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away their access to health, access to food security and left them with the burden of grandchildren to look after. The services we provide include paying for all medical care for the seniors so they can access health care. We pay for doctor's fees, we pay for drugs, we pay for transportation to the health centres." Other services include paying for school fees for the grandchildren so they can attend school and paying for medical care for these grandchildren when they need it. The grandmothers are also provided with food every week while those strong enough to work are also given the means to grow vegetables. ROTOM also facilitates meetings between the seniors it helps just so they can talk with someone who knows what they are going through. "They pray together, they sing together, they dance together and through this process, they are able to support each other," said Mugayehwenkyi. "They share their burdens and that helps." Counselling is also provided to those grandparents who have deep Continued from page 10 Stride to Turn the Tide June 9 in Oakville emotional issues. Mugayehwenkyi said the need he is faced with can be overwhelming at times. He currently has 70 seniors waiting to access the services offered by his organization and while he said he would like to help them all, he currently does not have the resources to do that. Even when a person does get into the program, sometimes the help ROTOM gives them is not enough. "There was this old man. He was old, sick and incontinent and because of that no health facility would keep him. We were paying the money for him to be at the health centre, but no hospital would keep him because they didn't have the care for a person in that situation," said Mugayehwenkyi. "We moved him from one hospital to another hospital to another hospital. Because he was not taken care of he ended up dying, in my opinion, prematurely." Sad experiences like these, Mugayehwenkyi said, make the good experiences that much more amazing when they happen. Mugayehwenkyi said he is particularly proud ROTOM's work in bringing relief to 900 grandparent households in the wake of the 2011 drought in Uganda. For many of these households, ROTOM also taught their aid recipients how to farm and provided them with the necessary tools so they would have a sustainable source of food. Those too old to fully make use of their land were given assistance by ROTOM in cultivating it. One woman told Mugayehwenkyi that when it comes time to harvest it will be the first time in her life she had not only enough food for her and her family to eat, but also some to sell. "That was really touching," said Mugayehwenkyi. Halton's own grandmother groups will walk through downtown Oakville to raise funds to support Africa's grandmothers on Saturday, June 9 at 8:30 a.m. Those participating include Blooms for Africa, Halton Bronte Grandmothers, North Halton Grannies, oomama and Ubuntu Grandwomen. "The goal is to raise $1 million. Hopefully we can reach it," said Judy Henderson, co-chair of the Halton walk. "I have five grandchildren and the thought of looking after all of them at my age...I can't even begin to imagine how I would do it and we have things like social services that help you when you need money, free schooling, free health care. The grandmothers we are helping have 11 · Thursday, May 17, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com none of these things." To register for the walk, contact Lorraine Green at lorrainegreen@ bell.net or donate online at www.stridetoturnthetide.ca. For more information about Reach One Touch One Ministries, visit www.reachone-touchone.org. Starting Saturday April 28, 2012 Spri ng Rescreen Sale Spring has sprung! The bugs are about... So fix those screens to keep them out! Aluminum or Fibreglass Mesh Installed in our shop $ 50 Any Size! 00 + applicable taxes Pet Resistant Screen Installed in our shop $ 8000 Any Size! + applicable taxes (except on Saturdays - pick up will be on Monday) · Roller, Corner & Handle replacement are extra. Sale effective from April 28 - May 31, 2012. 24 Hour Turnaround 550 Bronte Rd., Oakville 905.827.2951