The magnanimous grandmothers of Africa bury their own children from AIDS and then take on the care of their grandchildren orphaned by the disease. Poverty, lack of health care, and the lack of resources create additional hardships on these already burdened grandmothers.


In 2008, a group of women in Columbus began its organizing and advocacy work on behalf of these deserving grandmothers. This group, The Granny Connection, focuses on raising funds to help ease the plight of African grandmothers and their orphaned grandchildren. In some countries in sub-Saharan Africa, 40 - 60% of AIDS orphans are living in extreme poverty in grandmother-headed households. The challenges they face are overwhelming. The Granny Connection works to offer hope and opportunity for these women and children. Money raised has enabled children to receive supervised medical care and benefitted hundreds of other children and grandmothers by providing social, medical, and/or emotional support.

As we continue to help grandmothers in Africa secure a hopeful and healthy future for themselves and their grandchildren, we invite other grandmothers and "GrandOthers" to join us in supporting our African counterparts.

For more information please contact us directly. We appreciate your support in the upcoming year.

phone: (812) 342-4680
email: info@grannyconnection.org



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Through various fund raising activities from March 2008 through January 2011, the Granny Connection has raised and sent $21,000 to Africa. With this money, the African grannies were able to:


  • Ensure that children in the Arms Reach Care program of Lusaka, Zambia, are in school and stay in school for as long as possible
  • Provide money for micro-loan programs for Zambian grandmothers
  • Provide food, medicines, and weekly health check-ups from the community care assistants
  • Provide psychosocial counseling to all children in the program
  • Provide ongoing refresher training to family care givers and community care assistants
  • Keep a medical history file for all children
  • Provide funding for a youth leadership program in Malawi $1,000 for an AIDS prevention program



    • The Columbus Granny Connection is currently planning fundraising activities for 2011. In concurrence with raising money for Zambian grandmothers and children, the Granny Connection remains committed to raising awareness in our community about their plight through our website, periodic letters to the editor, political advocacy, and planning at least one yearly community wide event which will focus on our mission.

    As we continue to help grandmothers in Africa secure a hopeful and healthy future for themselves and their grandchildren, we invite other grandmothers and “grandothers” to join us in supporting our African counterparts.