2020

IN LOCO FELLOWS 2020 BLOG SERIES #3: Intergalactic love

October 1, 2020By 0 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.

Malingaka working on construction site
Malingaka working on construction site

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?

Malingaka building a guard house

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!

‘Malingaka Maoeng

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

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in loco fellows blog series #9: At school it’s just the basics. The real learning is on site by doing

December 8, 2019By 1 Comment

My name is Ntina (Peter) Makhetha. I am a 2017 Construction Management graduate. I first knew about rise’s in loco fellowship program in mid-2018 from one of my ex-tertiary colleagues who was one of the fellows in the first pilot program. Immediately after graduating we were all over the place looking for jobs. By the time I got to know about the opportunity applications were already closed. I saw how the in loco program gave them not only on site experience, but also the business training sessions turning them from being jobs seekers into job creators.  I couldn’t wait for the recruitment of the second cohort so I followed rise on social media to be updated about second in loco fellowship applications. 

Fast forward mid-2019 a post was published, I couldn’t miss it as I had been waiting for it, I applied and got lucky and was admitted. August came, we began our 6-month fellowship with my first ever experience, the participatory design workshop of the IDAL project, which was all about designing involving the client to understand and cater for their needs into the design. Within that 2 weeks workshop I took part in the Quantity Surveying Team, doing the Bills of Quantities. I learned more about teamwork as we had to work hand in hand with the design team and understand their drawings.

Later we went to site, for the commencement of the construction phase, as a Site Manager, it was such a huge opportunity and exposure to have taken a lead in the execution of a timber structure from its foundations to the top. Amongst all, the most critical tasks that I got my hands dirty on was setting out, excavation, levelling, reinforcement, concreting, raising up the pillars and roof trusses which are the major structural elements of the project. As the in loco program is about learning by doing, I switched roles 3rd month into the fellowship and took on the Events Coordinator. role I wanted to improve my soft skills, especially  my communication skills and be a confident public speaker which I managed to strengthen and now it’s safe enough to say I’m way better than before I joined in loco 2019.

 At the moment I’m working as a Plant and Logistics Manager as well as a Quality Control Officer. I did learn a lot of things in a short time. I learned more than I anticipated, multitasking and working under pressure. Many thanks to rise through its in loco program for all the valuable experience and entrepreneurship skills which has enable me to start developing my own Construction Company.

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in loco fellows blog series #7: Never lose hope, Give it a try

November 27, 2019By 0 comment

Some time after I completed my diploma in construction management in search for job opportunities, valuable skills and experience in the design and build industry, i come across one of my ex-classmates who introduced me to the impact of the in loco fellowship program. I never let the opportunity pass me by, I applied for the fellowship and was called for an interview. Guess what, today I am enrolled amongst the in loco fellows at rise International (Relationships Inspiring Social Enterprise).

We are currently working on the project of IDAL (Intellectual Disability & Autism Lesotho) Centre. The first thing we did for the project was to conduct a Participatory Design Workshop, the aim being to understand the clients and their needs and thereof come up with solutions to their problems with the in loco materials and talent.

The first week of the program I had to work on the tendering process where i did the costing of the project by preparing the bill of Quantities. It was an enjoyable time for me to enhance the skills and knowledge I had prior to school by using the necessary tools introduced to us by the rise team which were the bills of quantities templates, schedule of works and the rise database. Such tools are necessary in managing time, cost and effort.

Two weeks later it was my time to get to experience the role of being the site manager. Very challenging moments to execute the project, giving tasks to the other fellows and the application of the managerial skills and knowledge I got at school, conducting site meetings, preparing site reports, schedule of works and many others.

 The fellowship has changed me from being a job seeker to an entrepreneur through the business sessions we are getting, fire is burning inside me to bring tremendous changes into people’s lives. I gained a lot of both soft and technical skills in the managerial system by collaborating with the fellows and the rise team who I regard are my mentors.

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in loco FELLOWS BLOG SERIES #5: Living the dream

November 8, 2019By 1 Comment

‘’My passion and great enjoyment for architecture, and the reason the older I get the more I enjoy it, is because I believe we-architects can affect the quality of life of the people.’’ Richard Rogers

As an architectural graduate, I first got introduced to rise way back in 2015, at Limkokwing University when rise held their first lecture at my university. From that day, my admiration for architecture and perception about the built environment specifically with building with local materials was activated. I realized that I knew less about various methods of construction that existed in other African countries. From that day, I started following rise’s lectures, after seeing their impact and the drive about helping out less developed countries with resources they have.

Sello overseeing the installation of one of the wing frames

Fast forward, my senior architecture students got enrolled into the in loco program, where they worked on GLC*(God’s Love Centre Orphanage) in 2018 in Sekamaneng. This in loco program was ‘a learn by doing;.’ program, where graduates are equipped with all necessary skills (construction skills) before being introduced to the industry. I was very inspired and hoped they’ll recruit other graduates after the first cohort. It was a dream come true when I realized they were recruiting again this year (2019). I didn’t hesitate, I applied with the hope of being admitted, and my prayers were answered, I was accepted into the fellowship.

 The project we are working on as the second cohort of fellows is the IDAL (Intellectual Disability & Autism Lesotho) Center, where we designed and are currently building a pavilion, a timber-made structure, which is so intriguing to work with, because it’s one of the rare methods of construction in the country for big projects like this.

Sello getting his hand dirty!

 As an architecture graduate, I have learned more than I had anticipated about construction and by actually not just designing and handing over a project to be constructed by a construction professional, but also getting my hands dirty. I also learned concrete mixing, to using a concrete mixing machine, timber construction and tools, detailing, business and entrepreneurial and interpersonal skills.

At first I was appointed to be a buyer or procurement officer, which entails a lot of paper work and buying construction materials and equipment in this context. This was a challenging role, but I got used to it as time went on. Currently I’m working as a site architect, which entails, reporting progress on site, faults, daily tasks and weekly reports.

Lastly, I’d like to thank rise for recruiting us into the fellowship, it has been really amazing and a very valuable experience of reaching out to the communities and empowering youth as fresh graduates before being introduced to the industry to pursue our dreams. And our slogan is, if you want to go fast go alone, but if you want to go far, go together.

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in loco fellows blog series #3: Success comes from good networking and a lot of experience

October 13, 2019By 0 comment

In this day and age in our country of Lesotho in order to succeed in any profession you’ve got to have connections and experience, a college diploma/degree alone does not guarantee success.

I got introduced to rise back in 2017 when one of my lecturers at my former school insisted that I should attend a lecture by rise founders and that I would get to learn a lot from the lecture. Without disappointment I did get to learn a lot; about the projects rise has done in Southern Africa that tackled major issues in less privileged communities and about sustainable building using locally sourced materials. This captured my interest in rise and I started following them and attending some of their lectures and film screenings to acquire more knowledge that I could have not get from school.

This is me, Jeff (Mojalefa Hatane)

Fast forward to June 2019 I’m an unemployed graduate and struggling with my freelancing business of Architecture and Graphic Design, with a few clients under my belt. Two friends of mine told me about the in loco 2019 program and that I should apply for it as it would be a great learning experience for me where I would acquire entrepreneurial, design and construction skills. I did not hesitate and I applied for the program since I had already known about the in loco program from the previous year

My prayers were answered and I had been accepted into the program. Now into the program, the project we are currently working on is the IDAL (Intellectual Disability and Autism Lesotho) centre, first off we had to design it but in order to do that we had to understand our clients (people with intellectual disabilities and their families) and their needs. We conducted a Participatory Design Workshop (PDW), which helped us to better understand our clients and their problems, and came up with solutions together. The PDW was a new concept to me but with guidance from the rise members I quickly learned it and I would say it’s a very useful tool to have as a designer.


Jeff casting the foundations with other fellows

A few weeks into the program now on construction site I’m gaining a lot of construction experience from concrete mixing to working with timber, learning from the challenges we encounter, developing my skills through my fellow in loco fellows and the rise team and creating networks. Half of the program is the business enterprise where we are taught to be job creators rather than job seekers and I would say it’s coming along fine, I’m still open to learning more and challenging myself.

A lot of challenges have presented themselves but through hard work and dedication from me and the rest of the fellows we have yielded goods results and I can say I am proud to be part of the cohort.

Jeff, proudly standing in the centre of the IDAL Centre currenty under construction
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IN LOCO FELLOWS BLOG SERIES #8: 8 months of my life – Four roles in which I rose to the occasion

September 27, 2018By 2 Comments

August 2017:

I had just received a call from the Head of Programs from my former beloved school Lerotholi Polytechnic asking me to apply for some fellowship called In loco. I wasn’t interested until the Dean of the School of the Built Environment called, encouraging me to apply. I remember browsing on my small phone to check the fellowship out. By then, I had not decided what I wanted to do with my life in over 2 years. “This is a good initiative” I exclaimed, making my mind up to join Relationships Inspiring Social Enterprise (rise). I had previously organized some charity events in the past but this kind of community work that brings together entrepreneurship, construction, design and social welfare was new and thrilling.

September – November 2017:

I had a life changing decision to make; take a job with one of the biggest architectural firms in Lesotho or accept a position as an in loco fellow. After a lot of careful reflection, I decided to accept the in loco fellowship. I had initially felt a bit discouraged after being informed that the program would be postponed for three months, but i quickly regained my enthusiasm because I knew that this program would help me give back and grow professionally as an Architectural Technician.

February -April 2018:

The project kicked off on a high note. I got to meet 19 amazing fellows who were just as eager to learn and contribute as I was, which really inspired me to work even harder. The planning phase of the project was hectic for me with all the planning, presentations and revisions. It was exciting to create something that we would be building with the help of international students later in the year. I must have made quite an impression, because amongst all the fellows, I was awarded the project manager role first, along with another fellow, Katleho.

The rubber met the road during this time: all of our planning came to fruition, resulting in us managing the face of the program, the social media campaign, the lecture series, the film screenings, the donations and liaising with stakeholders. This was tiring and new. I think I almost reached breaking point while we were preparing for the groundbreaking ceremony. Eventually, we gained momentum and it turned to be amazing. It taught me how to plan and run a project and write press releases. I had never written a press release before, nor even plan an event where the Minister would be invited.

I remember my first film screening, it was not hard, as I have stood before thousands of people to address different issues. However what was new was conducting a discussion about Architecture in conjunction with our country, I was nervous but when I looked at the back of the hall I saw Daniela, director of rise smiling back at me and nodding her head, this gave me courage more than one could ever understand.

May-July 2018:

The construction phase began, as we had all been eagerly awaiting. My site foreman role was exciting. I had always wanted to work in the construction industry. Being a hands-on person, I knew my new role would help me understand my designs better as I grew in experience. This role did not go as well as I had anticipated. During this time, I remember having a session with the project coordinator and the director about my fluctuating performance and I knew they were right. Despite having had a shaky start, I managed to improve on my work output and led the team to meeting milestones.

August-September 2018:

I am confident that I can design and build a building from paper to ground up. This project delivered more than I could ever imagine on experiential learning. In August, we had various international students’ workshops which lasted for about a month. Martina, a friend I made during the workshops, was fun and full of life. She was an architecture student from Florida, USA. She had a million-dollar smile and she worked really hard on the project. These workshops brought exposure to our program and our country, they motivated me to further my studies and to do more. I was given another role, Health and Safety Officer, which broadened my horizons. I was shocked at all the hazards that were on our construction site and how important it was to address them before they cause harm to the fellows. I wasn’t a qualified Health and Safety officer but after reading the file that our mentor Willem compiled, I was confident to wear my green helmet. This role was far better than my previous role, it was new and challenging. It was in this role that I discovered my interest in learning or rather having a qualification in Health and Safety.

September 2018:

As I sit here with teary eyes, I have a few days before my fellowship ends. I am leaving this new home and this family that I have come to cherish so much. What keeps me strong, is the strength I have gained from rise, the construction project and God’s Love Centre orphanage. I am leaving all smiles bursting with renewed optimism and full of blessings from GLC. I leave a better person than I came in, with a better definition of myself. I am taking home the love and the team work that I acquired here. When I came into this program I wanted to achieve 3 major things which were construction, entrepreneurship and improving the lives of those at the orphanage. My team and I were able to achieve this and even more.

I have always been an extrovert and an optimist since I can remember, I have a huge personality at least that’s what I’m told. I am very confident and a leader by birth and firmly believe I can do anything as a woman like a lioness in the jungle. I am grateful for my directors and coaches who love me enough to always tell me when I am wrong and catch me when I fall.

 

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