Fundraisers – rise International

January 2025 Highlights

February 13, 2025By Chris Theko0 comment

We hope that 2025 has started well for you. As we step into the 2nd month of 2025, we are filled with optimism and enthusiasm for the journey ahead. We are delighted to share updates on our ongoing projects and the incredible progress being made thanks to your continued support.

Progress in Mokhotlong with SolidarMed Lesotho

Our partnership with SolidarMed Lesotho is off to a strong start. The design phase of the new youth center and health and community facility in the highlands of Mokhotlong District is underway and is expected to be completed by Mid March. This innovative shipping container conversion into a youth centre which is being executed by our 2019 Pioneer, Bokang Tjakotja who founded BEEK Projects, is a testament to the power of sustainable design and our pioneers’ dedication to creating meaningful solutions for underserved communities. We look forward to sharing more updates as this transformative project progresses.

Empowering Pioneers Through Collaboration

January marked another milestone for our Pioneer Business Incubation Program. We continue to guide and equip our Pioneers with collaborative skills through clusters designed to enhance collaboration and skill-building dynamic workshops focused on project management, equipping our pioneers with essential tools to lead impactful initiatives. The Mokhotlong project continues to showcase the strength of this program by providing social enterprise opportunities for our Pioneers to thrive.

We also see other Pioneers benefiting from the clusters with a recent infrastructure project where our 2019 Pioneer Seabata Motanya who founded XYZ Collaborative and Peter Makhetha who founded PRO Construction were working side by side paving sidewalks in Lesotho’s capital city, Maseru.

Upcoming Initiatives for 2025

rise will be coordinating a collaborative research project between Nottingham Trent University (NTU), Lerotholi Polytechnic (LP), and the National University of Lesotho (NUL). The project focuses on analyzing building materials for affordable housing, with NUL Economics students assessing costs, LP Architecture students examining social impact, and NTU students evaluating environmental sustainability.

Six interdisciplinary student groups will conduct a comparative assessment of locally available materials, culminating in a final online presentation of their findings. This initiative fosters international collaboration and aims to inform sustainable and cost-effective housing solutions in Lesotho.

This year, we are excited to expand our efforts in promoting sustainable building practices and entrepreneurship. Key initiatives include:

Continued research and advocacy for hempcrete construction in Lesotho, with a focus on affordable and eco-friendly housing solutions.
Completion of the Stadium of Life project, with the next phase set to focus on the conclusion of Biodiversity Stand.

How can we ensure that every young person, regardless of background, has an equal chance to succeed? Whether it’s through mentorship, referrals, or simply spreading the word about the work we do with our in loco fellowship and Pioneer Business Incubation Program — every action counts.

We are incredibly grateful for your support, and we have no doubt that together, we can make an even greater impact this year. Let’s keep pushing forward. Let’s keep believing in the power of entrepreneurship, innovation and collaboration. Let’s make 2025 a year of action, hope, and change.

Thank You for Your Support

News

Empowering Communities Through Innovation: rise International partners with SolidarMed Lesotho’s Youth Center Project

February 11, 2025By Chris Theko0 comment

rise International is proud to announce an impactful new partnership with SolidarMed Lesotho, marking the beginning of a transformative project in Mokhotlong District. The initiative focuses on the design and construction of a youth center and health and community facility in the highlands, aimed at providing much-needed support and opportunities for young people in the region.

The project, currently in its construction phase, is expected to be completed by early-March 2025. It is a remarkable example of sustainable architecture, as it involves the innovative conversion of shipping containers into a fully functional and dynamic youth center. This approach not only reduces construction costs and environmental impact but also ensures durability and adaptability to the community’s needs.

At the heart of this initiative is Bokang Tjakotja, a graduate of rise International’s in loco fellowship program and a 2019 Pioneer. Bokang, through his company BEEK Projects, is leading the execution of this project, showcasing the strength of rise International’s incubation program in empowering young professionals to drive social change. His work highlights the potential of sustainable construction methodologies to create lasting solutions for underserved communities.

The youth center and health and community facility will serve as a safe and engaging space for young people, offering various programs and resources to support their personal and professional growth. It will also provide essential health services and act as a hub for community-driven initiatives.

This collaboration between rise International and SolidarMed Lesotho is a testament to the power of partnerships in addressing social challenges through innovative and sustainable solutions. As the project progresses, we look forward to sharing more updates and witnessing the positive impact it will have on the Mokhotlong community.

News

Closing off an impactful year!

December 19, 2024By Chris Theko0 comment

This year, rise International has made significant strides across our three core pillars: Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Development, Promoting Social Enterprise, and Innovative Building Methodologies.

Let’s take a moment to celebrate the highlights from Q2&Q3 and share our vision for the future.

Read Quarterly report here

Enhancing School Infrastructure Through the 5 Hub Schools Program

Thanks to the support of Action Ireland Trust and in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Training, we completed several impactful projects, including the construction of new flushing toilet blocks for Lithabaneng Primary School. We also distributed 39 pressure cookers to five schools, streamlining their daily operations and improving overall efficiency.

Sod turning Events at Makoanyane and Leqele Primary Schools
We recently marked the beginning of two exciting new projects at Makoanyane and Leqele Primary Schools where new ablution blocks will be built for the 1500 learners who currently have to use very unhygienic and inadequate pit latrines with no running water.

Our work with Action Ireland Trust enabled significant support for local schools, while our partnership with the British High Commission laid the groundwork for future collaborations aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and green growth in Lesotho.

Innovative Building Methodologies

Breaking New Ground with Sustainable Construction – Countdown to conclusion of Stadium of Life

The Kick4Life Stadium of Life project in Maseru is a testament to the potential of sustainable building. Using FSC-certified timber, we have completed the West seating stand and we are about to complete the South stand. The stadium fencing is now 95% complete, and we’re gearing up for the next milestone—the completion of the Biodiversity Stand.

Collaborating with SolidarMed in Lesotho

We recently began an exciting partnership with SolidarMed Lesotho, an international non-profit that improves health care for 1.5 million people in Lesotho, Moçambique, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, through infrastructure development and quality health services. In this partnership we are to design and construct a new youth centre in a health and community facility in the highlands of the Mokhotlong District. This project aligns with our mission to create sustainable and impactful solutions for underserved communities.

Potential Collaboration with Skate World Better

We’re thrilled to have also welcomed the Founder of Skate World Better, Martin and his associates, all the way from the Czech Republic, to Maseru, Lesotho! They are a non-profit organization building skateparks around Africa on a mission to support kids and young adults through skateboarding.This visit marked the beginning of a potential collaboration with rise International to explore how skateboarding can drive youth development and inspire change in our communities.

Click Here to Get Involved

Looking Ahead

As we plan for 2025, we’re excited to expand our initiatives and deepen our impact. From launching new community projects to advancing sustainable building practices, our mission to create lasting change remains steadfast.

Case Studies

An inclusive office for the Lesotho National Federation of Organizations of the Disabled

June 29, 2022By Chris Theko0 comment

Background

The Lesotho National Federation of Organizations of the Disabled (LNFOD) is an umbrella body of organizations dealing with disability in Lesotho. LNFOD advocates for, promotes, and defends the rights of people with disabilities and their families through provision of training, material and emotional support, and by representing their needs to government, development partners and the wider community.

The Problem

The building in which LNFOD used as their office was not accessible and inclusive of people living with disabilities. There were no ramps, sliding doors, or rails in the toilets. There were no pavements on the outside of the building making it difficult for people who use wheelchairs to access the building. There were also no guiding blocks to assist blind people and signage for general guidance and warnings. The building had poor ventilation and lacked thermal insulation. In essence, the office did not allow for the organization to employ people with disabilities nor fully carry out services for people with disabilities because of lack of accessibility.

The Solution

rise built a new all inclusive office in Naleli, Maseru the capital city of Lesotho. This building is the first one of its kind in the country catering completely for people with different disabilities. It has a ramp for easy access for people with physical disabilities, the doors are wide to allow wheelchair access, there are rails in the bathroom, the walls are made of textured tiles for guidance for people with blindness or eye sight impairment. The building has insulation in the ceiling as well as a cavity wall for insulation which makes it warm in winter and cool in summer. It is also designed such that there is a separate entrance for the boardroom and toilets allowing LNFOD to rent out the boardroom to external entities as an income generating source because social enterprise is the heart of rise.

Methodology

With the support of funds from Sedlak GmbH and Brotfür die Welt, the rise in loco cohort of 2020 designed and constructed this building. in loco is rise’s learning by doing program where

Young Basotho graduates from the design, architecture and built environment fields come together as a fellowship and learn practical skills. This way, graduates gained practical skills while the LNFOD community gained an inclusive office space.

Challenges

The site available for the building was very small, as was the budget for this project. Moreover this building was constructed during the Covid-19 pandemic, movement restrictions due to the pandemic restricted a lot of activities and decreased morale on site. People on site had to work with each other but still maintain Covid-19 protocol which was new and uncomfortable. Construction materials prices kept increasing due to high transport costs and restricted movements which further challenged an already budget-restricted project. Hardware stores would often run out of stock, which challenged progress on site. The International partners were not able to visit the project.

The Impact

LNFOD is a national umbrella body of organizations of persons with disabilities and therefore works for an estimated 56 000 people in Lesotho according to census (2016). LNFOD now employs more than 10 people with different disabilities and can provide even more services because of their fully inclusive new headquarters office building.

Testimonials

Nkhasi Sefuthi – Director of LNFOD

“We now have accessible toilets and ramps that make the office accessible for all people with disabilities including those using wheelchairs. We are now able to conduct our work efficiently even without the disturbances we used to have in our previous working space.”

SEDLAK GmbH and Diakonie/Brot für die Welt – Sponsors of the project

“We are proud to have supported the first accessible and inclusive office building in Lesotho. The construction of the LNFOD offices in Naleli is a milestone for disability organizations in Lesotho and will hopefully serve as a role model for other accessible buildings throughout the country.”

News

Announcing rise in the city

May 15, 2017By RISE INT0 comment

rise is excited to announce its first big fundraising event: rise in the city, a fundraiser and art show dedicated to social entrepreneurs in Africa.

Social entrepreneurs are people who create businesses with the aim of solving social problems or effecting social change, typically within their local community, taking a community-led development approach to change and improvement.

Dedicating themselves to solving problems in their community, these inspirational entrepreneurs too often do not have access to the funding and skills they need to succeed. rise seeks to support social entrepreneurs and help them to fulfill their potential. rise envisions a world where sustainable social enterprises become the norm, and all funds raised through rise in the city will support this mission.

About rise in the city

rise in the city is a unique art event, featuring a competition, exhibit and auction. 500 influencers in architecture, design, and construction will come together to discover how architecture, combined with social enterprise, can solve poverty problems in Africa.

How It Works

Leading artists, designers and architects will create a work of art representing one of 100 blocks of New York City. 100 companies will have the opportunity to get involved by sponsoring one of those same New York City blocks.

At an exclusive event held on the evening of October 25th, 2017 at Angel Orensaz Foundation in Manhattan, attendees will have the opportunity to view all the incredible artworks and, best of all, the chance to own one for themselves through an exciting auction.

Who you help

100% of proceeds will go directly to the first rise project, God’s Love Centre in Lesotho.

This initial project will provide new accommodation, study, and service facilities for the children at an overcrowded African orphanage in Lesotho, Southern Africa. In addition to providing better facilities for the orphans, funds will help rise to facilitate industry experts coming to the orphanage to provide training and mentoring. This training and mentoring will help the orphanage to become more self-sustaining by launching income-generating activities.

The project will follow the in loco “hands-on, bottom-up” approach. True to the rise ethos, the local community will be instrumental through this process.

Get involved

Find out more about creating a work of art or sponsoring one of the blocks of NYC on our rise in the city website, at riseinthecity.com. Tickets are also available to purchase on the rise in the city website for $150, or $120 if purchased before July 31st.