Africa's unsung heroes
Dittie introduced the speaker, Sherry Ardell. Sherry has a background in social work and teaching and a founding member of the charity Oomama that represents grandmothers, the unsung heroes of Africa.
In 2005 Sherry first became aware of the happenings in Africa. Africa is the center of the AIDS pandemic. For the first time in recorded history, the whole middle generation has been wiped out. Grandmothers who are living in poverty with little or no resources are caring for 40-60% of orphans. They are worried about food, schooling and children who have the virus. Stephen from the Stephen Lewis Foundation refers to these grandparents as the unsung heroes of Africa. You do not have to be a grandparent to be a member of Oomama. The mandates are to raise awareness, raise funds and lobby on behalf of issues that affect human rights.
Why the Stephen Lewis Foundation – administration cost kept to 10%, they deal with providing grief counseling, medical fees, school fees etc.
Sherry showed the group a slide show of a woman called Karmela who uses this service and takes care of 28 orphans. She works seven days a week for 15 years in a stone quarry. The family earns $22 every 2 weeks, which buys only half the food. This is one of 150 projects that is supported by the Stephen Lewis Foundation.
What can one do to help in a situation like this? Make a donation; average daily salary is $1.00. A school uniform costs $12.00; $350 pays for a sewing machine that will allow a woman to be a supporting member of the family.
Sherry concluded that small groups of determined women could change the world. For more information visit http://www.oomama.org/
Bedar thanked Sherry for enlightening us on this dire situation in Africa and congratulated her for the good work she is doing.