Toronto, Canada (1 March 2011) – In collaboration with the leadership and operations team of The G.R.O. Foundation Lesotho, GRO Canada is announcing a full transition for Lesotho programs to local personnel on March 31^st, 2011.

G.R.O. Canada seeks to alleviate the impact of global poverty on vulnerable communities everywhere by supporting grassroots development initiatives that build livelihoods.  The movement began six years ago when James White (Canada), Jean Margaritis and Greg Felsen (USA) launched a fundraising effort to support orphaned students and families affected by HIV in Lesotho, southern Africa.  The effort began with $3,000 CAD donated by Sharon Oatway in honour of her parents (and James’ grandparents) - John and Alice Oatway - committed volunteers and advocates for positive social change.

What began as a small collaborative effort between families in Lesotho and Canada soon grew to include advocates in several countries, and as of 2010, registered organizations in Lesotho, Canada and the USA.  The initial investment of $3,000 in 2005 enabled the creation of The G.R.O. Foundation Lesotho (registered in 2007), which is now funded by the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives, The European Union, and includes two self-financing social-enterprise businesses.

Moving toward full financial and program transition has always been G.R.O’s objective. “As a development workers who are wholly committed to sustainable social change, we have always reinforced the idea that successful and appropriately motivated international development workers must primarily advocate for the termination of their own roles,” says James White, Director. “Empowering communities means fostering local leadership, supporting local initiative, and promoting local ownership.”

Canada and GRO USA volunteers will continue to support the GRO Lesotho operations team with technical advice and support. As of March 31^st 2011, GRO Canada will no longer be pursuing private charitable funding on behalf of GRO Lesotho. Instead, we will be focusing on securing long-term development grants and promoting the financial self-sufficiency of the social enterprise collectives.

“This is a very exciting time for us,” says Jean Margaritis, Director of Programs. “We have reached a stage where the strength of the Lesotho team, and a desire to limit reliance on foreign charitable funding, makes a full transition appropriate and possible. We are very proud of the accomplishments and aspirations of the Lesotho team and look forward to assisting them through the transition.”

The successes mentioned above would not have been possible without the support, trust and advice of our many international supporters.  We thank you for supporting GRO Lesotho’s success and growth over the past six years.  As the final phase of transition begins on March 31^st we are very pleased to move forward knowing that the GRO effort has demonstrated that international social development can work – and that hope and solidarity do transcend borders.

More Questions? If you have any further questions related to the transition process or future of GRO Canada please contact James White at director@grocanada.org.

James White

Co-Founder / Director

Global Relief Outreach

director@grocanada.org

Posted under The Mission, The Movement, The Vision

Gifts of Growth 2010 campaign launches today

G.R.O. Canada is proud to announce the launch of the Gifts of Growth 2010 campaign!

G.R.O.’s Gifts of Growth campaign aims to honour the important people in our lives by providing you the opportunity to create positive change in the world. You can make a donation to the international poverty reduction projects of G.R.O. in the name of your loved ones this holiday season.  For your gift of any amount we will deliver a beautiful card describing the gift you’ve chosen and the social impact it will make in the developing world.  This card can be sent to you directly or can be sent to the gift recipient with your name and personal message.

For Immediate Release:

Posted under The Mission

Media Contact: Gen Scott  G.R.O. Canada Communications Officer 416.425.6220
Programming Contact: James White G.R.O. Canada Co-Founder/Director 647 922 0160

Posted under The Mission, The Movement

Calling all current and future G.R.O. Canada volunteers to meet up, team up, and spread the word about the G.R.O. 2010 Scholarship Challenge!

The Scholarship Challenge is G.R.O’s campaign to raise funds for Lesotho students whose families have been adversely affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Scholarships of $450/year provide one student the opportunity to attend High School in southern Africa and have access to life skills programs, career counselling, and library services that help ensure their success!

We need to spread the word to Toronto! We have the posters, we just need some help posting them at post-secondary campuses, community centers, cafes, and any other public places where people interested in our cause might hang out.

When: Saturday, February 20, 2010 10 am – 4 pm
Where: Gen Scott’s House – Gen is the G.R.O. Communications Officer.
What: We’ll gather at Gen’s house at 10 am for coffee and pastries and team up into small outreach teams of 2-3 people. Each team will be responsible for one segment of Toronto. Together, that team will go out to poster up the city (making sure to have any necessary permissions, of course).  We’ll regroup at Gen’s at 2 pm for cold refreshments.
What to bring: Your TTC pass (if you have one, we will make arrangements for those who don’t), staplers, tape, and/or tacks if you have some.

Who: Everyone is welcome! Please gather up your friends!

RSVP: If you are interested in joining, please email Jayne at jwilkins@grofoundation.org for details about the location of the event.

This is a fun way to really hit the pavement and get involved with G.R.O. We hope you’ll join us!

To learn more about G.R.O. and our family scholarship program, check out our website www.grofoundation.org.

Posted under The Mission, The Movement, The Vision

Likano Mpoteli

 

Form D

17 years old

 When I have completed my high school, I want to go to university where I want to study nursing.  As we see that Lesotho is a developing country, it has few people who are educated.  For instances, we have so many people who are sick bu there are few nurses in hospitals to help them and they end up dying.  I want to help Basotho to stay alive because one day those people may become our presidents have improve our country.

At school, I like to do English, Accounts, Sesotho and Science.  The subject that is giving me a hard time is mathematics but I have tried to come through those problems buy asking some help to my schoolmates and my teachers.  They helped me and I am still going to them for getting help.

I like to play handball and watching the soaps like ‘Days of Our Lives’.  When I play handball, I feel like a new born child – I feel good with no stress.

Lesotho is a country of peace and stability, and everyone feels at home when they are in our country. Lesotho is a mountainous country and we have rivers, lakes and plants like trees and traditional herbs that we use as our medicines.  We have some places where keep the wild animals (national parks), rock paintings, historical places where we get to know how our grandfathers lived.  We also have the waterfalls and horse riding where we enjoy ourselves.

I want to work hard at school and pass my exams and get the help for the subjects.  I want to enjoy school, play handball and attend the clubs that we have at school. 

Posted under The Mission

Thakisi Makoe

 

Form D

17 years old

Respectively my dream career is that on my own, I need to be a farmer in life.  My farming can be able to cover some problems that are encountered by the family.  For if one of my family needs to be helped with needs like clothes, the farm like a chicken project, dairy, and rearing of sheep can be able to take cover against that problem.

I need to go to the university because there are so many challenges that have been encountered by the country while they are still making some findouts about how the economics of the country.  I need to go to university to share my ideas with other people from different places.  Sharing ideas about the economy can be managed to set the better future for the beneficial of Basotho and other people in the whole world.

The subject that I am very interested in are commerce, geography, accounts, mathematics, as well as Sesotho. I really need serious help in English Composition and letters as without passing there is no where a person can go because the universities and technicons need a person who has passed English.

If I could go to any country I would go to America or Canada because those people living there have changed my life in Lesotho from deep down.  They have introduced me on how to do things in such a way that I am on the safe side and to learn to plan for how one person can succeed in life.

-          I need to work hard to pass and be in Form E next year.

-          I need to change my life to make a better life.

-          I need to start the poultry project before end of winter.

-          I need to help other people in the community.

-          I need to respect all people, big and small.

This is written by a boy fighting against hunger and poverty, searching for a better economy and life style.

Posted under The Mission

Kopano Phakoe

 

21 years old

Form E

I would first like to give thanks to the Family Scholarship Fund because I could have not attended the school if this family was not there to help students who suffer about school fees, suffer in the house and many more. 

So my dream being in this family is that I want to be an accountant.   I think people who know things about money can help students who do not go to school.  I want to make some changes.

I would like to study accounts in the National University or Center for Accountancy. I am going to work hard there so that my dream can become true but it does not mean I am going to start to work hard there only.  I have already begun now.  The only thing left is to apply more effort in other subjects that I don’t perform well in.  My favorite subjects are mathematics, accounts, science, and chemistry.  English is very hard for me and Biology too.  I think if I can balance all the subjects I will get a good pass at the end of the year. 

Apart from the above, my hobbies in school are playing football and reading magazines.  I have found that these hobbies of mine are helping me a lot.  Such as magazines as they help me improve my performance in writing and reading English.

If I could go to any country, I would go to America so that I could get more information about a successful life and after I get that information, return to Lesotho to help students and provide the Scholarship Fund for everyone who has a serious sufferings in his/her life.

My target goals this year are as follows:

1)      I want to pass with First Class in my last year of high school. 

2)      I also want to be a pleasant example for the other students in this scholarship.

3)      I also want them to work harder but for them to work hard I should be a good example.

4)      I have also targeted that, at the end of this year, we all pass and to have that we should be co-operative to one another as we are now a family.

Everything is possible.

Posted under The Mission

Liekae Ntsalong - 2009 Student

New 2009 Scholarship Student

Form A

15 years old

My dream is to be a nurse because I want to be able to help the sick people and make a better living.  In this career, I will need to go to the university.  I like science, English, geography and business education. I want to work the hardest in science because I think it is the one which helps when one wants to be a nurse.  My hobbies are to play netball, to be an athlete and I like to watch games like football. 

My country Lesotho is the developing country and it has the attractive places like nature reserves and the dams like Katse dam.  There are so many tourists visiting Lesotho to see the enjoyable things like that.  It is a country where people earn their living by ploughing and there are so many fields for people to plough.

Posted under The Mission

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

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