What is the Stephen Lewis Foundation?

The Stephen Lewis Foundation works with African community-based organizations that are turning the tide of HIV/AIDS in Africa. They provide care and support to women, orphaned children, grandmothers and people living with HIV and AIDS. Since 2003, we have worked with 300 community-based organizations in the 15 African countries hardest hit by the pandemic.

Community-based organizations are increasingly recognized as experts and agents of change by governments and international bodies. The Foundation’s philosophy is firmly rooted in the notion that the communities themselves are going to turn the tide of HIV/AIDS in Africa. Their expertise and priorities guide every aspect of our approach

What is the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign?

The Stephen Lewis Foundation launched the Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign in March 2006, in response to the emerging crisis faced by African grandmothers as they struggled to care for millions of children orphaned by AIDS. What began with only a few groups of committed Canadian grandmothers has since evolved into a dynamic and responsive movement working to mobilize support in Canada for Africa’s grandmothers.

Canadian grandmothers groups are tremendously active in their communities. They put on concerts, organize card tournaments, host community dinners, and sell jewellery. They speak to countless schools and local organizations. They bake, cook, sew, knit, garden, paint, sculpt, and write. They organize cycle tours and national walks – all to raise awareness and tens of millions of dollars for grandmothers in sub-Saharan Africa.

What is Stride to Turn the Tide?

Every year, Canadian grandmothers walk in solidarity with African grandmothers through Stride to Turn the Tide – a national walk organized by Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign groups across Canada.

All across Canada…

Grandmothers are gathering... And walking!

Why do we walk?

What started as a great idea from grandmothers in Canmore, Alberta is now in its 6th year!

Grandmothers and grandothers will strive and stride to:

• Raise funds; • Build solidarity;• and Raise awareness with every footstep across Canada

through Stride to Turn the Tide.

Why do African grandmothers walk?

African grandmothers walk to get water

They walk to get medicine from the clinic and attend support

groups with other grandmothers

African grandmothers walk to bring food and crafts to the market to sell

They walk to savings and loan clubs

African grandmothers walk to deliver home-based care

Offering support and hope to those who need it most

African grandmothers walk to show they are strong, united and unstoppable

This year, the main weekend for Stride is

June 13 – 14, 2015

Walks may also be held June 6-7 or June 20-21, 2015

Ways to Walk

Traditional Walk walk outside in your community, or indoors, like a mall walk

A ‘Virtual’ WalkWalk to some of our grassroots partner organizations as a group

by recording your steps with a pedometer and log book

Walking ToursGarden tours, house tours, or even a guided tour

• “For Canadian grandmothers, Stride is a wonderful moment to stand – and walk – in solidarity with African grandmothers. Every step we take honours their courage and their extraordinary resolve in the face of the AIDS pandemic. My grandmothers group does a lot of creative fundraising, but Stride brings us together in a unique way – we feel deeply connected to our African sisters and to one another.” – Elizabeth, Toronto

We hope you will join us.

It’s easy to organize or join a walk in your community! Simply call a member of the Grandmothers Campaign Team at 1-888-203-9990, or email at: stride@stephenlewisfoundation.org.

African grandmothers are turning the tide of HIV and AIDS!