October 2020 – rise International

Happy National Mentoring Day!

October 27, 2020By RISE INT0 comment

The landscape of business today is constantly changing and increasing in complexity. Innovation is critical to success, and a combination of skills is the key. Having a mentor to help manoeuvre through the business landscape; someone who has more experience, who guides a less experienced person by building trust and modelling and inspiring positive behaviours. A mentor essentially helps their mentee be accountable for their vision, their goals and plans. An exceptional mentor can help a fledgling entrepreneur think through effective strategies, crunch numbers and create realistic business plans. However, mentorship is not only beneficial to the mentee but also to the mentor. The time spent pushing another person towards being the best possible version of themselves develops one’s leadership and management skills.

The need for mentorship in Lesotho

Lesotho is a low- income, land locked country in Africa where the rate of poverty stands at almost 50%. This calls for an urgent need for the youth to venture into entrepreneurship in order to survive. Yet most start-ups in Lesotho fail due to lack of access to business support services. There are no formal leadership development programs and there is an existing generational gap between experienced and less experienced people in workforces. Therefore, there is a need to ensure that professionals are equipped and future- ready. Krynauw Nel, an architect in South Africa, who virtually mentors a young entrepreneur in Lesotho, when asked about the potential impact of mentorship on Lesotho’s economy stated “the biggest issue for a small enclave like Lesotho is exposure to wider practices. We forget that not everyone has access to the same exposure we have even in South Africa if not to the world at large. Widening the horizons for locals and increasing their networks can make a massive impact. I find a total hunger for that. When that exposure is supported by a compassionate mentor, it can make a huge difference to at least one individual.” Tshepang Thabane, Krynauw’s mentee and graduate from in loco 2018 cohort also stated that “Lesotho needs to invest heavily in mentorship programs and platforms in order to tackle the high unemployment rate as they help turn lofty goals into tangible goals.”

In this day and age where the 4^th industrial revolution has almost taken over, mentorship programs have proven to be game changers and what’s more, they can be done remotely. This is all the more important as we navigate through a global pandemic.

rise mentorship program

In 2018, we launched a ground breaking fellowship program, a practical ‘learning by doing’ live design, build and entrepreneurship training program called in loco. The fellows receive business and entrepreneurial training as well as an introduction to professional networks, access to market and employment opportunities. in loco fellows practice the principles of entrepreneurship and social impact while receiving hands-on training in community designed infrastructure projects. At the end of each cohort the fellows are given the opportunity to select a mentor from everyone they would have interacted with during the fellowship, we then facilitate a mentor-mentee relationship benefiting both parties.

Celebrate National Mentoring Day with us

We are working on designing and building Lesotho’s first Enterprise Hub for start- ups in the country’s capital of Maseru as part of our rise in the city 2020 campaign. This Hub is a key component to building Lesotho’s entrepreneurship ecosystem to fight against poverty in the country. The wheels of our campaign are the creation and facilitation of a mentorship program that will award start-up architects in Lesotho the platform to be mentored by successful international architects who continue to sign up to our campaign. Watch this brief 2 minute video that explains how it works and help spread the word!

2020

in loco fellows 2020 blog series #4: The stone the builder refused

October 9, 2020By RISE INT0 comment

My name is Paki T’sotleho, I am a 29 year old man with a heart of a kid, a mind of an old soul and the body of a giant. I am part of the 2020 cohort of the in loco fellowship and a contributor to the vision set by rise international. I hold a Bsc in Construction studies in the built environment from the University of the Witwatersrand. This program focuses on all aspects of construction; from Construction Management and Technology, Quantity Surveying, Property studies, Construction law, Building design, Building science and Construction Economics. The importance of this programme is to broaden one’s take on the construction industry so that going further with either a professional career or a contractor/ entrepreneur route you understand your role and how you fit in and keep up with the ever growing and changing construction industry.

I strongly believe that ignorance, coupled with the “know it all” attitude is the root of the downfall of our Basotho People and hinders growth for Lesotho. In return this attitude leaves us, the youth, with a frustrated and discouraged outlook for Lesotho. With that said, the reason I applied for the in loco fellowship programme was that for the first time I came across a programme that seemed eager to give the young Mosotho child a vision, a platform to voice their creativity, challenge and grow their acquired skills from the built environment and at the same time teach them how to be independent and to self-sustain themselves when they go out into the field.

At this stage of the fellowship programme (3 months in), I have learnt how to breakdown Bills of Quantities into a material list. They can be used as a point of reference to see if your project is in line with the budget and indicate expenses that were not accounted for in the Bills of Quantities. I have also learnt the most tricky aspect of construction which is the Preliminaries in a practical sense, that has to do with site preparation, site establishment requirements, administrations and organisational requirements for the personnel on site. On top of the construction aspect of the programme there is also the entrepreneurship aspect. In this part of the programme I continue to learn about how to position your brand, how to locate and expand your market, how to execute social media marketing, the importance of customer service, and a whole lot more that helps you tick all the boxes necessary to successfully start and operate your business.

Since the fellowship started in July 2020 I have been performing the role of a buyer as well as a laborer on site. As a buyer, I am responsible for making sure all the tools and materials needed on site are sourced in accordance with the construction schedule; when they are needed and at the best value for the client. I assure you this is no walk in the park. Finding the balance of being within budget but trying your best to get the best quality material and services possible is very challenging. This role requires a lot of planning and preparation skills but it is mostly exciting if you have worked as a consultant Quantity Surveyor like I have.

Being able to see equipment and material, to interact with suppliers, all of which makes me feel hands on. It also solidifies my confidence in my profession as a Quantity Surveyor – this profession in Lesotho is easily brushed off and given little to no recognition. As for being a laborer, this is the most rewarding experience ever – I get to see that I am capable of creating something from nothing with my own hands and personally, I have always wanted to be the kind of man who is handy. So this experience is giving me the skills I need to be this man and tuning my mind to be oriented in problem solving in every task I face.

I am currently working in a project where we are constructing an inclusive building for LNFOD (Lesotho National Federation of the Disabled). The in loco programme encourages fellows to advocate for inclusive buildings in every project that we take on for the benefit of people with disabilities. Secondly, this project challenges us as the future Lesotho construction industry; to come up with the technology to allow for all physical work to be done by everyone, no matter their gender.

In conclusion I would like to leave with an overview of my future aspiration. My dream is in three stages; first I would like to open a lamp shop and everything wood that will later have a coffee shop. Secondly, I would like to start up a recreational center/camp, and lastly to facilitate community projects that build parks with sports grounds all over the country. “Along with the trees, the animal in me and the soil I ground myself on, teaches me how to be human” – Paki Ts’otleho

Social Entrepreneurship

The power of community driven development – one year on…

October 7, 2020By RISE INT0 comment

Community driven development empowers people by giving responsibility to the community.
By virtue, this allows community members to work together and take a vital part in decision making. In so doing, opportunities are built, people’s voices are strengthened allowing them to freely demand greater accountability of the institutions that are relevant to their livelihoods, and to promote sustainable development. rise international prides itself in providing linkages to skills and resources where and how they are needed. rise believes that merely giving what you think will “help” may not help at all. That is why a community driven development approach is fundamental in all the projects carried out by rise.

This time last year in 2019, rise international, in partnership with Possible Dreams Foundation, piloted a program with a rural community in Lesotho called Ha Sekants’i. As a means to tackling economic and infrastructural needs that the community identified as priorities, through the construction of a pedestrian bridge in collaboration with a group of international volunteers from Malta, sponsored by an international development company called J Portelli Projects.

This footbridge helped the community gain safe access to health care services, the market and also enabled children to get to school without having to go through the river which is menacing and at times impossible when it rained or snowed. With the help of community members and the guidance of the Roads Directorate, rise was able to construct the bridge in just two months

The community of Ha Sekants’i remain proud of the footbridge. It has become their reminder of the power of the Letsema concept – an African tradition of volunteering one’s labor to community projects.
“We are pleased that through this partnership we finally have a footbridge. I am 86 years old now, I really never thought this would happen in my lifetime” – Abiel Khanyapa, Ha Sekants’i community member.

Alkire et al., (2001) demonstrated that by directly relying on communities to drive development activities, community driven development has the potential to make poverty reduction efforts more demand responsive, more inclusive, more sustainable, and more cost effective than traditional centrally led programs, thus increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of poverty reduction efforts. We can proudly attest to this statement.

One year on, the community of Ha Sekants’i has developed vastly. The only rural village in Lesotho with a permanent outdoor photo exhibition. Ha Sekants’i has become a popular destination for visitors looking for an authentic eco-experience. In collaboration with Possible Dreams Foundation, the Ha Sekants’i community is now raising funds to construct a community learning centre in the village.

Photo credit: Justice Kalebe

Catch up on the project on this link https://www.youtube.com/watchv=BiinzFnQ9OU

2020

IN LOCO FELLOWS 2020 BLOG SERIES #3: Intergalactic love

October 1, 2020By RISE INT0 comment

Intergalactic means movement between spaces. Buildings occupy space, from their foundations upwards. Therefore in this blog, intergalactic is compared to construction because of the fuming passion I have for the built environment and intergalactic.

My passion for the built environment grew after several setbacks from the University of Free State, where I was enrolled in the faculty of natural sciences, however I dropped out from the University and I enrolled for a National Diploma: Building at the Central University of Technology, Free State (CUT) where I graduated in record time. The faculty of Engineering has always been best for me…HAHA.

Upon completion of my diploma, I was awarded a MerSETA women in engineering bursary. This encouraged me to further my BTech in Construction Management which I also completed in record time. A fiery love for construction grew deeper, so much so, that I established my own construction company named Khal Construction Engineers the same year I enrolled for my BTech, with a view of creating a better industry that would lessen surplus costs, delays, accidents on construction site, and upsurge job creation. My first project in construction was plastering and floor pouring a residential building.

The business did not go so well. Our marketing was poor, we could not get customers as we were unknown in the industry, project hunting became all-consuming but there were still no doors opening for the smart, enthusiastic ‘Malingaka. But I don’t accept defeat; it’s just not in my DNA. Therefore I enrolled for a Masters at the University of Johannesburg while job hunting and tender hunting. Being the go getter that I am, I completed my Masters within a year. The same year in December my company got its first client! Sufficient grace, right?

That first client was a stepping-stone to many. Currently I have over two years’ experience in the industry and already embarking on the journey to bag my PhD in Construction Management. Though my business is facing challenges such as lack of construction equipment to commence a project, rise has a solution to my challenge since fellows and alumni are able to borrow construction equipment from rise.

My first encounter with rise international was when I navigated through the internet for job vacancies. I believe it was through www.selibeng.com that I saw the opportunity for the in loco fellowship. rise’s mission and vision caught my attention, I was amazed. With much enthusiasm I applied for the fellowship and got in. I must say I am super grateful for this platform; it has been nothing but a place of growth in the built environment, industry and entrepreneurship.

Work on Construction Site — Malingaka and other in loco fellows working on LNFOD site

“Don’t let an opportunity pass you by, grab it and make the most of it.” I’ve been doing the most, learning by doing, learning from my other fellows, grabbing every skill and networking. rise has taught me that “Letso’ele le beta poho”, (Together we can overcome). Team work is the utmost, sharing innovative ideas amongst the fellows, problem solving and building each other through business partnerships. At rise, I have learned the importance of marketing, effective communication, negotiation skills and working in groups with other fellows. Amongst the activities we’ve done with rise, I enjoyed the Participatory Design Workshop and team building the most; what an experience!

I am excited to learn more from my fellows, to experience getting our hands dirty on the 2020 project. I have been getting along well with other fellows; it has really been fun working with each and every one of them. It is as if we’re one big happy family.

I AM ‘Malingaka Maoeng