Grandmothers present “Flavours of Africa”

Jeff Green | Sep 15, 2011

The Grandmothers-by-the-Lake will be busy in their kitchens preparing an African fundraising dinner to be held at Trinity United Church in Verona on Saturday, September 24, staring at 6 p.m.

Among the dishes that will be served are a West African soup, with vegetables, spices, and rice, a chicken cooked with red pepper flakes, ground coriander, peanut butter and tomato, and a South African dish, Bobotie, which is a mixture of meat with grapes and fruit chutney and curry paste. Pomegranate rice will be served as well, and for dessert – sweet potato pie.

The dinner costs $25 per person, and because group members are covering the cost of the food, all of that money will go to the Grandmothers campaign that the Stephen Lewis Foundation runs. In five years, the campaign has raised $12 million, which has gone to support grandmothers in Africa who have had to adopt their grandchildren after the children’s parents have died of AIDS.

According to the Grandmothers to Grandmothers website, there are almost 15 million children in sub-Saharan Africa who have been orphaned by AIDS. The website goes on to describe the circumstances that grandmothers face

“They bury their own children and then in their 50s, 60s and 70s begin to parent again, raising their grandchildren with little or no support. In some countries throughout southern Africa, 40-60% of orphans live in grandmother-headed households. These courageous and resilient women have no time to grieve. Their priority is the next generation: the infants, toddlers, and teenagers who are left behind. Although there is never enough for their burgeoning households, somehow these grandmothers attempt to feed, clothe and comfort their grandchildren.”

Grandmothers-by-the-Lake is one of 240 “grandmothers” groups from across Canada. The groups are made up of “grandmothers, their friends and grandmothers in waiting” according to the foundation website, which also includes detailed information about the percentage of money raised that goes towards administrative costs of the Stephen Lewis Foundation (the total is about 19%, and the foundations says this includes all costs, even a number that could be hidden in ‘education’ and ‘capacity building’ line items)

While “Flavours” is a fundraising event for a serious cause, it is also an opportunity for people to gather as a community to share a meal, always a joyous occasion.

For information or to purchase tickets, call Tiffany Gift shop at 613-372-1368, Adele Colby (613-375-8845) or Pat Kelman.