Today, we had the honor of spending time with the incredible community at Grandmothers Against Poverty and Aids (GAPA), located in the township of Khayelitsha. GAPA is a grassroots organization formed by grandmothers who were left to care for their grandchildren after losing their own children to AIDS-related illnesses—before the availability of antiretroviral treatment. Today, GAPA includes over 600 seniors, including grandfathers, who come together in self-help groups to promote healthy living, community support, and economic sustainability. They also operate an aftercare program that provides daily meals and support for over 100 children. Learn more about GAPA here: https://gapa.org.za/
As we drove into Khayelitsha this morning, we were struck by the vast sea of mostly tin structures stretching out in every direction. We learned that the township was established during Apartheid as a result of the Group Areas Act —and while Apartheid may no longer be the law of the land, its legacy still deeply affects the community. Today, the oppression once enforced by policy continues through poverty.
Upon arrival, we were warmly welcomed by the Grannies with singing and dancing. They invited us to join their Tuesday health club, starting with group exercises outdoors. Many of the Grannies were better at touching their toes than some of us! Afterwards, we gathered inside for connection time, where we deepened our understanding of GAPA’s mission and the people who bring it to life. We danced, sang, shared stories, and ate together. Their hospitality moved us deeply. As one of them said, “We break bread—what little we have, let us break it together.”
Vhuhwavho, the occupational therapist at GAPA, spoke with us about the importance of listening to community leaders. She encouraged us to “learn to unlearn” and demonstrated the power of community-led occupational healing. The Grannies openly shared the joys and struggles they experience in their families and neighborhoods, and how GAPA brings light and support into their lives.
The Grannies also create beautiful, handcrafted items—clothing, jewelry, stuffed animals, and other crafts—that they sell to help sustain their programs. For many children, the meals they receive at GAPA may be the only food they get that day. The revenue from craft sales helps provide food for both the children and the Grannies’ families. After-school care is offered for just $1 a month—made possible by the income from these handmade goods.
In the afternoon, around 100 children arrive at GAPA for after-school care while their parents work. Today, our students supported the GAPA staff in caring for the children. Though we won’t be sharing photos of the children’s faces online for privacy reasons, we can say with certainty that their energy and joy left a lasting impression on all of us.
We were also joined today by world-renowned occupational therapist Dr. Frank Kronenberg, who spent the day with us and later led our students in thoughtful reflection on the experience.
Words can’t fully capture what today meant. Our minds and hearts were expanded in ways that are hard to describe. Every moment of shared occupations like dance, song, meals, play, and movement was a lesson in the power of community. In these profound moments, connection and wisdom flowed from the Grannies to us. What we can say is this: we grew in our understanding of the power of shared occupation and the healing that is possible when a community lives by the mantra of GAPA that, “Together, we are stronger.”
