Power of Love Foundation: A Local Group Helps Lend a Hand to Aids & HIV Orphans Across the Globe
by Ann Jones

For over three decades HIV and AIDS have devastated the African continent tearing away at the web of life and stripping the threads that hold families together.  Of the 33.4 million people who are HIV positive, 68% live in sub-Saharan Africa.  Grandmothers are the unsung heroes of this tragedy.  These magnanimous women bury their own children and with little support or resources, they take on the care of many young children orphaned by AIDS.

Clera Chemtwembe is a 54 yr. old widow who is desperately trying to help transform the lives of seven young orphaned children.  Clera found that the skills she learned raising her own children did not necessarily prepare her for parenting children who are bereaved, impoverished, and bewildered by the sudden and inexplicable loss of their parents.  Clera speaks little of her own pain because AIDS still carries with it misinformation and stigma.  While grieving her own losses and pressed into parenting numerous grandchildren, Clera has seen difficult times.  She worries most about having enough food to feed her family.  She also knows that hope for the future rests with education.  She longs to earn enough money to pay school fees and uniform costs.  With the help of a micro loan from Power of Love foundation as well as some business training, Clera started her own business selling brightly colored cloth for a garment traditionally worn by African women.  Now Clera happily reports being able to feed her family at least two meals per day and two of her children have been able to attend school.

Lucia Mazibukko, a 52 yr. old widow, lost two daughters to AIDS and was left to care for three grandchildren, one of whom died of AIDS.  The two remaining children are both HIV positive.  Lucia reports, “losing my children was the toughest thing to face.  They were my breadwinners.  They were old enough to care for me.  Now they are gone and I struggle to be a mother to their children.”  Many elder parents like Lucia understand little about AIDS, yet they must learn how to talk about it with their children.  All the families in the Power of Love Foundation’s Arm’s Reach Care program have at least one child who is HIV positive.  Lucia must learn about physical management and care as well as the psychological aspects of nurturance.  Lucia benefits greatly from the regular home visits to her from the neighborhood health worker as well as the visiting nurse when necessary.  Lucia learns about special nutritional aspects of care as well as how to help the children remain adherent to their medical regimen.  She can recognize signs of illness much earlier now and knows how to care for the many illnesses of childhood as well as the special needs of her HIV infected grandchildren.  The Power of Love Foundation indirectly supervises all family members thus contributing services to over one hundred grandmothers, 120 HIV positive children, and 869 other vulnerable children.  Lucia enjoys attending the grandmother’s support group each month.  This experience allows her to explore her feelings as well as share ideas with other grandmothers.

Formed in 2008, the Granny Connection is a local group of grandmothers and “grandothers” who stand in solidarity with our African sisters.  We take action not only because we believe in service and civic duty, but because we see something fundamentally wrong when millions of grandmothers and children are living in poverty and dying of preventable diseases.  Social justice is at the core of our fundraising and Power of Love Foundation is our beneficiary.

The Power of Love Foundation transforms modest donations into the largest possible impact on people’s lives.  Your help is an essential part of our efforts.  Each of us has something to give either in time, money, or talent.  With your generous donation, you are making an essential difference in  the lives of children.  How many grandmother worries might we ameliorate?  How many children can we save?  Our challenge is great but we know when we invest in a go-go (grandmother) we invest in her grandchildren and her community.

An African proverb states:  “When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion.”  We stand with our African contemporaries.  Every penny raised goes directly to Power of Love Foundation to tie up the lion and allow the grandmother heroes to spin tales of hope to their grandchildren.  At the edge of the web we see the images of grandmothers shining through the faces of children - children who find strength, courage, and love from their hardworking go-gos.   Let’s turn that hope into reality!

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You too can lend a hand:

Attend “The Roots Suite” by Kenyettá Dance Company on Saturday, February 20, 2010 @ Southside Elementary School. The shows begins at 7pm with a free-will donation.