The temperature is dropping here in Leribe as we have peaked into the late days of Autumn. With the change of seasons The G.R.O. Foundation, along with all of our current projects on the ground, have closed out the summer months with strong results. As the newest volunteer member of the G.R.O. team I have recently arrived from Whistler, British Columbia, to assist in project and capacity development here in Leribe until the end of June. During my stay my main objectives are to enhance the current business model for the G.R.O. Artisans Collective to ensure continued stable growth through increased cooperation with the Lesotho government and to establish international ties to create market opportunities for the HIV positive mothers; to provide complimentary support to the Grannie’s Poultry Project in hopes of completing the construction on their first chicken coop with the addition of electrical wiring, heating, ventilation, pest deterrents, and a catchments system for rain water; as well as to assist in daily operations of the organization – such as maintaining this blog posting.
After arriving on 24 May I have been going nonstop to get up to speed on all of the current operations here and meet all of the community members that are involved and affected, directly and indirectly, by the support of our donors and volunteers. Already, I can say with confidence that there are real positive changes to individual daily lives happening in and around Leribe thanks to the assistance provided to G.R.O. for food, education, health care, and shelter. Two of the many introductions I have had that struck a chord with me were the G.R.O. Artisans’ ‘Me Mamabula, along her daughter Joyce, and Family Scholarship recipient Kopano Phokoe. When we first traveled just outside of Leribe to meet ‘Me Mamabula and her daughter Joyce at their one room home, where she currently designs and produces all of her jewellery I found a beautiful healthy three year old who, although a bit shy, was smiling interested to know who this new visitor was. As part of the Artisans Collective ‘Me Mamabula receives far greater than fair trade wages for her jewellery as well as business training that will allow her to become a leader within the Collective. On the second occasion I met Kopano at Molapo High School where despite having lost his entire family to HIV/AIDS and needing to travel for almost two hours to and from Leribe to attend school he maintains some of the highest marks in his class. Kopano receives funding through the Scholarship Crisis Fund to ensure his basic needs are met at home and that he can afford regular transportation to school. These are just two of the dozens of people I have already had the fortune and opportunity to meet in my short stay thus far. Both are examples of ways in which we are trying to give the people of Leribe a helping hand to realize their dreams and become leaders of their community.
This past Friday we celebrated National Worker’s Day with a large festival bringing together over a thousand people for traditional Northern Basotho music and local cuisine. The Artisans Collective was in attendance where ‘Me Mathabang and ‘Me Mamabula displayed and sold their fashion jewellery. This experience gave us the chance to experience the natural retail skills that ‘Me Mathabang possesses! The festival also gave all of the NGO newcomers a chance to experience some of the flare the locals have to offer. While the ex-pats received sunburns and basked in the warmth everyone else in attendance was wrapped in traditional Basotho blankets and seshoeshoe dresses to keep warm as they cheered and danced to the music. Thank you to all the members of the community, Lesotho Boston Health Alliance, and OHAfrica for coming out and supporting the Artisans Collective. Please check out the photos from the event.
Salang Hantle!
(Stay Well!)
Jason Clark.
artisans@grofoundation.org
Posted under Notes from Lesotho, Uncategorized
This post was written by jason.clark on May 5, 2009
