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GRANDMA-2-GRANDMA Facts
(Bibi-2-Bibi in Kiswahili)

PROJECT
GRANDMA-2-GRANDMA / BIBI-2-BIBI is a project of the Bibi Jann Children's Care Trust, registered in Tanzania, East Africa. It is headquartered in the village of Mbagala, about 10 miles south of Dar es Salaam.
Co-founders are Jann "Bibi Jann" Mitchell of Stockholm, Sweden and Portland, Oregon, and Fatuma Gwao, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

PURPOSE

  1. To find sponsors world-wide for grandmothers (bibis) who are raising their
    AIDS-    orphaned grandchildren in order to feed, clothe and educate the children,
  2. To help bibis become self-supporting through crafts sales (design, manufacture,  marketing of batiks, woven mats, model boats, etc.),
  3. To provide emotional support for these grieving mothers,
  4. To provide education in HIV/AIDS prevention and care, nutrition, personal financial management, literacy.

REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATON

  1. Grandmothers must have lost one or more children to AIDS and be sheltering their orphaned grandchildren,
  2. Grandmothers must attend Saturday morning meetings and work sessions (unless too old or sick) and participate in making of crafts for sale,
  3. Grandchildren must (as financially enabled) attend school or a work apprentice program.

BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATION

  1. Grandmothers and grandchildren are assigned sponsors who send money, gifts, letters and photos,
  2. They thus get help with food, clothing, school fees and uniforms,
  3. They have access to the Bibi Clothes Closet,
  4. Orphans receive free medical care.
  5. management,
  6. Children go on field trips and given parties,
  7. All obtain the emotional support of others in the same situation,
  8. They gain dignity, hope, self-esteem,
  9. They know someone cares about their plight.

HISTORY
2005 - Project begun in March after bibi/orphan needs are realized after            visiting student homes. Interviews begin.

2006 - Interviews continue.
           Bibi Project Office completed, with bibis meeting Saturdays to create            crafts for sale (batiks, clothes, mats, etc.) Bibi Clothes Closet opens            in April, with Caroline Barker in Dar as collector, transporter Orphans            accepted into pediatric medical care at DarDar clinic mid-year.
           First bibi in program and her six grandkids move into their own home,            built by sponsoring American woman with help of her friends.

2007 - Temporary Bibi Jann House opens in March with donation paying 14            months' rent. Four homeless grandmas and their 13 grandchildren            move in. FAWCO building campaign begins.

2008 - Property purchased, construction started.
           Filming of documentary by Old Dog Productions starts in March.
           First shop opens in September, selling bibis' crafts. New York            grandmothers, grandchildren in documentary visit bibis. Gerrit Brokx            Trust grant awarded for building.

2009 - Unfinished complex officially dedicated in February as the Gerrit            Brokx/FAWCO House, with delegation of American, Swedish, Irish,            Dutch donors. World premiere in Dar of documentary,           "GRANDMOTHER TO GRANDMOTHER: New York to Tanzania"
           Bibi families move into house upon completion in May.

PARTICIPANT DATA

  • Grandmas enrolled: 24 plus a handicapped single father
  • Grandchildren: 80+ (increases as young parents die)
  • HIV-infected: 1 bibi and at least 5 orphans, all receiving treatment
  • Age-range: 40s-70s, with tots-early 20s
    Most are widowed, with many husbands dead from AIDS. Half live in Mbagala, while others come from nearby or more distant villages. Travel is a hardship for many, as they don't have bus fare, and must walk two miles to the G2G center from the main road.
    begin.

SPONSORS
Most are American, but they also come from England, Ireland, Sweden, Australia, Switzerland, Colombia, Peru, South Africa and Tanzania.
Some pledge monthly amounts, others donate as they can. Many prefer to donate to the General Bibi Fund, rather than favor one family over another.
Several have visited "their bibis" homes in Tanzania. People who visit are so touched, they invariably become donors, too.

SPONSORING ORGANIZATIONS
Air Tanzania, Dar, Tanzania
American Women's Club in Stockholm, Sweden
Charity Goat Races, Dar, Tanzania
Dar Guide, Tanzania
Dartmouth Medical School (DarDar), USA and Tanzania
Diplomatic Spouses Group, Dar, Tanzania
KPMG, Dar, Tanzania
FAUSA, USA
Federation of American Women's Clubs Overseas, International
National Microfinance Bank, Dar, Tanzania
Small Friends Preschool, Portland, Oregon USA
Stockholm International School, Sweden
West Hills Christian School, Portland, Oregon USA

THE TOLL OF AIDS

AIDS Affects Women Most...

  • 3/4 of world's HIV+ women live in Sub-Saharan Africa - 3 girls for every 1 men in 15-24 years group.
  • Most are infected by husbands or older boyfriends but are blamed for their disease - and his!
  • Most women don't know their HIV status (if they did, can't change partner's behavior or protect themselves).
  • They become the AIDS caretakers (of spouses, grown children, grandchildren).
  • They are often kicked out of their homes and shunned by relatives, with no one to nurse them.
And Therefore Children...
  • Sub-Saharan Africa has 12 million orphans.
  • Kids under 15 account for 1 in 6 AIDS-related deaths and 1 in 7 new infections.
  • They are HIV-infected usually from their mothers during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding.
  • Babies are protected when not breastfeed, but that arouses suspicion (and stigma) toward the mothers.
So Life is Tough for Grandma...
  • They are still grieving deaths of husbands, grown children.
  • They may still be paying for hospitalization and funerals.
  • They now have the added care of babies-teens while living on less than $1 a day.
  • Relatives and friends shun them because their children, husband died of AIDS.
  • The work and worry undermines their own health.
  • 89% forego food and health care for themselves.
  • 48% percent can't feed their grandchildren every day.
  • They worry who will care for the grandkids when they die.
    AND SOME ARE HOMELESS!

BIBI (GRANDMOTHER) GROUP RULES
NOTE: Established by Grandmother-2-Grandmother Director Fatuma Gwao

  1. To attend at bibis' meeting every Saturday. Any bibi who will not attend within three weeks without any excuse strictly will be eliminate herself.
  2. Every bibi must participate full at bibis' group work.
  3. Every bibi must love her fellow bibis and all the bibis must live as relatives. Our motto is WORKING HARD, PEACE AND LOVE.
  4. Grandmother who will show bad behavior and divide others will be eliminated at the group.
  5. All the group problems must be solved at the group.
  6. Every bibi must work hard and sacrifices herself for her grandchildren.
  7. Grants/aid must be a challenge for all bibis to work hard for their own developments and not to keep them lazy.
  8. Every bibi must learn on how to saving money or any materials which earn every time for her grandchildren.
  9. Every bibi must have a something to do like business, making thing in order to get something for her grandchildren.
  10. Every bibi must make sure that every grandchildren who needed to school must send him/her to school.
  11. Every bibi must express any new views to the group or say anything to the group freely.
  12. Every bibi must be follow the group rules which was kept before.
  13. Every bibi must be truely and not cheating for anything.

CONTACTS
Jann Mitchell, jannmmitchell@aol.com, Oregon 503 246-6672; Sweden +46 08 717 2700
Fatuma Gwao, gwao2003@yahoo.co.uk or pyuza@yahoo.com; phone 255 0784 269 571
Caroline Barker, barkers@bol.co.tz
Linda van Wyk lgvwyk@yahoo.com.

 

  

 © 2006 Bibi Jann Children's Care Trust. All Rights Reserved.