.00+.
-Theresa spoke to a group at Christ Church in Flamborough, and received $96.00 in donations plus sold 6 sets of cards. She also held a scarf/jewelry fundraiser at her school and raised $246.00. She, her daughter and Barb made a banner that was presented to the group. Proofs of some of the drawings were also presented to the group.
-Anne offered to have any interested members put their names into a draw for the May 11 premier of "A Generation of Orphans" in Toronto. Since we will be having a showing of the DVD in Hamilton, Theresa and Anne will go to the premier.
-Anne reminded the group that Stephanie Nolan is speaking at the AGH on Monday, April 23. She encouraged members to send letters and petitions to the government re. Bill C9.
-Anne then showed the group the package she has produced for Canada-wide distribution of the card design discs (for grandmother groups interested in producing cards for fundraising). These will be available at the price of $20.00 which covers the cost of making and sending them.
-She will be speaking to the Retired Women Teachers on Oct. 17. Jan offered to sell cards at this event.
-There are plans in the making for a Grandmother March in Ottawa on Grandparents' Day, Sept. 9. More information will come from a meeting of Toronto and Region Grandmothers on Sunday, April 22. One member from each group is asked to attend. Theresa is going.
-Plans for the Mother's Day showing of 'A Generation of Orphans' is set for the Sky Dragon at 1:00, May 13. Theresa has tickets made, at $10.00 for members and $20.00 for public. Barb gave background information about the Sky Dragon. Leah Campbell has agreed to host, and since she was involved with the Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign at the SLF, has indepth knowledge. Barb has volunteered to help set up and attend door. Shelley has agreed to help Theresa sell tickets through OPIRG at McMaster.
-Shirley gave a financial update and announced that a second cheque for $2,500.00 has been given to Anne to present to Julie and Ilana tomorrow. She and Theresa will meet them at Sisters of Notre Dame in Waterdown.
-Ruth mentioned an article about Canadian Grandmothers' support of African Grandmothers in a recent CARP magazine, and will look into getting permission to reprint the article.
-Our next meeting is May 16. Location to come. We will be viewing the uncut version of 'The man who wouldn't sleep'. Anne mentioned that Liz Marshall got copies of this DVD for all grandmother groups. All grandmother groups have also been given a DVD of the Gathering in August 2006. (80 minutes long).
-Tentative date for the June potluck meeting at Theresa's is June 14.
-Rose asked the group to use the coming election time as an opportunity to push for Canada's unmet promise of .7%.
-meeting adjourned
Tuesday, April 17, 7:00
Michael DeGroote Centre of Learning building, McMaster
Members present- Anne Philpot, Georgina Hewitt, Jan Lukas, Bithika Raychaudhuri, Shirley Routliffe, Kay O'Sullivan, Sue Hanna, Maureen Godden, Mane Arratia, Heather Johnston, Ruth Pearson, Barb Benjamin, Mary Beech, Jessie Kaye, Eileen Benson, Shelley Porteous, Rose Janson, Theresa Randles, Amita Raha, Aditi Raha
Regrets- Martha Paynter, Maggie Thomas, Judian Shardlow, Lisbie Rae
Pre-meeting scarf/jewelry/print sale
Anne introduced the guest speaker, Dr. Basanti Majumdar.
Key points of Dr. Majumdar's presentation on Empowerment: -the women are very active, creative and industrious in Africa, so the focus of strategies for Income generation is local business women.
-empowerment in terms of primary health care involves providing basic knowledge about major diseases (signs, symptoms), malnutrition, infection
-the impact on women is improved nutrition, increased assets, household stability, improved intra-family relationships and increased social status
-HIV/AIDS can't be considered in a vacuum. Biological determinants are one thing, social determinants are another. Poverty (which often connects to war), education, access to health care, depression, women's status all have a strong co-relation to HIV/AIDS
Dr. Majumdar then showed slides of Income generation and Health and Lifestyle from Zambia and South Africa.
The rest of the meeting mostly dealt with updates and information.
-a reminder that the production of Half Life in Waterdown on April 26 is a Grandmothers of Steel fundraiser and could generate $4,000.00+.
-Theresa spoke to a group at Christ Church in Flamborough, and received $96.00 in donations plus sold 6 sets of cards. She also held a scarf/jewelry fundraiser at her school and raised $246.00. She, her daughter and Barb made a banner that was presented to the group. Proofs of some of the drawings were also presented to the group.
-Anne offered to have any interested members put their names into a draw for the May 11 premier of "A Generation of Orphans" in Toronto. Since we will be having a showing of the DVD in Hamilton, Theresa and Anne will go to the premier.
-Anne reminded the group that Stephanie Nolan is speaking at the AGH on Monday, April 23. She encouraged members to send letters and petitions to the government re. Bill C9.
-Anne then showed the group the package she has produced for Canada-wide distribution of the card design discs (for grandmother groups interested in producing cards for fundraising). These will be available at the price of $20.00 which covers the cost of making and sending them.
-She will be speaking to the Retired Women Teachers on Oct. 17. Jan offered to sell cards at this event.
-There are plans in the making for a Grandmother March in Ottawa on Grandparents' Day, Sept. 9. More information will come from a meeting of Toronto and Region Grandmothers on Sunday, April 22. One member from each group is asked to attend. Theresa is going.
-Plans for the Mother's Day showing of 'A Generation of Orphans' is set for the Sky Dragon at 1:00, May 13. Theresa has tickets made, at $10.00 for members and $20.00 for public. Barb gave background information about the Sky Dragon. Leah Campbell has agreed to host, and since she was involved with the Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign at the SLF, has indepth knowledge. Barb has volunteered to help set up and attend door. Shelley has agreed to help Theresa sell tickets through OPIRG at McMaster.
-Shirley gave a financial update and announced that a second cheque for $2,500.00 has been given to Anne to present to Julie and Ilana tomorrow. She and Theresa will meet them at Sisters of Notre Dame in Waterdown.
-Ruth mentioned an article about Canadian Grandmothers' support of African Grandmothers in a recent CARP magazine, and will look into getting permission to reprint the article.
-Our next meeting is May 16. Location to come. We will be viewing the uncut version of 'The man who wouldn't sleep'. Anne mentioned that Liz Marshall got copies of this DVD for all grandmother groups. All grandmother groups have also been given a DVD of the Gathering in August 2006. (80 minutes long).
-Tentative date for the June potluck meeting at Theresa's is June 14.
-Rose asked the group to use the coming election time as an opportunity to push for Canada's unmet promise of .7%.
-meeting adjourned
Monday, April 16, 2007
Bill C-9- petition & letter-writing
We from Grandmother to Grandmother groups and our friends urge all Members of Parliament to put in place the changes that are necessary to Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime to ensure that antiretroviral drugs are available to the people and countries of Africa that need them so desperately.
A sample letter to send to MPs:
Your address
April ?, 2007
Dear
I am a member of Grandmothers Embrace, the South Simcoe group of Grandmothers to Grandmothers. There are now over 150 Grandmother Groups across Canada, working to raise awareness and provide support for our counterparts, the grandmothers of Africa who are raising the millions of children orphaned by the AIDS pandemic.
As you are no doubt aware, Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime came into effect in 2004 with the admirable goal of making it possible for Canadian companies to obtain “compulsory licences” that would authorize the manufacture and export of the lower-cost, generic versions of patented drugs needed by people in developing countries. Unfortunately, the law as it now stands is not working: no drugs have been exported under this Regime. The federal government is currently reviewing the legislation and will report to Parliament in May.
The World Health Organization estimates that, in the period between the passage of the Access to Medicines Regime and the present, more than 25 million people have died because they did not have access to existing medicines and vaccines.* I urge you to act quickly and do everything in your power to ensure that changes to the Regime are made so that antiretroviral drugs are available to people who desperately need them.
Yours sincerely,
*Instead of this sentence you might say:
In 2006 UNICEF reports that 530,000 African children under 15 have been newly infected with HIV/AIDS and 9 out of 10 are not getting treatment.
OR
Since the law was enacted in 2004, between 1.7 and 2.3 million people per year have lost their battle with AIDS.
A sample letter to send to MPs:
Your address
April ?, 2007
Dear
I am a member of Grandmothers Embrace, the South Simcoe group of Grandmothers to Grandmothers. There are now over 150 Grandmother Groups across Canada, working to raise awareness and provide support for our counterparts, the grandmothers of Africa who are raising the millions of children orphaned by the AIDS pandemic.
As you are no doubt aware, Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime came into effect in 2004 with the admirable goal of making it possible for Canadian companies to obtain “compulsory licences” that would authorize the manufacture and export of the lower-cost, generic versions of patented drugs needed by people in developing countries. Unfortunately, the law as it now stands is not working: no drugs have been exported under this Regime. The federal government is currently reviewing the legislation and will report to Parliament in May.
The World Health Organization estimates that, in the period between the passage of the Access to Medicines Regime and the present, more than 25 million people have died because they did not have access to existing medicines and vaccines.* I urge you to act quickly and do everything in your power to ensure that changes to the Regime are made so that antiretroviral drugs are available to people who desperately need them.
Yours sincerely,
*Instead of this sentence you might say:
In 2006 UNICEF reports that 530,000 African children under 15 have been newly infected with HIV/AIDS and 9 out of 10 are not getting treatment.
OR
Since the law was enacted in 2004, between 1.7 and 2.3 million people per year have lost their battle with AIDS.
Friday, April 13, 2007
Mother's Day Event
The new SLF's Orphans DVD is promised to be released in time for Mother's Day.
I have booked a venue for a Mother's Day showing of this new DVD. It will be at the Sky Dragon, 27 King William St. Hamilton, at 1:00 in the afternoon on Sunday May 13.
This event will be publicized. Tickets will be $10.00 for members of Grandmothers of Steel, and $20.00 for members of the public. Tickets will be available at our meeting on April 17, or you can call me at 905-389-1405. We are hoping that there will be a strong showing from the public so that this will become a significant fund-raiser for the Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign.
Theresa
I have booked a venue for a Mother's Day showing of this new DVD. It will be at the Sky Dragon, 27 King William St. Hamilton, at 1:00 in the afternoon on Sunday May 13.
This event will be publicized. Tickets will be $10.00 for members of Grandmothers of Steel, and $20.00 for members of the public. Tickets will be available at our meeting on April 17, or you can call me at 905-389-1405. We are hoping that there will be a strong showing from the public so that this will become a significant fund-raiser for the Grandmothers to Grandmothers campaign.
Theresa
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Half Life- A benefit show
Village Theatre (Waterdown) Inc. is staging a benefit performance for Grandmothers of Steel on Thursday, April 26th at 8:00 p.m. The show is Half Life, by Hamilton playwright John Mighton. Tickets are $25 and may be ordered in advance by phoning 905 690 7889.
This is a wonderful opportunity for us to raise a great deal of money in a short space of time, and enjoy a production featuring the crème de la crème of local community actors, and starring our own member, Maggie Thomas. I challenge us all not only to come to this exciting event, but to bring three friends. What an enjoyable way for us each to send $100 to support grandmothers in Africa, and the hall holds 176! Come see the play, which appropriately enough features grandmothers and their offspring.
What shines through when memory fades away? Clara and Patrick meet in a nursing home for veterans. They begin to fall in love, thinking they are rekindling an old flame. Have they ever met before? As Clara and Patrick’s middle-aged children watch their faltering parents, the older couple discovers beauty and love in the twilight of their lives.
If you require more information, please call me or Maggie Thomas at the numbers below. You can also find more about our theatre group at www.villagetheatrewaterdown.ca
See you at the show!
Lisbie Rae
Member, Village Theatre and Grandmothers of Steel
Lisbie Rae Maggie Thomas
905 659 7213 905 627 2164
lisbie@xplornet.com magmum80@hotmail.com
This is a wonderful opportunity for us to raise a great deal of money in a short space of time, and enjoy a production featuring the crème de la crème of local community actors, and starring our own member, Maggie Thomas. I challenge us all not only to come to this exciting event, but to bring three friends. What an enjoyable way for us each to send $100 to support grandmothers in Africa, and the hall holds 176! Come see the play, which appropriately enough features grandmothers and their offspring.
What shines through when memory fades away? Clara and Patrick meet in a nursing home for veterans. They begin to fall in love, thinking they are rekindling an old flame. Have they ever met before? As Clara and Patrick’s middle-aged children watch their faltering parents, the older couple discovers beauty and love in the twilight of their lives.
If you require more information, please call me or Maggie Thomas at the numbers below. You can also find more about our theatre group at www.villagetheatrewaterdown.ca
See you at the show!
Lisbie Rae
Member, Village Theatre and Grandmothers of Steel
Lisbie Rae Maggie Thomas
905 659 7213 905 627 2164
lisbie@xplornet.com magmum80@hotmail.com
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