Programs

Kick4Life Stadium of Life

August 15, 2024By 0 comment

Stadium of Life: A Beacon of Sustainable Construction in Maseru

Maseru, Lesotho – The heart of Lesotho is beating with excitement as the innovative “Stadium of Life” takes shape in Maseru. This 1,280-seater football stadium is not just another sports facility; it is a groundbreaking testament to the power of sustainable construction and community-driven development.

An Ambitious Collaboration

The “Stadium of Life” project is the result of a unique collaboration between several influential organizations. Local charity and football club Kick4Life (K4L), which has long been dedicated to empowering young people through sports and health education, joined forces with rise International, a non-profit organization focused on creating social enterprises and building resilient communities. Together, they have partnered with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), a global leader in promoting responsible management of the world’s forests, and DNV, an independent expert in assurance and risk management.

A Sustainable Vision

What sets the “Stadium of Life” apart is its commitment to sustainability. The stadium is being constructed primarily from sustainably sourced timber, a choice that not only reduces the carbon footprint of the project but also highlights the potential of eco-friendly construction methods in large-scale infrastructure. The use of timber, certified by the FSC, ensures that the materials are responsibly harvested, maintaining forest biodiversity and supporting local economies.

Community-Centered Development

The project has a strong community focus, engaging local workers and artisans in the construction process. This not only provides much-needed employment opportunities but also empowers the local community with skills and knowledge in sustainable building practices. The stadium is envisioned as a space that will serve the broader community, hosting not only football matches but also cultural and social events that bring people together.

Progress and Impact

As construction progresses, the “Stadium of Life” is already making an impact. The project has garnered attention for its innovative approach, setting a new standard for how sports infrastructure can be built in harmony with the environment. Upon completion, the stadium is expected to become a central hub for sports and community activities in Maseru, inspiring other projects in the region to adopt similar sustainable practices.

Looking Ahead

The “Stadium of Life” is more than just a sports venue; it is a symbol of what can be achieved when sustainability, community involvement, and innovative design come together. As the stadium nears completion, it stands as a beacon of hope and progress for Maseru and beyond.

Many First

The Stadium of Life notches several firsts. It will be Africa’s first FSC-certified timber stadium and the first FSC-certified project in southern Africa. The structure, certified by DNV as an FSC project, sets a new standard for responsible construction practices.

The wooden poles used in construction come from MTO Forestry’s FSC-certified plantations in Mpumalanga, South Africa. By choosing FSC-certified timber, the project directly supports responsible forestry practices.

Beyond sport, the stadium is a multi-purpose hub designed for climate change education, gender empowerment, academic tutoring, health testing, and entrepreneurship training.

The Stadium of Life fosters a connection between football and the environment. Its design, developed through a collaboration with rise’s in loco design and build training programme, features 8,584 treated Eucalyptus poles, minimizing concrete use and highlighting the potential of sustainable building materials.

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News

rise International’s Impact in the First Quarter

July 26, 2024By 0 comment

We’re excited to share the positive impact rise International has made during the first quarter of 2024! This newsletter highlights our achievements across our three core pillars: Entrepreneurship Development, Promoting Social Enterprise, and Enhancing Design & Construction Through Research.

The Full Report Here

1,848 Lives Impacted!

Through our innovative approaches in social enterprise, advocacy, design & construction research, and more, rise International positively impacted the lives of 1,848 people in Q1. This includes projects completed at Seboka Primary School, Lithabaneng Primary School, and The Hub in Morija.

Key Achievements:

Improved Sanitation and Security: Our “Pioneers” program graduates successfully constructed new toilets at Lithabaneng Primary School and installed burglar bars at Seboka Primary School’s kitchen, enhancing sanitation and security.
Effective Waste Management: At Lithabaneng Primary School, new septic and drainage system construction started thanks to rise International’s efforts in partnership with Action Ireland Trust!
The “Stadium of Life” on course for completion: The 5th cohort of the in loco fellowship program contributed to the design and construction of Africa’s first FSC-certified stadium, the “Stadium of Life.” They successfully constructed the posting rails and part of the spectator seating stands. 
Entrepreneurship on the rise: 32 graduates from the in loco program transitioned to the “Pioneers” program and established their own businesses, creating a total of 16 new jobs in Q1 alone!

in loco Fellowship Graduation:

We celebrated the graduation of the 5th in loco cohort! Muso Molomo, a graduate, shared his experience:

“I’m grateful to rise International for the opportunity to build the first FSC stadium. This program honed my skills, and their support allowed me to lead the stadium’s development.”

Promoting Social Enterprise:

rise International made significant strides in promoting social enterprise on a national and international scale. Collaborations with various organizations provided training and education to hundreds of participants worldwide.

Pioneer Professional Development Session:

We continue to support and provide skills development to the entrepreneurs in Lesotho. In February and March we provided financial and marketing training to nine local fired brick manufactures and five in loco pioneers.

Looking Ahead (Q3&Q4 Priorities):

  • Interlocking Compressed Earth Blocks (ICEBs): We’ll be focusing on promoting the use of ICEBs, a sustainable building material.
  • Hemp Production Advocacy: rise International will advocate for the legalization and production of hemp in Lesotho.
  • Showcasing Sustainable Building Materials: Stay tuned for exciting initiatives showcasing sustainable building materials!

Donate To The Cause

Stay Connected!

We invite you to learn more about our work by visiting our website or subscribing to our YouTube channel for insightful content:

Website rise International 

YouTube rise International.

Thank you for your continued support!

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Design and Build

New Learning Space For Morija Hub

July 8, 2024By 0 comment

The doors to Morija Hub brand-new study space and library are open! The place was opened with excitement and welcomed by community members of all ages, especially the primary and high school students. The students will highly benefit from the spaces of quiet, learning, free resources, and inclusivity. 

The library is open Mondays – Saturdays, 9am–5pm!

The design and construction of the library was carried out by rise, on behalf of The Hub in Morija all thanks to Glasswaters Foundation for their support of educational opportunities at The Hub!

The building is made out of an innovative construction project using shipping containers. It was officially completed and opened in March 2024 hosting a library, learning- and storage space!

  • The Hub’s loan-out library is open Monday – Saturday
  • Only loan-out library in Morija

The library is made possible with book donations from:

  • African Library Project
  • Books for Lesotho
  • Makosholo family
  • Individual donors

The structure also provides an extra classroom and quiet learning space and includes secure storage space.

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Programs

New Flushing Toilets For Lithabaneng Primary School

June 24, 2024By 0 comment

We have successfully achieved another great milestone with the completion of the construction of new flushing school toilet blocks for Lithabaneng Primary School. This forms part of the 5 Hub Schools project in the Leqele – Lithabaneng area of Maseru in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Training who identified 5 high-priority schools in need of assistance. Those schools being Seboka, Leqele, Makoanyane and Lithabaneng Primary Schools and Lithabaneng High school. 

The new flushing toilets that come with hand wash stations are a replacement of the old and unhygienic toilets which the students and the teachers had been using for many years. Unhealthy toilets could easily hinder children from enjoying their education and the teachers and staff can be discouraged to be at work. This is also very important for young girls to clean hygienic toilets, to ensure they do not drop out of school.  All these circumstances are to be a thing of the past at Libananeng Primary School. 

Action Ireland Trust (AIT) and rise take a holistic approach, which is centered around the needs of the students, teachers, principals and community members.  This approach equips the teachers and principals with the right tools thus achieving the mandate of making the schools child friendly, safe and providing an improved learning environment to greatly enhance the students learning experience.

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Design and Build

New Flushing Toilets For Lithabaneng Primary School

June 18, 2024By 0 comment

We have successfully achieved another great milestone with the completion of the construction of new flushing school toilet blocks for Lithabaneng Primary School. This forms part of the 5 Hub Schools project in the Leqele – Lithabaneng area of Maseru in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Training who identified 5 high-priority schools in need of assistance. Those schools being Seboka, Leqele, Makoanyane and Lithabaneng Primary Schools and Lithabaneng High school.

The new flushing toilets that come with hand wash stations are a replacement of the old and unhygienic toilets which the students and the teachers had been using for many years. Unhealthy toilets could easily hinder children from enjoying their education and the teachers and staff can be discouraged to be at work. This is also very important for young girls to clean hygienic toilets, to ensure they do not drop out of school.  All these circumstances are to be a thing of the past at Libananeng Primary School. 

Action Ireland Trust (AIT) and rise take a holistic approach, which is centered around the needs of the students, teachers, principals and community members.  This approach equips the teachers and principals with the right tools thus achieving the mandate of making the schools child friendly, safe and providing an improved learning environment to greatly enhance the students learning experience.

Watch the video below to learn more on the journey of this project.

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rise News

Circular Innovations for a sustainable future

June 5, 2024By 0 comment

Human beings have depleted natural resources, cut down trees in forests and led to pollution and global warming. It is high time that we turn to protect our nature and start preserving it. Through one of our pillars, Innovative Building Methodologies, we continue to raise awareness about climate change, global warming, deforestation and loss of biodiversity, rise joins the global community in this mission.

Over the past two years, we have embarked on the journey to expose the global community, mainly Basotho, to the economic opportunities that come with protecting and caring about the environment. The project aimed to empower local researchers, enhance sustainability in construction and address climate change challenges. 

With this project six materials were looked at in depth: 3 indigenous materials being Sandstone, Compressed Earth Blocks, Grass/Straw and 3 repurposed materials being Hemp, Wool, and Packaging Waste.  

rise has embarked on this research journey to address Lesotho’s gaps in knowledge, production and use of sustainable locally sourced construction materials. Both desk research and empirical findings were used to better understand Lesotho’s indigenous, and repurposed building materials and techniques to see how those can form the basis for a sustainable environmentally friendly future. 

A catalog and Materials Spec Comparison Table of the research materials has been created and can be found in the information Library at www.riseint.org. rise continues to advocate for policy change and implementation of some of the materials for the benefit of the environment and the communities to which they belong in creating employment opportunities and economic growth. 

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