South Okanagan grandmothers are all set for a march on Saturday to share their stories and raise awareness about the African AIDS crisis. After gathering at 10:30 A. M. near the SS Sicamous, they all plan to march downtown Penticton.

The same had taken place in Africa last month, when more that 500 African grandmothers from Manzini, Swaziland had congregated.

But it was not that one could only see grandmothers there, 42 representatives from Canada, including Lynn Popoff from the South Okanagan chapter of Grandmothers for Africa too had made an appearance.

"It was just such a privilege to meet the African grandmothers. They are so resilient. They haven't anything to be hopeful for, but if there is the least bit of sadness, they just sing and dance until they are happy again", said Popoff.

The AIDS crisis has, by far, destroyed the adulthood of many in countries across Africa, leaving grandmothers to raise the now orphaned children.

As a result of family poverty, school fees and charges, and the wreckage that the HIV/AIDS plague has had on the education system, around 38 million primary school age children in sub-Saharan Africa are no more in school.

The grandmothers of Africa have been inviting many people to join hands and show support for their campaign and even after facing such a staggering problem ,says Popoff, the African grandmothers have still dealt with to hang on to optimism, particularly after finding camaraderie with other grandmothers at the jamboree.