The Stephan Lewis Foundation is joining forces with the Hillcrest Aids Centre Trust to amplify the voices of the extraordinary gogos who serve and sustain their communities. The partnership aims to strengthen the Grandmothers’ Movement in South Africa, ensuring that these vital community leaders have the resources, knowledge, and support they need to thrive.
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (26 February 2025) – If you’ve ever experienced the warmth, wise teachings and sometimes strict guidance of growing up around a loving grandmother or gogo, you’ll know how a house easily becomes a home and how no one will go without a meal or endure any kind of suffering alone when they are around.
These remarkable gogos, the pillars of their families and communities, are being recognised and empowered through an impactful collaboration.
In efforts to support the invaluable role of grandmothers in KwaZulu-Natal, the Stephan Lewis Foundation (SLF), recently engaged in a fruitful discussion with Ma Cwengi, the esteemed founder of Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust’s (HACT) Gogo Support Group Programme, and Phindiwe, the current programme coordinator.
The meeting focused on strategies to bolster and support the Grandmothers’ Movement in South Africa (GMISA), which both SLF and HACT helped to establish.
Ma Cwengi, a retired nurse and community leader, saw the pressing needs of these grandmothers caring for orphaned children as a result of AIDS and ignited a movement. Her and Phindiwe’s unwavering dedication has been instrumental in empowering these grandmothers, providing them with a platform for mutual support and collective action.
“The collaboration between SLF and HACT aims to enhance the capacity of GMISA by sharing resources, knowledge and best practices.
“By strengthening this network, the partnership seeks to amplify the voices of grandmothers across South Africa, ensuring grandmothers are active participants in their own awareness and advocacy,” HACT says.
The Gogo Support Group programme and the more recent GMISA underscores the vital role that grandmothers play in sustaining communities and highlights the importance of supporting their leadership and role in the ongoing fight against HIV and AIDS.
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