Agogo (Grandmother)

Grandmothers, traditionally speaking, are revered in a community. They are the wise ones. The ones who care for the babies and share their oral history with them. But sometimes, in urban settings, grandmothers are the most neglected due to loss of family and poverty.

Chikumbuso began their grandmother project when we came across an elderly half-blind woman sitting on a pile of rocks smashing them into bits in the hope of earning $1 for a day’s work. The woman was desperate as she was now the caregiver for her grandchildren. Her own children had died of AIDS.

Since this time we have supported over 40 grandmothers through sponsorship. The stories have not changed much since the beginning of our project. Most of our newly sponsored grandmothers live with orphaned grandchildren trying to survive on handouts and begging. At times they are even forced to have their grandchildren do the begging for them. Some grandmothers try to sell at the market but can barely make ends meet. Chikumbuso helps where we can and we make every effort to get them sponsored.

Sponsorship of a grandmother is $350/year ($30/month). This ensures that they are watched over, that their grandchildren are taken care of and they receive a monthly stipend of food. Having that food in the house is known to give our sweet grandmothers a “peaceful sleep”. The grandmothers have built their own community at Chikumbuso and are often invited to participate in special events held at the school such as Independence Day and Christmas celebrations. We are so thankful to have these grandmothers caring for their grandchildren in their own homes.