“Vovo” is the Mozambican term for Grandmother. Vovos are holding this country together. AIDS is devastating Mozambique and many other African countries. It is wiping out a generation of mothers and fathers, and aunts and uncles, and is leaving thousands and thousands of orphans. Every day in Africa 6000 kids are orphaned- that is 180,000 every month. Can you imagine? In Zambia, where I was last month, 23% of the children are orphans. It is usually the Grandmothers who take in these children. It is heartbreaking to see these old women, baby on back, walking miles and miles to carry firewood, fetch water, or work in the fields.
A couple months ago our friend Lynn from Hands at Work South Africa came to Mozambique on his way to Zimbabwe. While there, he met an old Vovo who was taking care of 17 kids. Some were her grandkids, and some were orphaned neighbor children. They were all living in one room- renting the other room of their house out to make some income. She was taking care of 17 kids in a country where it is extremely hard just to feed yourself.
The woman in this picture is a Vovo from one of the local communities. I love this picture. It shows the strength that these women have. Strong, stoic, and proud. We need to be helping these women and children.
A couple months ago our friend Lynn from Hands at Work South Africa came to Mozambique on his way to Zimbabwe. While there, he met an old Vovo who was taking care of 17 kids. Some were her grandkids, and some were orphaned neighbor children. They were all living in one room- renting the other room of their house out to make some income. She was taking care of 17 kids in a country where it is extremely hard just to feed yourself.
The woman in this picture is a Vovo from one of the local communities. I love this picture. It shows the strength that these women have. Strong, stoic, and proud. We need to be helping these women and children.
3 comments:
I love the photo too!
Oh, BTW, it is me, Crystal writing.. remember me? the girl in the pink velvet dress at preschool graduation?
What a sweet picture of such a loving and giving woman!!!
May God comfort her, and may she be so encouraged by the love from you all at Hands, and the prayers of so many!!!!
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