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A study to determine the effectiveness of the non-profit organisation, “Grandmothers Against Poverty and AIDS,” as an agent in the fight against the effects of AIDS on households headed by grandmothers in three districts of Tanzania. Kathleen Brodrick MSc OT UCT (Founder GAPA)Rose Japhet Mkonyi AMO KCMC (Director KICODET)

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GAPA, the Non Governmental Organisation

2001 beginnings of GAPA in Khayelitsha, South Africa.Model developed based on education and peer support.

Education about HIV/AIDS and coping strategies Psychosocial groups formed

– Emotional support– Income generation activities.GAPA has successfully been increasing the capacity of grandmothers to cope with the stresses of their daily lives for 11 years.

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Introduction of model to Tanzania

• 2008, KICODET application to BMS Secure the Future Technical Assistance Programme for training for grandmothers having to care for AIDS orphans and sick family members.

• GAPA training team visited Kibaha • 20 grandmothers from 9 villages attended workshop• 1 day altogether for sharing and planning workshop• Challenge given to participants to form groups with at least

10 peers• Each group visited by trainers.• Chose a name for group, office bearers, minute taking,

financial records.• Discussed individual talents, forgotten skills, brainstormed

IGA • 13 groups formed in 13 villages

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Growth of grandmother movement in Kibaha

KICODET continued training, monitoring of group formation

Provided opportunities for all groups to meet. Introduced all groups to Tanzania Older Person’s

Act 2003 Groups became self monitoring 2011- 80 groups in 22 wards (96 villages) formed.

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Spreading to other areas 2010 – Mwanza Outreach group assisted to form

13 groups of grandmothers 2011 – TADEPA (Tanzania Development and AIDS

Prevention) assisted to form 80 groups

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Research Project 2012- 301 questionnaires administered in Swahili

in Kibabha, Mwanza and Kagera. (250 women, 51 men)

Subjects chosen according to availability. Items 1 to 7 concerned with demographic details Items 8 to 14 were qualitative, concerned with

feelings about the groups

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Results -age Majority aged between

60 years to 89 years.

Oldest, 3 men, 6 women.

Man aged 109 yrs with

6 children in household.

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Results - health

“Other” eye disease (32%)

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Results – HIV in household

“Do you know that someone in your family is HIV+?”

66% had family members positive. Over half of positive family members lived in

same household. (57%) 56% reported that they were able to care

adequately for the sick person in their household.

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Results – HIV in household72% cases reported that a family members had died

from HIV related illness in previous 10 years.

23 % daughters, 16% son

19% brother/sister,

6% grandchild

18% others.

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Results – household children

Schooling, clothing and feeding added burden to grandparents when parents have died.

5% had no children in household

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Results – What have you learned in the group?

51% referred to the Tanzanian National Ageing Policy 2003 and right to participation.

New skills learned and rekindled old skills

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Results – best thing about groups

“to be together and to help each other” Participation in civil society IGA Household budgets

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Results – worst thing about being in a group

67.1% - no negatives to being in a group Compliance with rules of the group Repayment of loans

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Results- How much money?

57% had made money in the group . Amount ranged from US$ 34 to 23% making up to US$166

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Participation in peer groups and civil society– The most valuable outcome of group formation –now demand their civil rights resulting in increased self esteem.

Income generation activities – most visible sign of groups success. Ongoing training by local entrepreneurs while families and communities amazed by traditional skills

Household budgets – savings schemes to take care of crises (medical or school costs)

Discussion

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Discussion

• Men in groups – Kibaha experience vs Kagera. Attitude change - ”Older men now have to support older women” “men now stay in the community and help each other regardless of gender”

• Peer groups – banding together, combining talents, taking control vs brooding over problems on one’s own

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Conclusion

• Comparison between South African grandmothers and Tanzanian grandmothers – Same

• Initial response to trainers was “give us money to solve all our problems”, after one year as a group member, participation , interaction with peers and friends as more important than making money.

• “Being in a group, it makes you strong and fearless to talk with other people”

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Acknowledgements

• Bristol Myers Squibb Secure the Future Foundation for opportunity to share the GAPA model with other African countries.

• My partner, Rose Mkonyi for managing the research process in Tanzania

• Mr Samwell Ruhembe for administering questionnaires in Mwanza and Kagera.