Lesotho Week 8: Clothing Is Optional

This week has been one of the best so far, getting to grips with the Basotho culture and starting to wrap up our programmes here with evaluations and handovers.

Day 50 - Day 51 (Semonkong/Roma/Maseru)

So, our three day excursion to Semonkong was extended slightly due to the reliable public transport system in Lesotho. Despite getting on a taxi at 11.45am, we didn't leave the town until 2.30pm, meaning it would have been too late to get home once arriving in Mafeteng. For the first time in weeks, I found myself massively stressing out, but luckily we were able to stay in Roma - a village within Maseru District that is home to Dan, Katie and Ciaran. Roma is exactly how I imagined Lesotho's villages to be, with people coming out of their houses to great the huge wave of UK volunteers that had turned up (9 of us).

This morning, we finally travelled back to Mafeteng for our sessions, and I can honestly say that this weekend' break has fully refreshed me for the final three weeks. Mathapelo and I ran a session today with nearly 100 children, which would have freaked me out at the beginning of my time here, but instead went really well, as we split the kids into two groups and each took one on. I feel like I've grown so much out here, and the facilitation of our sessions is always getting better. The kids are receptive to our messages, but also excited to be playing new games with their friends and building up their confidence. I really will miss the sessions when we leave.

Day 53 (Mafeteng)

As part of our work here in Lesotho, the volunteers are carrying out an 'action research' project, which involves finding a local community project and contributing to it. As my action research, I have been aiding a teacher at a local school who is compiling a study into how social sciences are taught around the world. I've been able to help her with the UK part of her research, adding context to the information she already has. 

Here in Lesotho, teaching is incredibly teacher-oriented. Teachers teach, and learners are expected to absorb information. Much of this involves copying from the board into school books, which means children tend to be very good at repetition, but critical thinking is a skill not encouraged within the current system. I've luckily managed to observe some teachers who really do want to employ more learner-based teaching within their classes, and it is in these schools that the children are more receptive to the messages we teach in our sessions. The pupils who are encouraged to think about their answers are the ones who are eager to engage with our programme. 

Our usual Thursday programme also happened today, continuing with our disabled-child session at St John's Primary School. Our sessions here are so rewarding because we work with the same kids each week, and therefore have been able to really see a change in how they interact with each other and the games we introduce.  This group will be the hardest to say goodbye to by far.

Day 54 - Day 56 (Maseru)

Another weekend, another opportunity to explore some more of Lesotho. This time a trip was organised for us to visit the Kome Caves, about an hour away from Maseru. This is a cultural centre, where we got to dress up in proper Basotho dress and learn the history of the local area. We also cooked traditional Lesotho food, such as pap, moroho (spinach) and beef stew on an open fire. The whole experience here was incredible, although I spent the majority of the day with a tiny piece of cloth around my waist. Clothing is apparently an option here, not a necessity.

It's hard to believe that we only have TWO weeks left here now. Since midterm, our time here is flying by, and the closer it gets to departure, the more real it is that we will eventually be leaving Lesotho. I'm so excited to see family and friends again, but I'm going to miss seeing the Mafeteng guys everyday, and the other volunteers on a pretty much weekly basis. I have always thought that leaving here would be easy, but the closer we get, the more I feel it could be quite emotional - saying goodbye to my host family and partner will be hard, as well as the other UK volunteers when we get to Heathrow. These next two weeks will go really quickly, but I'm going to have to make the most of them.

Lesotho Week 7: Downpours and Waterfalls

This week has been completely mixed in terms of emotions, with some very low points and a much needed trip to Semonkong. 

Day 44 (Mafeteng)

So... All the positivity about a full week of sessions lasted the grand total of two days. Monday and Tuesday have been absolute washouts, and I've only just got dry from today's downpour (it's 7pm!).

Unfortunately, because of the wet weather, our plans for Moshoeshoe's Day (a national holiday celebrating the founder of Lesotho) we're cancelled. It is normally marked in events put on by the schools, combining a mix of singing and athletics throughout the day, but in these conditions the events just we're not possible. It's a real shame to miss out on the only national holiday that is celebrated during our time here, but hopefully we will get to see some of the schools rescheduled activities in our final few weeks here.

Day 45 (Mafeteng)

In true British style, it is only right that I continue to talk about the weather. It's getting much colder here now. The evenings are getting chilly, and I've busted out my University of Surrey hoody to get me through the nights. I'm really glad we'll be leaving Lesotho just as winter begins, as although the days are still warm, the nights can get really cold. 

Today was meant to be the day I helped hand out the Toms at a local primary school, but as usual here in Lesotho, the organisation hasn't exactly been stellar. This has been postponed for next week instead, and I really hope it happens before I leave Mafeteng!

Day 46 (Mafeteng)

Well... Today is both a good day and a bad day. Firstly (and the good news), we have a new team leader - an experienced volunteer who has worked with the other organisation here in Lesotho, named Daniel. Although we only have three weeks left, I have a feeling that having a new team leader will really help us prepare for our handover and get our programmes fully ready for our departure, something that has already raised the positivity levels in that regard.

As I mentioned, however, there has been some negativity, largely due to how the Basotho people and the UK volunteers work out our problems. It's fair to say that we have had some problems with our programmes here since our arrival, mainly with the support groups, who have failed to get back in touch with us, which means a big part of what LENEPWHA does in Mafeteng has had to be replaced with extra school sessions. However, it seems to be that this hasn't been fully communicated to Skillshare, and therefore when we raise it as an issue it comes across as complaining about the programme, something that is only made harder sometimes by the language barrier. We're all really proud of the work we're doing here in Mafeteng, but we want the next group to have the best possible chance of working with the support groups, so hopefully this issue will be ironed out in time.

Day 48 - Day 49 (Semonkong)

This has been the best weekend I have had in a very long time. Semonkong is around a four hour drive from Maseru, and that meant leaving Mafeteng at 8.30am, with multiple bus changes and mountainous roads on the way. We finally made it at 2pm on Saturday.

Semonkong is home to the Maletsunyane Falls, the highest waterfall in Southern Africa, and also the Semonkong Lodge - a literal paradise, mainly due to the presence of marmite, a treat that has been absent from my life for the past seven weeks. The restaurant and bar are aimed at western travellers, meaning that I have had roast lamb and a fried breakfast this weekend.

The waterfall itself is one of the most incredible things I have seen. While some guys chose to climb down, I chose to remain at the top, opposite the falls to get an amazing view of the place. The actual walk to the fall was pretty 'entertaining', with this week's heavy rains leading to plenty of Vicar-of-Dibley-puddle moments. At least we managed to entertain the locals, who often walked on just laughing at us.

After a couple of weeks with so many sessions rained off or cancelled, this weekend has been exactly what I've needed. The UK volunteers here have become such great friends, and it was great to head off somewhere new and explore as a group. I am so motivated now for our final few weeks here, and know that we really are helping to establish a legacy here - just one that is going to be built up over many years of ICS groups.

Lesotho Week 6: A Pause In Proceedings

When it rains here, it really rains. This week has been a bit of a washout, and, as seen below, our sessions have been cancelled because of it. Add to that the midterm review, it's been more of a week of reflection, rather than action.

Day 36 - Day 37 (Maseru)

Now that we have passed the halfway point, we met on Monday and Tuesday for our midterm review - a chance for us to share best practice and review our time here in Lesotho so far. From these two days, I have picked up some great ideas of games to play in our sessions, and ways to integrate more messages into the classes. This review was also a great opportunity to put into perspective how little time we now have left, and the importance of recording our work in Mafeteng. As we really only have four weeks left in our homestays, we need to begin looking at what change we have made here, and how the next group of volunteers can continue this. In fact, a lot of the final half of our time here will be spent focusing on continuity and relationship building ready for the next team to take over smoothly.

Despite all coming from different backgrounds and parts of the UK, when we get together as a group it is often a highlight of the week - mainly because we all have the same reasons for being here and can motivate ourselves to continue the good work. We also have the same amount of drive to make the most of our time here in Lesotho in exploring the country. I'm really aware that once we leave in April, I may not get another chance to come back to Lesotho (at least not for the next few years), and I want to enjoy all the moments we have left!

Day 39 (Mafeteng)

Weather. The past few weeks have been so hot and rain has been overdue, but the last two days have been full of torrential showers. When it rains here, everything stops, including schools, leading to a lot of sitting around with the rest of the Mafeteng volunteers instead. It's quite frustrating that I haven't run a session now for a whole week due to meetings, midterm and rain, but this is just the culture here - rain really does stop play, and this is something I cannot change (as much as I'd like to). The forecast is due to get better, so hopefully tomorrow will go ahead and I won't go this week without feeling like I've done something productive.

Today, I also found out that Toms (the shoe company) supply one of the schools here with plimsolls for the children. Next week I'll be helping distribute these to the children, and hopefully I'll find out more about the process and how schools become part of this programme.

Day 40 (Mafeteng)

The sun is well and truly back, so sessions are back on with one of my favourite schools, Sekoati Primary. The attitude and interest of the teachers here is great, so Mathapelo and I have been able to develop a really good relationship here. The only downside is that we will only get to run 4 sessions here in total, due to meetings and other ICS events that are often organised on Fridays. However, the school is eager for the next batch of volunteers to carry on the well here, so hopefully this is just the beginning of a relationship between ICS, Skillshare, LENEPWHA and Sekoati.

Tomorrow, we are off to Thabana Morena for Fletch's birthday weekend, and next weekend we're off to Semonkong. Semonkong is home to the biggest waterfall in Lesotho, so we're making the most of our final few weekends here. 

Day 42 (Thabana Morena)

So, that's it for another great weekend here in Lesotho, and we've spent it at Paul's traditional Basotho hut in Thabana Morena. It feels like we've travelled all over the place this week, but we have been together as a UK group quite a bit, which has also been awesome. Fletch's party was great, with home cooked curry, cake and a couple of ciders - a little touch of home thousands of miles away from the UK. Fletch is the only one of is to have a birthday while we're in Lesotho, so I think we did a pretty good job of celebrating it!

I'm really looking forward to the week ahead, as it should be a week full of sessions (dependent on the weather of course), and then the trip to Semonkong to top it all off. Tuesday is also Moshoeshoe's Day, a national holiday here where local schools run events (when people describe it they seem to be very vague). We've been invited to one of the schools that Conrad and Fletch work at on this day, so I should get to see how the Basotho people celebrate their founder. I'm really looking forward to getting back into the sessions properly. We only have four weeks left in Lesotho now, and even less in Mafeteng, and there's still loads of work left to do here. I'm probably the most positive now since we arrived, so hopefully this attitude remains and we can get some great positive action completed here in Mafa!

Lesotho Week 5: Hitting Halfway

This week we hit the halfway point, giving a chance to look back at what we have achieved so far, and how we can take that forward. 

Day 29 (Mafeteng)

It's very odd how normal it now feels to be in Lesotho. I have adjusted to the new lifestyle in a good way, although I am still missing home and friends and family. It's hard to believe that we're now at the beginning of the halfway point - these first four weeks have flown by so quickly and it's nearly the end of February. In just six weeks time we'll be heading home, which seems crazy. Reminding myself how little time we have left here puts the work we still have to do in perspective.

I'm also now feeling much more relaxed in our sessions, and am starting to get familiar with teachers and pupils. This is great for fostering strong relationships with the schools, and to talk openly and clearly about our experiences.

Day 31 (Mafeteng)

Week five. How is it even week five already? It's really starting to hit home that we are about to get to the halfway point. I'm not going to lie, going home is an exciting prospect, but there's still a lot more of Lesotho that I want to see and achieve before we leave. And we still have sun here. I'm not that stupid.

This week, our sessions are focused on self-confidence, which means we are running more talk-based sessions than in other weeks. Today's session with Marsentle High School, however, may have been the most rewarding session I have run so far. Our class here is close to finishing school, and therefore looking to what they want to do when they leave the education system. I got the class to share their aspirations with the group, so everyone is aware of what profession they hope to enter, in a hope that they can all support each other to get there. High School education is not free in Lesotho, and these kids are lucky - now they just have to believe in their abilities to get where they want to be. They want to be accountants and nurses and teachers, and they all have the drive to her there, so these session have been really rewarding from a facilitation point of view.

Day 32 (Mafeteng)

Today has been pretty interesting, with the CEO and two trustees of Skillshare International coming to visit our team in Mafeteng. They are currently visiting the three ICS bases across Southern Africa, in Lesotho, Botswana and Cape Town. This face us a chance to highlight the positive work that the ICS programme carries out in communities, and also the personal development impact this is having on us too. They all got to watch Daisy and Ntabiseng run a session with a local girls football team, demonstrating the types of activities we run in our sessions and how we teach life skills.

I also saw today that the next batch of volunteers have their training next week! It's so odd that the next team are already being prepped to come out here, while it feels like we've only just arrived. I think we are going to try and prepare something for the new guys while away on our midterm review this weekend, so they can start getting even more excited about this opportunity!

Day 33 (Mafeteng)

I am so ready for this weekend it is unreal. Apart from a visit to a support group tomorrow morning, I am now done for the week and will be heading to Maseru on Sunday for our midterm review. 

Today we had a LENEPWHA team meeting, which has helped us realise that we are beginning to see positive changes in some of the schools we visit, and this is after only four weeks in Mafeteng. When we leave here, we should be able to see some real changes in the attitudes of the kids we have been working with, which is a real motivator for the second half of our time here.

We decided today that as a team we would begin looking for new opportunities in the local community to volunteer ourselves for. As I still have quite a few mornings free, I would quite like to work more with some other classes, either through teaching or helping a school with resource development or infrastructure. This may help solve some of the morning-boredom I can get, and would be really useful for our second half.

Day 34 (Mafeteng)

Hello March. Time is flying and tomorrow we head to Maseru for our midterm review. By the time we get back, we will have less time here than we have spent, and I really do not feel ready to leave. I go trough phases where sometimes I'm really excited to go home, to others when I want to stay here longer. It doesn't help that I do still feel quite ill and have had to keep dosing myself up. Hopefully I will feel better after a few days away!

Day 35 (Maseru)

Okay, I am incredibly sunburnt. We arrived in Maseru today for the midterm review, which is a chance for is to reflect on our experiences so far, and how we can maximise this for our final five weeks in the host communities. As Sunday is our free day, we decided to head to a local hotel for a swim and a couple of beers, and I foolishly 'forgot' to wear suncream. Hence the burn all over my chest.

I'm really excited to spend the next few days with the group and seeing how everyone's experiences have been. Today is the official halfway point, and these UK volunteers are already like a new family.