Helping to turn the tide in Africa
July 25, 2010
Journal Pioneer, by Colin MacLean
Fernwood - As she sits in the breezy sunroom of her mother's Fernwood cottage overlooking the Northumberland Straight, Alexis MacDonald's face lights up as she talks about her job.
As simple questions like "how is work going," and "what was your most recent assignment," are asked her smile seems to get bigger and bigger. The words, passionate and insightful, come tumbling out, each story and thought seeming to fuse into the next.
It's not until she's asked what her official title is that MacDonald's wide grin falters.
She grows quiet for a moment and a thoughtful look crosses her face. A few seconds pass before she gives a tentative answer.
"Um ... I believe it's Director of External Relations," she says, sounding unconvinced.
This seems to be an indication of what MacDonald's work means for her; passion for the people involved with thoughts of it all being an actual job secondary.
MacDonald, 33, was born and raised in Summerside and is one of the original staff members of the Stephen Lewis Foundation. She has been with the foundation since it was founded in 2004 and has watched it grow and evolve as a world-renowned organization mandated to alleviate the pain and suffering caused by AIDS in Africa.
"I feel so fortunate to work for an organization that's so in line with my own principles," said MacDonald.
"People admire Stephen Lewis for his principles and integrity and you can feel that (working at the foundation)."
Her work with the Stephen Lewis Foundation has taken MacDonald all over that continent, though she and the organization are based out of Toronto.
"My work with them has evolved quit a bit, I've done almost everything there," she laughs about her job.
MacDonald's most recent assignment took her to eastern Africa where she inspected some of the programs the foundation is funding. She returned to Canada last month and is now home visiting family.
What she saw during her recent trip has her very excited.
"With the advent of treatment ... the groups are on the cusp of turning the tide."
"I can see this difference when I go to a community that has an organization," she said.
Now is a critical time, she added. Global AIDS donations are falling, which could be disastrous given the strides now being seen.
As MacDonald talks about her work, her mother Helen sits beside her, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.
Helen has watched her daughter travel far and wide over the years doing what she loves.
Last year she was inspired to get involved with the Stephen Lewis Foundation herself after sitting in on a talk her daughter was giving to a group of grandmothers in Toronto.
After listening to all the hard work those women were doing Helen started thinking, "we can do this on P.E.I."
Helen eventually helped to found G-Ma Circle, a grandmother and "grandother" (an older woman who has no grandchildren) group here on the Island.
The circle is one of dozens of grandmother-organized groups across Canada that is working to raise money for their African sisters. It was through this grass roots movement that Helen traveled to Swaziland earlier this year for an international gathering of grandmothers.
"I took away (from those meetings) the value in what we're doing," said Helen, "and the power of woman when we get together."
To that end, both MacDonald women are inviting the public to share in their experiences.
They will be giving a talk and slideshow presentation at the Credit Union Place, in the board room, this Wednesday at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome and there is no fee to attend, though there will be a donation box should anyone wish to donate to the Stephen Lewis Foundation.