September 2022 – rise International

A new Orphanage for God’s Love Center

September 27, 2022By Chris Theko0 comment

Background

God’s Love Centre is an orphanage for vulnerable children in the peri-urban area, called ‘Sekamaneng’.It was established in 2001 by Mme Neo Motants’i, and has become a refuge for over 60 orphans and children without families. Many of the children at God’s Love Centre have been orphaned by the AIDS epidemic. The center is located 20km outside of Maseru, the capital of Lesotho in a nearby district of Berea.

The Problem

The orphanage was highly overcrowded. With only 2 bedrooms, it was initially built with the aim of housing about 12 or 15 children but when we discovered it, there were 45 children living there. The grounds needed immediate improvement, the number of children was also increasing rapidly, and there was no privacy between the younger children and the adolescents. There was a desperate need for a new building.

The Solution

Watch the documentary here

rise built a new residence for GLC solely for those above the age of 18. This building was constructed as the first in loco project in 2018, and was officially handed over in February 2019. The residential area has a tuck shop for means of income, a computer laboratory for the residents and community to learn how to be tech-savvy, and food gardens for a sustainable means of food provision.

Methodology

rise purchased land about 10 km from the initial GLC site and then designed and built a new building for the orphanage. This building was designed for adolescents of ages 13 to 18. A shipping container was converted into a computer center and a tuck shop on the other end.

The Impact

Over 20 young boys and girls were given a home every year. The community computer center was a good resource for the community to have access to the internet and computer facilities, especially in this day and age of technology. The adolescents also got capacity training for financial independence. A group of young graduates from the Design, Architecture, and Built environment fields from local universities got relevant work experience as they designed and built the extension of the orphanage.

Testimonials

” We are so grateful to ‘M’e Daniela and rise for all of their help. Now the orphanage has dignity, the older children will now have privacy and I am hoping they get the independence they need to take on life as adults.” – Neo Motants’i, Founder of God’s Love Centre

rise News

Basotho take Heritage into their own hands

September 19, 2022By Chris Theko0 comment

Seriti sa Makhoarane Heritage and Tourism Network (SSM) in collaboration with rise held a first of its kind Built Environment and Heritage Masterclass in Makeneng, a small village in Maseru, Lesotho. This class was held at Makeneng (Matsieng), the royal village of Morena Lerotholi, the second-generation successor of Morena Moshoeshoe I. Architectural heritage spets from Cape Town; Janine de Waal and Graham Jacobs facilitated the Masterclass and shared their knowledge on the conservation of heritage in buildings.

A combination of people from different disciplines can now help create awareness and help youth in Lesotho with job creation in the Heritage and Conservation spectrum. The participants and other interested persons now have the opportunity to establish an association of Heritage activists to advocate for issues and causes in Heritage Conservation. This kind of association would also work to publicize and help educate the broader public on how to better appreciate the rich heritage of Lesotho/Basotho. It would also be open to interested persons from various disciplines in order to apply “Kopano ke matla” to Heritage Conservation.

The Masterclass was attended by 20 participants including architects; researchers in Anthropology, students of heritage studies, historians, engineers, construction managers, quantity surveyors, and Makeneng residents skilled in indigenous building techniques such as stone masonry, thatch, and reed fencing.

It was a full house of experts. The Masterclass was held at Makeneng because of its rich built environment, especially when taking into account the previous royal villages of Morena Moshoeshoe I at Thaba-Bosiu and of Paramount Chief Letsie I at both Morija and Matsieng.

Moreover, a rich and varied oral tradition has been recorded from the elderly inhabitants of Makeneng, allowing a full understanding and appreciation of the linkages between the built environment, archival sources, and living traditions. Finally, its unique architecture, landscape, and terrain give it a special ambiance with spectacular panoramic views to the north and east. Because of its geographical position, being on a dead-end road, it has largely been forgotten but Makeneng is a prime candidate for special recognition.

The Masterclass followed a participatory methodology as it involved knowledge and skills sharing between trainers and trainees. The trainers taught steps to follow to achieve heritage conservation of buildings, while trainees shared their knowledge and skills on Lesotho’s indigenous architecture.

These were all illustrated through practical demonstrations like; How to protect the wall of the Evangelist’s House from further damage using cow dung and mud; Seotloana and Reed screen demonstrations, and many more. The Masterclass explored the importance of not only conserving heritage sites and buildings in Lesotho but the need to preserve and adapt indigenous knowledge systems to create energy-efficient buildings that will be more sustainable and climate-friendly.

About Seriti sa Makhoarane Heritage and Tourism Network (SSM)

SSM is a legally registered association committed to the preservation, presentation and promotion of heritage and tourism associated with the Makhoarane area.

For more info on this initiative, please contact:

Mr Stephen Gill, +266 5885-8662, [email protected]

Ms Daniela Gusman, +266 5946-0734, [email protected]

Mrs Maneo Ralebitso, +266 5801-6984, [email protected]

Mr Pusetso Nyabela, +266 5886-0884, [email protected]