Ensure Comfort for Grandmothers

 I remember back when Chikumbuso consisted of nothing more than 8 widows struggling to find an enterprise that would change their lives. One day, Beauty and I drove past a very old woman sitting on a pile of rocks. In her right hand was a hammer and in her left was a rock that she was about to smash into pieces.  She was sitting in the shade of a large tree that unfortunately did not protect her from the heat of the day.  I was shocked. Such an old lady obliged to smash rocks, I could not help but think of my grandmother or great aunt doing the same. 

This is not the story of one grandmother it is the story of many grandmothers who lose their children to AIDS. They inherit their grandchildren and have no manner of support for them.  Many sit on a pile of rocks working all day for perhaps $1 or $2 if they are lucky and this story is why we started our grandmother project. We might not be able to relieve them from a crumbled home where they sit recycling the cement rocks but we do lighten their load through food allotments and health care. 

Mary is one of our grandmothers. She is lame and was given a wheelchair by her church. Her home crumbled around her last year so Chikumbuso recently rebuilt it. Only one of Mary's children is alive and Mary cares for four grandchildren. There is nothing she can do to help herself but she is commited to loving her grandchildren.  Your gift will help us continue to help her and other grandmothers like her.