​Botswana Retired Nurses Society (Bornus)

The Stephen Lewis Foundation partners with three Community Based Organizations in Botswana; one of them is BORNUS ......

BORNUS is a group of retired nurses and concerned citizens in Tlokweng village, about 8 km from the capital city of Gaborone, Botswana.   It was set up in 1999, and was officially registered in 2003 as an NGO.
The Society runs a day care center, provides counseling and support to patients with HIV/AIDS, cancer, diabetes, and stroke, and helps provide academic support to at-risk youth. Their work is invaluable to the city of Gaborone.

News from the STRIDE

​Well as the second week of our Virtual Walk draws to a close, let’s hope that we have seen the last of the snow; bulbs and blossoms will be the order of the day. 
Our total kilometers for our short week 1 were 868.36.  Well done, walkers, swimmers, cyclers and skiers.  Leaving from Gaborone, Botswana we will travel on to Windhoek, Namibia and on to Cape Town, South Africa.  

Why We Are Walking

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFjqYLHUGNc

 
Reminder to send your week 2 kilometer totals to:  virtualstepsg4a@gmail.com.   Thank you to all the ‘steppers’, donors and pledgers. 
​Together we will make a difference.  

​Botswana:  
​Country statistics on HIV/AIDS

 • Population: 2,141,206 (2014 est.) 
 * Number of people living with HIV: 390,000 [370,000 - 410,000]
 • Adults aged 15 to 49 prevalence rate: 25.2% [23.9% - 26.3%]
 • Adults aged 15 and up living with HIV: 380,000 [360,000 - 390,000]
 • Women aged 15 and up living with HIV: 210,000 [200,000 - 220,000]
 • Children aged 0 to 14 living with HIV: 16,000 [15,000 - 18,000]
 • Deaths due to AIDS: 5,100 [3,800 - 6,900]
 • Orphans due to AIDS aged 0 to 17: 67,000 [50,000 - 120,000]

You're thinking that it's time to get back on a bicycle - but it's been a while and you aren't sure that you are ready. It seemed simpler before...but now there is more traffic, a few aches & pains, and more things to consider...
     *    What is the right bike for me? Are there other options?
     *    How do I ride safely on streets? What are the traffic rules for cyclists?
     *    Where are the nice routes to ride?
     *    What if something happens to my bike while I'm riding?
     *    Are there any recreational riding groups for people like me?


Bike Freedom 50+ is for you!
Join one of our many workshops coming up this spring:

INFORMATIONAL WORKSHOPS
Want to learn more about finding the right bike for you to get riding this summer? Need to know where the nice places to ride are? Join one of our informative and engaging workshops.
BIKE SKILLS TRAINING
So you are ready to bike this summer but are apprehensive about riding on Victoria streets? Our 3-part bike skills program will give you the skills, confidence and information you need!
There are also workshops on how to maintain your bicycle, and how to start your own riding group.
PRIVATE LESSONS
If you aren't ready to take a course with others, or have a particular need, let us know and we can arrange a private lesson. 

250-590-7727
About Bike Freedom 50+

Bike Freedom 50+ is an exciting new program in Victoria that encourages older adults to take up cycling - for fun, fitness, recreation, to do errands, visit friends - or just because they can!

The program builds on the successes of the 2017 pilot project "Bike Freedom 55+" - one of a number of pilot projects made possible through the CRD's People Power initiative and funded by the Victoria Foundation and the CRD Traffic Safety Commission.

Offering a variety of workshops, training options and customized support, Bike Freedom 50+ has everything for the older adult who wants to start cycling again.

It is coordinated by Joyriding of Victoria - a small local business that focuses on educating beginner cyclists.

    In 2018, Bike Freedom 50+ is sponsored by the Fairfield Bicycle Shop



All workshops, lessons and rides are centered at The Five Points
in Fairfield at Moss and Fairfield





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In June, treasurer Yvonne announced that VG4A has raised $1 million since we began in 2006.  On August 10, a delegation of members went to Victoria Council and heard that Mayor Helps will proclaim September 10, 2017, GRANDMOTHERS TO GRANDMOTHERS DAY in honour of our extraordinary achievement.  Come join members, Mayor Helps, and supporters on the steps of the Legislature at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday September 10 to welcome home the cyclists on the two Cycle Tours and say THANKS A MILLION to our supporters for helping us raise $1 million. 

This link is active only until May 14, so use it soon!  A beautiful hour-long trip through Africa through photography, thanks to the Knowledge Channel:

​https://www.knowledge.ca/ program/photographing-africa

VG4A co-coordinator Marianne Bartram demonstrated how to make paper bead necklaces at the Tapestry Conference in Victoria with Laurie Wilson and again in Fanny Bay at the Regional Gathering.  15 members of VG4A went to Fanny Bay to join with grandmother members from up and down the Island and nearby islands for a memorable time of sharing and inspiration.  Healey Thompson and Asmita Persaud brought stories and news about the Campaign from the SLF office in Toronto.  They shared how the issues have changed over the ten years of the Campaign's existence, from the early focus on grief, loss and pain to the present focus on grandmothers as advocates for their own empowerment.  The grandchildren now are adolescents, posing different challenges for the grandmothers caring for them.  Loss of funding and the impacts of climate change are other pressing issues needing solutions. 

      Register for the BC Islands' Regional Gathering
                           March 11, 2017

If you’d like to attend The BC Islands Regional Gathering, this is the information we need:

                                    Name__________________________________________
                                    Address________________________________________
                                    Email address___________________________________
                                    Phone Number__________________________________
                                    Billet Required?_______________
                                    Grannie Group Name_____________________________
If you register before March 4, cost is $15.  After March 4, $20
 
You can register one of two ways:
Electronic option:  email registration information to joannereid4906@gmail.com
                        and     Send email money transfer to joannereid4906@gmail.com
                                    Security Question: “Where is the Regional Gathering being held?”
                                    Answer: “Fanny Bay”
Paper option:  Fill out the above information and mail it, along with a cheque or money order (made payable to “Comox Valley Glacier Grannies”)    
                                    To - Joanne Reid 
                                           4906 Willis Way
                                           Courtenay, BC
                                           V9J 1L6
My phone number, should you need it, is 250 334 0967(home) or 250 650 9967 (cell)
 
Please note: Registration and Marketplace will begin at 8:30.   Events will finish just after 4.

Singer Steven Page was recently one of the celebrities on Chopped Canada, and he won!  He was awarded $10,000 for a charity of his choice, and he chose the  Grandmothers Campaign.  Go to Food Network here or read his celebrity interview below.

Steven Page: A well-known singer/songwriter, Steven is one of the founding members of The Barenaked Ladies with whom he toured the world and sold millions of albums. On his own, Steven continues his artistic evolution with an array of solo projects.
How do you define your cooking style?
I love to go to the farmers’ markets and buy fresh ingredients to cook with. I like to cook comfort foods but I lighten them up with fresh, healthy ingredients.
What’s one dish you cook well?
I make really good homemade vegan pâté. I don’t eat vegan all the time, but I like the things that are more labour intensive. It’s fun when you try and challenge yourself to create something flavourful that’s not full of fat.

What ingredient would you hate to see in a basket?
Durian. It’s an Asian fruit that smells like a dumpster. But they wouldn’t do that to us, would they?!
Who’s your biggest competition?
Roz is my biggest competition. He’s someone who really knows his way around the kitchen. But that doesn’t always mean it’s a recipe for winning.
What charity are you playing for?
I’m playing for the The Steven Lewis Foundation’s Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign. They work with community level organizations in Africa to give grandmothers all the help they need to raise their children.