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

We are proud to recognize the contributions and selflessness of G.R.O. volunteer and all around amazing individual Aric Rankin!  As a recognized CBC Champion of Change Aric has dedicated himself to both national and international work and has volunteered throughout the world most recently with the Canadian Medical  Assistance Teams administering disaster relief following the devastating earthquake in Haiti earlier this year. On behalf of G.R.O. Canada and The G.R.O. Foundation Lesotho - Thank you, Aric!

Aric Rankin

Age: 28

Volunteers in: Leogane, Haiti; Leribe, Lesotho; London, Ontario

Category: International: Health & Wellness

Organizations:Canadian Medical Assistance Teams, Disaster relief in Haiti post earthquake (Jan.-Feb. 2010)Ontario Hospital Association, OHAfrica, Tsepong Clinic, Kingdom of Lesotho (May-Aug. 2009)G.R.O. Foundation, Leribe, Kingdom of Lesotho (July-Aug. 2009)

How long has candidate been involved in their current volunteer work?More than 10 years

How frequently do they volunteer?5 -10 hours a week

Why candidate is an outstanding volunteerAric doesn’t just volunteer, he lives volunteerism. He inspires and builds capacity in other volunteers then recognizes their accomplishments. He has international experience working as a nurse fighting HIV/AIDS and TB in the Kingdom of Lesotho May-August 2009, and with the first disaster response team for the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti January 2010. Aric gives continuously, also finding time to be chapter president of RNAO and a professional member of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.

How many people does your candidate’s volunteerism impact?More than 100 people

Why your candidate became involved with volunteeringAric began volunteering young and achieved the Chief Scout award. Diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at 16, he became more involved by sharing his experiences and coping strategies with other IBD patients. In 2005 he first exhibited self-direction in international volunteerism after witnessing the state of the education system while on vacation in Fiji. Aric pioneered health education and coordinated supply donations, stating we can’t help everyone, but in helping someone, we can never fail.

Awards candidate has received in the past for volunteer work.Registered Nursing Association of Ontario (RNAO) Certificate of Distinction Award, 2010University of Windsor Odyssey Award, 2010

Visit Aric’s CBC Champions of Change page

Posted under The Movement

The G.R.O. Artisans Collective was delighted to present a gift to the Queen of Lesotho from their 2010 collection for her birthday on June 2nd. For a long time, the Artisans had been looking for ways to get the Queen, who was born and went to school in their community of Hlotse, involved in their work, so this was a great opportunity to do so.

The gift that was presented for her birthday featured locally sourced porcupine quills and recycled glass elegantly mixed in with Tiger’s Eye to create the beautiful Lefats’e set. Not long after her birthday, feedback was sent to the Collective through the Queen’s brother who had been our liaison. This was not just a ‘post birthday thank you’ you might expect; She was so excited by the elegance of the local design that she sent the Artisans a purchase order for even more jewelry!

She asked for a hand crafted custom order of three sets of jewellery  made in the colour blue. You can imagine the excitement that filled the Collective upon receipt of the order. The artisans sat down to design the sets and they came up with pieces that featured recycled glass, mountain clay, and paperbeads. Her response was very positive and we hope that the relationship with the Queen will grow stronger now that we have earned her support of the beautiful work that theArtisans do.

‘Me Motseoa Seutloali

G.R.O. Artisans Collective Coordinator

Posted under Letters 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

ob Allan and Jeanine Tan tied the knot in Toronto on June 25th, 2010 and gave G.R.O. a reason to celebrate too! Instead of doing table gifts for guests at the wedding, Rob and Jeanine made a significant contribution to G.R.O. Canada on behalf of their guests.

Though Rob and Jeanine have been living in London, U.K. for several years, like G.R.O., they have Canadian roots. It’s G.R.O. Canada’s mission to connect Canadian people with vulnerable communities around the world that really interests Rob and Jeanine. Having both lived and travelled in many places around the world, they understand that creating these connections is vitally important for social change. INSERT QUOTE FROM ROB: “I have been very impressed by G.R.O.’s experience of collaboration and partnership in Lesotho.  It is G.RO.’s direct impact on the local community that really sets it apart, and the organisation’s dedication and commitment to fostering meaningful change is a real inspiration.  I’d certainly like to see more Canadians get involved.”

Jeanine and Rob’s “I do” was attended by G.R.O. Chair, Megan Landes, and three members of the Canadian operations team. On what felt like an enchanted summer evening straight from the storybooks, the G.R.O. Canada team was honoured to be acknowledged! Rob and Jeanine’s generous gift was a great kick-off to an exciting summer for G.R.O., which also brought the announcement of G.R.O. Canada’s status as a registered Canadian charity.

Congratulations Jeanine and Rob on behalf of the whole G.R.O. Canada Team!

Posted under Uncategorized

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

The G.R.O. Foundation Lesotho and its’ international partners mourns the loss of Thomas Maresco, a Peace Corps volunteer who was serving as a teacher in Lesotho.  He was fatally shot on Friday, September 3 2010 in the capital, Maseru. All of us with G.R.O. wish to send our condolences to the family and friends of Thomas.
G.R.O. Foundation Lesotho has strong ties to the US Peace Corps; two of the co-founders of G.R.O. are returned Peace Corps volunteers who served in Lesotho.  Several U.S. Peace Corps volunteers have participated in G.R.O. Lesotho’s programming over the past five years, and this August, a Peace Corps volunteer joined G.R.O. on a two-year placement working with the G.R.O. Artisans Collective.

Posted under Uncategorized