The G.R.O Foundation offers us the unique opportunity to not only engage in our own communities, but to create awareness about the situation in Lesotho. Through The G.R.O Foundation, we are working to provide educational opportunities for the next leaders of Lesotho, the business opportunities to establish strong economic infrastructure and resources for communities.

We at The G.R.O Foundation want to encourage you to communicate through the ways you feel can make the greatest awareness impact. We can help you with resources such as literature, photos, videos, personal stories, music, crafts, poetry, ideas, and non judgmental support in helping you organize a meeting, event, party or function to spread awareness for the Basotho people.

Join us in changing the future of Lesotho.

• Raise awareness in your community – hold an event, a party for a purpose or talk with your friends over coffee.
• Engage. Volunteer – in your community or with The G.R.O. Foundation. Get out there.
• Join our online community- connect with others – share ideas – pass the message.
• Mobilize. Come together. Work for a better future for the world.

Greg Felsen

Posted under The Movement

Lesotho my land
Lesotho my home

Among the countries you are the
Smallest, but beautiful and
Loving. The country which is
Made to accept everybody
Especially those who are homeless
To come and stay freely.

Lesotho the country of Basotho nation
The country which was captured but got
Its independence in 1966.
The form and the founder of Basotho nation,
Moshoeshoe I who brought peace and unity
In Lesotho. And Lesotho began to be the country
Of Basotho.

Lesotho my land
Lesotho my home

The country – a mountainous country
Lesotho with its dongas and valleys everywhere
Yes! Lesotho is the land of Basotho.

-Anonymous
G.R.O. Family Scholarship Student

Posted under The Vision

A note from Lebohang Morai

My father passed away in 2000 and my mother can’t find work.   So this scholarship is a gift.  My goals are to listen carefully and perform well academically. I am planning on furthering my studies at the University.  I am planning to do my assignments, attend classes, read and ask questions where I do not understand so my chances of success could be very high.

When I look ahead in my future in five to ten years, I see myself as a successful young lady who has a degree or a higher qualification in Nursing or any other health-related field.

Posted under The Mission

I’m an archaeologist. My research has brought me to southern Africa for three field seasons – a total of 9 months. Africa has always fascinated me; the images the Savannah with the lone baobab tree towering over the vast landscape; the majestic elephant plodding miles and miles towards an ancient memory of a lush waterhole; African women with babies tied to their backs and pails of water vicariously balanced on their heads; and of course, for me, the remnants of millions of years of human evolution buried deep in the ground.

I love the research that I do there. I uncover stone tools and other artifacts that were created by the ancestors of all of humanity. I work outside under the hot African sun, springbok and eland pass by us in the distance while we excavate, I take my lunch breaks at the river to watch the elephants spray themselves with mud to cool off, and I get to live in remote regions of Africa where the people are still fascinated by anything foreign and anybody “white”.  The team is accepted as part of the community and we get to immerse ourselves in new cultures and traditions. The people we meet are kind, generous, and excited about the work we do and want to help out.  We hire local people and try to include the nearby towns and villages in our projects. We seek the guidance and skills of the people who live there, live with them, work with them, and develop important relationships with them.

And then we leave. The field season comes to an end. We drive away in the Land Rover with the artifacts and information we have gathered. We want to come back to that region and we believe we will, but usually we don’t.  We get funded for a new project somewhere else, and we go there.

It hurts to leave and do nothing. With the memories of Africa comes the sadness. There are so many individuals and communities suffering from poverty and disease. People die every day secretly in their homes for fear of the stigmatism associated with AIDS. Children who want to go to school can’t afford to. Adolescents are raising their younger siblings because they lost their parents. People suffer from malnutrition and parasites and lack the medical supplies, clothing, and footwear that we take for granted. People have the same big dreams we do, but the struggle of everyday existence prevents them from ever becoming a reality.

That’s why I got involved with the G.R.O. Foundation. I am indebted to Africa for allowing me to conduct research there, for giving me the life-altering experiences I have had there, and for welcoming me as a traveler, researcher, and guest.  I have to give back.

Poverty and disease is a global issue. Every country is affected by it in some way. I don’t know if there is a way to end all the suffering in the world, but I do know that small acts of kindness can change somebody’s life. And that changing one person’s life can affect hundreds of others. If one student in Lesotho gets to attend High School because of the time and money I have volunteered, then I know I have had made a difference.   And, if I the experience I gain doing this internship with the G.R.O. Foundation and use it to ensure that I am always conducting fair and socially responsible archaeology, even better.

By Jayne Wilkins

Posted under The Vision

There’s been a lot of talk about change this year, and these discussions couldn’t occur at a better time.  The situation in Southern Africa is dire.  Political crisis and instability, food shortages, death and disease, and human rights abuses affect daily the people in Southern Africa. By providing hope and opportunity to our global brothers and sisters, and raising awareness in North America we ultimately create a change that will ripple across the world.  The most amazing thing is that we can contribute to this world-changing movement from our very own communities.  Each and every one of us has the ability to do this and that’s a very powerful thing. So how do you make a difference?  Volunteer in your community.  Raise awareness by talking to your friends, family and co-workers.  Write letters to your legislature.  Contribute what you are able to international organizations such as The G.R.O. Foundation that provide on-the-ground, direct support to people who need it.

Posted under The Movement

A note from Tsoanyane Mososo

I am a Mosotho boy of seventeen years.  I stay in Leribe and attend school at Molapo High School.  I am an orphan and can’t afford to pay for my school fees this year. This year I am participating in so many activities such as the English Club and the HIV/AIDS club.  This scholarship makes me work hard, and I promise you that I will work very hard to get good results. I will obey my teachers and work hard to have a bright future.

Posted under Letters from Lesotho, The Mission

A note from Kefuoe Motabola

Thank you for this sponsorship.  I will use all the time that I have to do my school work because when I finish my high school level I would like to go o the University of Lesotho.  This sponsorship will help me to improve my life and I will make sure that I work hard to improve my life and also so that I will improve this world.

Posted under Letters from Lesotho, The Mission

It’s summer here in Lesotho and it’s hot. The rooster wakes up with the morning sun at 4:30 a.m. and all local activity begins. The mountain foothills are green and the maize fields indicate a bountiful harvest come fall. The thunderstorms that come almost every night shake the house and cut out the electricity. Mornings are busy but things slow down in the afternoon as the blanket of heat steers people under shaded trees. I’m happy it’s summer – everything is so alive.

The Maluti Mountains of Lesotho

Back in Lesotho for only a few days now, I’ve already had the chance to meet with many of our G.R.O. project members and leaders. It was great to re-connect with our projects and I was so pleased to see that they have all strengthened and grown within 2008. They are excited for all that can be done in 2009 and they send their thanks for all of your support this year. Thanks to those of you who contributed where you could, or participated in the Scholarship Challenge and Gifts of Hope campaign, The G.R.O. Foundation will be able to further expand its projects and support more people in Leribe, Lesotho.

The Family Scholarship Fund
The students of the Family Scholarship Fund at Molapo High School are enjoying their summer holidays and the end of the 2008 academic year. Three of our students have completed their final year and have just taken their graduation test. We are awaiting their results which will come in February as the results of their exams will determine which post-secondary schools they can attend. Tsepo aims to study tourism and Marosa and Maseliso are interested in a variety of disciplines. We delivered their Holiday Food Baskets at our annual end-of-year Braii (BBQ) and everyone is very excited to start the new academic year in January.
Our peer educators and academic advisors are busy preparing their teaching plans for 2009 and we look forward to welcoming new students as well in January.

Family Scholarship graduate Tsepo speaks about his experience at Machebang College to other scholarship students at Molapo at the 2008 end-of-year party.

The Grandmothers Support Group of Leribe
‘Me Mapalesa, a retired nurse clinician, runs the Grandmothers Support Group of Leribe. The Grandmothers group has two main projects: home-based care and community support through a poultry project. Home-based care is an incredibly important part in combating the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Even with the awareness campaigns and available treatment, the shame and fear HIV patients feel keeps them hidden in their houses – usually dying alone without any care or comfort. The Grandmothers Support Group works with the local chief to visit patients at home and help them get the health care they need. We delivered multivitamins, pain medications and kids vitamins to restock their Home Care kits.

The Grandmothers Group also started a poultry project in 2008. The Grandmothers raise broiler chickens and sell them locally. The Grandmothers also give the chickens to orphans and patients in the community and use the profits to provide for the needy in the community. Each member of the Grandmothers contributed funds to provide the start-up for this project while The G.R.O. Foundation matched their contributions. Because of your support, they have a brand new poultry house which can house over 300 chickens and within 2009 aim to build at least 4 more chicken houses to expand their project.

Thuli’s Jewelry Handicraft Cooperative
The Handicraft Cooperative is going really well. There has been a lot of interest generated both in North America and in Lesotho. The women are working hard and currently we are looking at solidifying our local systems and working to expand our international market. This project has so much potential and I look forward to working with the women to help it grow next year. We’ve started putting together the Thuli’s Jewelry starter kits and I can’t wait to start delivering them to the new cooperative members.

It’s great to be back – I’m happy its summer – and I look forward to keeping you all posted on the work we are doing in Lesotho. Keep an eye on our website and blog for future developments and updates!

Jean - G.R.O. Co-Director

Posted under The Mission

A Note from Matseliso Mataoe

I attend school at Molapo High School and I am in Form E this year.  I am a Mosotho girl with 19 years.  I would like to be a nurse because I have seen that here in Lesotho there are very few good nurses and many people are dying.  As nowdays, people die of diseases, especially AIDS; these infectious disease need more nurses to help people as I can see the death rate is high.
I would like to say thank you to people who are responsible for my sponsorship.  I am thankful for the opportunity to be one of the Molapo High School students.  If you had not helped me, maybe I would be someone who is useless with nothing to do.
Thank you and may God bless you. Please help sponsor other students like me.

Posted under The Mission