Across the globe, grandmothers have always been at the heart of community life — guiding generations, holding families through crisis, and leading with wisdom shaped by experience. And yet, in the systems that shape policy, funding, and social movements, their voices are too often ignored.

The Grandmother Collective was created to change that.

The spark came from Senegal, where the Grandmother Project: Change Through Culture has spent years demonstrating what’s possible when older women are not just included, but centered. There, grandmothers have helped shift deep-rooted social norms — encouraging girls to stay in school, ending early marriage and harmful practices, and supporting mental well-being through culturally grounded dialogue. Their influence is undeniable, and their leadership is rooted in trust, tradition, and collective responsibility.

We saw that same model echoed across the continent. In Zimbabwe, Friendship Bench trains grandmothers to provide mental health support on park benches — offering evidence-based care with remarkable outcomes. These “bench therapists” are now recognized globally as a low-cost, high-impact solution to the growing mental health crisis. In Uganda, the Nyaka Grandmother Program mobilizes more than 20,000 grandmothers to raise AIDS orphans, advocate for community rights, and rebuild the social fabric torn by disease and poverty. These women don’t just support families — they lead community-wide change.

And beyond Africa, the pattern continues. In North Dakota, Badass Grandmas are organizing to protect voting rights and defend democracy. In the U.S., Elders Climate Action is bringing older adults to the frontlines of environmental justice, showing that elderhood is not a time to step back, but a call to step forward. In Canada, the Grandmothers Advocacy Network (GRAN) has become a powerful voice on international human rights and gender equality, pushing governments to act on behalf of vulnerable women and children. And in places like Appalachia and the American Southwest, the wisdom of elders is being honored through intergenerational storytelling, land stewardship, and cultural revival.

These are not isolated stories — they are a global chorus. And yet, these grandmothers and elder women often do their work in silos, without recognition or connection.

The Grandmother Collective exists to bridge those gaps — to bring together organizations and individuals who already understand the power of older women to drive lasting change. We are building a movement grounded in the idea that when grandmothers lead, communities heal, systems shift, and futures become more just, connected, and alive.

This is not a sentimental idea. It’s a strategic one.

From democracy to climate, from education to healing — older women are already leading. It’s time the world caught up.