Heading into their final exams for the year the students of the Family Scholarship Fund have been very busy. The Family Scholarship Fund provides an additional learning environment and social support network based at Molapo High School in Leribe, Lesotho. The regular classes are supplemented by additional study sessions and support as well as an after school Leadership Club to participate in life-skills activities and confidence building. We were able to sit down with Abuti Kali, Abuti Tsoanyane, and Aussi Marahaba. These are their collective answers.

(Abuti means ‘brother’ or ’son’ and Aussi means ’sister’ or ‘daughter’ in Sesotho)

Students of the Family Scholarship Fund at Molapo High School 2010

Why is the FSF program important for students?

Not only does it offer educational support and the sponsorship to needy and vulnerable students but also provide students empowerment and the learning opportunities.

How has being a GRO Scholar helped you in your studies? How has it helped at home?

Being a G.R.O. Scholar has helped in many ways. It has given us an opportunity to attend school, relate with others in a good way and we have learned skills such as making decisions and working as a team. As GRO Scholars we have also been helped in the family in a way of supporting with human needs such as groceries and clothes during the winter.

What is your favourite FSF activity?

Leadership clubs especially team work activities. This is the most favourite FSF activity; it doesn’t only provide a refreshing environment, but also a very good way to relax and be in an enjoyable atmosphere for students.

What do you hope to do after you finish secondary and graduate as a GRO Scholar?

We would like to do social work, accounting & engineering. These are the careers which advocate for the country’s development.

Aussi Marahaba

Abuti Tsoanyane

Abuti Kali

Posted under Notes from Lesotho

We are very excited to bring you a Feature Q&A with an integral and inspirational figure in both the development and the future of The G.R.O. Foundation Lesotho. ‘Me Mapalesa Selialia is a founding member of the Grannies Poultry Association of Lisemeng II and an elected member of the G.R.O. Lesotho Executive Committee currently serving her second term as the Treasurer. We are very grateful to have ‘Me Mapalesa with us for this very special Q&A!

Why did you start the Grannies Poultry Project?

The project was started to raise chicks for sale, and the profits of which are reinvested into the project for the provision of social support to Beneficiaries.

How do the grannies help the community?

The Grannies help improve nutrition to vulnerable children, elderly and chronically ill. They also provide the home based care to chronically ill and for minor ailments:

• Supply food packages to the needy
• Treat minor aliments
• Sell fresh and tasty meat to the community at the affordable price.

Can you please explain what activities it takes to run the chicken coop each day?

• Check the chicks’ condition each time we enter the coop and record the findings when necessary. For example, check if the chicks are not ill.
• Clean the coop and change litters when the need arise.
• Clean troughs and give food and water to the chicks’ three times a day.

What does it mean to you yourself to be a strong part of G.R.O. Foundation?

It means that G.R.O. Foundation will never fail to support its projects; it will grow and spread to other districts or even countries. There are much of possibilities to achieve greater goals.

Why do you think it is important for people in Canada and the USA to support G.R.O. Foundation?

It is important so that G.R.O. Foundation will in turn continue to support, strengthen and empower social support systems under its care.

Posted under Notes from Lesotho

The G.R.O. CARE child daycare centre was started to assist mothers working in BEDCo (the small business compound that is home to the G.R.O. Artisans Collective and The G.R.O. Foundation Lesotho home offices) by offering low fee daily babysitting. When a mother drops here child off with ‘Me Rose, the G.R.O. Care babysitter, she can focus her energy on running her business. This initiative was developed to foster growth in the small business community to address the challenges faced by Basotho women running and engaged in small scale enterprise.

Posted under Notes from Lesotho

Up to a few months ago Jean Margaritis was likely to be one of the first faces you would encounter upon entering the G.R.O. Lesotho office or contacting the organization in country.  As Co-founder and Programs Manager Jean has worked tirelessly to support project partners, staff, and families within Lesotho. Her work ethic is matched only by her compassion for those that surround her. Recently, Jean has returned to Minnesota to be with her family but has maintained close ties to G.R.O. Lesotho staff and continued to support the in country board of directors.

After having spent the better part of 6 years either living or directly engaged in Lesotho you have had to take a step back with your return to the United States. How do you stay connected to all of your friends and G.R.O. project partners on a daily basis?

When I first returned to North America in 2006 after spending two years in Lesotho with the US Peace Corps, it was very hard to stay connected to Lesotho.  Few people in Lesotho had access to internet, phone calls were incredibly expensive at over 30 cents a minute, and letters took ages to arrive.  Technology has advanced so much in the last four years that staying connected to the G.R.O. projects, friends, and partners is easier and quicker.  Our Lesotho team has access to email and internet daily, and I speak with the team regularly by Skype.   We get updates and photos regularly from Lesotho, through Q&As and from our team.  It’s very exciting because it helps us remain connected and focused on our priorities ahead, and definitely helps us stay productive as a team, even though we are thousands of miles away.

What do you miss the most about your average day in Lesotho?

To be honest, no day was the same which is probably what I loved about it the most.  Every day presented a new challenge, a new project idea, a new accomplishment.   I miss walking into the Artisan’s workshop, always noisy and alive with women’s laughter and baby cries.  I miss the morning team briefings with the staff, charting out our day, the camaraderie and team work. The afternoon meetings with the grannies where we spoke about chickens and business over tea and biscuits are unforgettable.  I definitely miss the amazing and powerful energy within G.R.O. Lesotho that is created when everyone is working for a collective vision.

What is your current G.R.O. role now and what are you hoping to accomplish over the coming months?

My current role with G.R.O. is still that of Director of Programs, but has shaped and morphed with the fact that I now live thousands of miles away.  This is very exciting for me, because it has allowed our Lesotho team to grow, change and adapt in positive ways to accomplish our shared vision under local leadership.  I work daily with Rethabile, the G.R.O. Lesotho Programs Manager, as she continues to implement our plans for growth and development and lead the growing team.   Our primary goals for the next few months are to scale-up the LEAP program with the distribution of 4,000 career resource books and opening of the Career Center for high school students.  The Artisans Collective will be attending the Morija Arts and Cultural festival in October, and then will work to expand their retail locations throughout South Africa with assistance from our new Peace Corps volunteer, Adam.   The Grannies are looking to scale-up production now that the winter months have passed, and will also be distributing first aid kits to the local high schools.

I am also working in North America to help the artisans establish retail outlet and an online store as well as to strengthen our USA networks and partners.  I will also be focused on grant-writing for G.R.O. Canada and G.R.O. Lesotho.  It is a very exciting time for G.R.O. and I would like to thank everyone for being part of it!

We spoke to Jean Margaritis from her home in Minnesota.

Posted under Notes from Lesotho

The G.R.O. Artisans Collective is a project that employs HIV affected mothers enabling them to provide for their families while empowering and educating themselves in small business practices. ‘Me Motseoa Seutloali is the Collective Coordinator for the business charged with supporting the women in the day to day operations while working to expand market share and brand exposure. After a string of successes including adding the Queen of Lesotho as a valued customer, a change of offices, and the addition of a daycare centre ‘Me Motseoa was able to take a breather to sit down for a Q&A!

With the recent office change you worked to organize a day care centre for young children to benefit not only the women of the G.R.O. Artisans but others in the small business compound in Hlotse - what impact has the day care centre had on the Artisans and what benefits have you seen to BEDCO as a whole?

The day care has received a very positive response from the mothers in BEDCO. Many say it gives them peace of mind to know that their children are taken care of within their vicinity. For the Artisans, the day care has provided them a second bonding place outside their workshop. I see this especially during the lunch hour where they gather the children around and play with them.

What new developments have the G.R.O. Artisans experienced since the change in offices?

We formed a link with the Likhetlane community based in the Leribe district. We met with different groups of women who might be our potential clay suppliers if they received training on how to make clay beads.  We also attended the Fouriesburg Spring Fair in South Africa where we made very good sales.

What are you working on currently to expand the business?

I’ve been trying to network and introduce the Collective to the Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation and the Ministry of Tourism, Environment & Culture. Plans to increase our retail locations both locally in Lesotho and internationally in South Africa are underway.

Running a small business is a constant challenge - What are some of the G.R.O. Artisans current challenges?

We do not have a reliable supplier for some of our products like porcupine quills and mountain clay. We usually purchase these products whenever we come across are a retailer who has them in stock which makes it very unstructured and dependent on chance.

We are also struggling to secure a reliable customer base for our bead shop.

And finally, in the next month we are planning to attend Lesotho’s biggest annual arts and cultural festival to showcase our products and do a bit of advertising, but we might be hindered by finances. It’s something we are working on though.

Posted under Notes from Lesotho

The G.R.O. Artisans Collective has faced a number of challenges with business expansion and an increasing number of mothers working as both jewelry designers and producers. The Collective gives these women a chance at financial stability and independence for themselves and their families. This opportunity, as great as it is, necessarily comes after their most important role of being a mother. With an influx of mothers comes an rush of young children and as the Artisans expanded their production and retail space they searched for a solution to the increasing number of infants that quickly became an office responsibility which is bound to happen with a roomful of carrying mothers. Recently, the Artisans and G.R.O. Lesotho came up with the solution of G.R.O. Care a small daycare centre supported by both parties and open to all other small businesses in the Hlotse BEDCo compound - a small business centre where the G.R.O. offices are located - to increase the productivity of all surrounding local business. G.R.O. Careis run by ‘Me Rose an incredible woman, mother, and grandmother who took the time out of her day to talk to us a bit more about the daily activity of the centre.

Posted under Notes from Lesotho, Uncategorized

The G.R.O. Foundation has again increased in size as we excitedly welcomed Adam Peel,  a US Peace Corps Volunteer, to the team. Adam has dedicated himself to a two year placement in Lesotho where he will be working closely with the Bo ‘Me of the G.R.O. Artisans Collective, as well as assisting G.R.O. Lesotho to continue to better achieve its goal of community poverty reduction.

To begin, Welcome to the team Adam - we are really excited to have you! Why don’t we start by telling all of our G.R.O. supporters a bit about yourself?

1) Sure,  I was raised in the great state of South Florida (yes it is its own state).  I  am an alumni of The Florida State University where I received a Bachelors as well as an Applied  Masters  Degree in Economics.  This is my first time travelling abroad , well I went to the Bahamas, but that doesn’t count.  I love to meet new people, try new things,  and see new places.

As far as my overall work with G.R.O. Lesotho I am helping to build the capacity of the organization.   More specifically I will be helping to assist ‘Me Motse’oa in making the Artisans a more profitable and stronger collective. I will also help in providing support where necessary to the LEAP program where my main role will be to act as a facilitator to ‘Ntate Katiso LEAP coordinator.

And as an incoming volunteer how were you received by the staff and project partners of G.R.O. Lesotho?

For my arrival, the G.R.O team held a braii for me this has been my  most exciting experience so far. It is very interesting to take part in a  celebration with a different culture.   The Basotho people love to dance and have lively celebrations.  It was a very welcoming experience.  They cooked traditional food including papa (a staple carb), chakalaka (a delicious spicy bean dish often expertly prepared by ‘Me Rethabile),  moroho (cold salted cabbage salad), and even mothoho (a warm heavy porridge that you add sugar to) - I wouldn’t recommend that one. We danced to the local music where I learned a new dance move whereby you pretend to chop yourself with your hand on your arm and leg.

You are walking into a foreign country and a different work environment but you do have a very supportive team - with this in mind what do you hope to accomplish in the first 6 months of your stay in Lesotho?

In the first six months as a volunteer I hope to make a positive impact with the G.R.O Artisans. I would like to help in facilitating a sales plan in which we will have a better approach to increasing sales in the region. I would also like to help in developing a system to accept credit card payments.  In the first six months I will also help Ntate Katsio in planning and implementing the distribution of the LEAP Career Guide books that the G.R.O team has made. In addition, I will be working on the LEAP Resource Centre here in Hlotse, Leribe. I will be cataloging books and helping to build a promising place to learn and receive information.

Posted under Notes from Lesotho

‘Ntate Katiso ‘Mota has been through a number of moves already in his time with G.R.O. Lesotho so we tracked him down to gather his thoughts on another day of moving furniture into an office larger than the last.

1) The G.R.O. Lesotho Staff recently moved into a new office - Congratulations! How was the move?

Moving to the new offices has always been what we have been expecting ever since from May, and so it was really good that we finally made it. However, it was one of the very tiring situations since only two GRO staff members were there (Me Rethabile and myself) to move all the GRO office items. We moved on a Friday and the other members had gone to an EXPO. As for the Artisans, all of them were there to share moving amongst themselves. We finally managed with the help of ‘Ntate Poka whom ‘Me Mapalesa (GRO Executive Treasurer) found for us to help with his truck to move some of the heavy staff.

2) This is not the first time G.R.O. has had to grow! How many times hasG.R.O. moved over the past year? G.R.O. Lesotho has moved three times due to growth?

G.R.O Lesotho moved from a one roomed office space to two in the past year and recently moved to a three roomed office space due to extension of programs and increase in the number of staff member. A few days after we welcomed a new Volunteer from the US Peace Corps so our expansion is nowhere near over.

3) Now that you are all moved in how does it feel? Tell us how the officeswork with Bo ‘Me (the G.R.O. Artisans) beside you now?

Being closer to everyone is one of the most exciting things. There is that spirit of oneness and working towards the same goals and objectives. ‘Bo ‘Me are feeling so good and supported while at the same time we are able to monitor one another towards pursuing good things all the time. The general feeling is really so tremendous and we can see GRO moving higher and higher.?

‘Ntate Katiso ‘Mota is the LEAP Education Coordinator and was reached in Hlotse, Leribe, Lesotho.

Posted under Notes from Lesotho

Posted under Notes from Lesotho

The G.R.O. Lesotho team bids farewell to Jason Clark, who has been an integral part of our team here. We celebrated his contributions last week, and wish him the best of luck on his future endeavors.

Jason first volunteered with G.R.O. in Lesotho from April-June 2009 as a business advisor, where he helped the artisans with their business, advised the Grannies on improving chicken production, and worked with the students.

In November 2009, Jason returned again to Lesotho, this time for eight months. During these past eight months, Jason has been part of monumental change.  He has helped move offices (twice) as we grew, traveled with the artisans to numerous a bazaar, dug trenches around the chicken coop, and conducted lifeskills sessions with the students.  He mentored our local staff in planning a career fair for 2400 students, assisted in writing a 64 page Career Resource Manual, and spent countless hours helping to strengthen and build the organization.

We would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to Jason - we could not have done it without you!

From everyone here with G.R.O. Lesotho.

Posted under Notes from Lesotho