News Archives - Page 5 of 10 - rise International

May 2023 – in loco 5th cohort intro

June 6, 2023By RISE INT0 comment

We are excited and proud to introduce our in loco fellows for 2023

Meet our in loco 2023 fellowship team. This year we are happy to announce that we have reached another milestone. These fellows are the cream of the crop that was picked out of the largest pool of hopefuls, as we had the largest number of applications this year.

Sipho Thoane – Sipho is an exceptional young man with an unwavering determination to succeed in all areas of his life. His thirst for knowledge surpasses architecture and construction, and he embraces failure as a stepping stone towards his goals. Through the fellowship program, Sipho aspires to expand his expertise in coordination and supply chain management within the construction industry, making the most out of collaboration with people from different backgrounds and professions to achieve extraordinary outcomes. Sipho’s pleasant demeanour, kindness, and warm-hearted nature make him a delightful presence in any setting, further enhancing his remarkable character.

Sello Mohami – Affectionately known as Macala, Sello is a dedicated individual who pursued studies in Construction Management. With a deep passion for the construction industry, Macala aspires to acquire a comprehensive skillset that encompasses all aspects of construction, including plumbing and electrical works from the fellowship program. His enthusiasm extends beyond technical expertise, as he also strives to develop strong leadership skills. Macala is driven by genuine care for people and possesses a remarkable ability to understand and fulfil client needs. In addition to his professional pursuits, Macala showcases his talents on the football field as a player for Kick4Life, demonstrating his well-rounded nature and commitment to both personal and team excellence.

Rethabile Chaka – Rethabile, a talented graduate in Architectural Technology, brings a unique blend of skills to architecture in the fellowship program. With a passion for the built industry, Rethabile aspired to infuse the art of architecture with photography and video production, in order to offer a fresh perspective and creative flair to his projects. His curiosity and willingness to learn the skills and creativity in architecture and photography position him to create visually captivating designs. Beyond his technical abilities, Rethabile’s charming personality allows him to connect effortlessly with individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Muso Molomo – A graduate in Plumbing and Sheet Metal Work, Muso has set his sights on becoming an entrepreneur while expanding his knowledge in various construction fields through the fellowship program. Muso looks forward to acquiring the skills necessary to prepare and present comprehensive reports through his participation in the fellowship program. Though initially a bit shy, Muso’s genuine nature becomes evident as he gradually opens up, taking the time to truly build meaningful connections with people.

Lintle Mofolo – With diplomas in both Civil Engineering and Architecture, Lintle has shown dedication to expanding her knowledge and skillset. Despite her fear of venturing into new territories, she remains determined to explore new frontiers by absorbing all she can in the fellowship program. Lintle’s inquisitive nature and love of learning are evident in her appetite for knowledge, whether it be through reading, watching educational videos or engaging in insightful conversations. Lintle has a passion for growth and a determination to embrace new challenges.

Lintle Ramathatele – Lintle, a Water and Environment Engineering graduate, seeks to gain entrepreneurial skills, enhance public speaking abilities, and learn fieldwork in construction, networking, communication, and collaboration through the fellowship program. Although an introvert, Lintle is known for her exceptional kindness, unwavering dedication, and passion for making a positive impact. Lintle finds solace in reading and researching environmental issues, striving to create a better world for future generations.

Moipone Sekola – Moipone, affectionately known as Ponyda, is a talented graduate in Civil Engineering. Ponyda is excited to participate in our fellowship program to bridge the gap between her academic knowledge and practical experience. Beyond her engineering pursuits, Ponyda enjoys playing tennis and finding joy in comedy videos. With a grounded demeanor and natural leadership abilities, she thrives at the forefront and is highly proactive in her approach.

Liteboho Korea – A dedicated individual who studied Construction Management. With a clear vision for his future, Liteboho is eager to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully run his businesses and embark on new ventures. Through the fellowship program, he aims to establish construction and entrepreneurial networks, fostering collaboration and growth. Liteboho’s strong work ethic, versatility, and adaptability allow him to thrive in any environment. He excels in teamwork, communicates effectively, and possesses a decisive leadership style.

Makhabane Khoanyane – Makhabane, a graduate in Occupational Health and Safety, eagerly joins the fellowship program to further his aspirations and dreams to become a risk manager and establish his own consultancy in health and safety. Beyond his professional pursuits, Makhabane’s proactive nature, quick wit, and intelligence shine through. He finds joy in exploring the art scene at Cafe What, expressing his creativity through music composition, and venturing into the world of filmmaking.

News

Kicking off 2023\’s newsletter cycle with strategic and strong collaborations from the Mountain Kingdom to the world!

October 3, 2022By Chris Theko0 comment

Launching a new Research & Innovation Programme

We are very excited to have received support from Irish Aid through our partnership with Action Ireland Trust to spearhead revolutionary indigenous building materials research, that is aimed at capacitating built environment experts, entities, and regulatory bodies to shift towards more environmentally sustainable building methodologies.
Over the course of 2023, we are going to research Indigenous building materials such as sandstone, thatch, and compressed earth blocks as well as repurposed materials such as wool, hemp, and packaging waste materials.
We hope to develop solutions on how Lesotho can reduce its dependency on foreign imports, which currently stands at 70% for building materials. This will not only help the economy by creating jobs but will also help the environment by decreasing the amount of high-carbon building materials used and the high levels of fossil fuels consumed to keep these thermally inefficient buildings warm in winter. The project aims to document building materials in a catalog that will act as a reference document for everyone in the built environment on material specifications, carbon emissions and so much more.
Other phases of the project include:– Training of entrepreneurs in the Circular Economy (Teaser for activities to watch out for April Newsletter)

-Training of policymakers in the built environment

Celebrating 5 years of operation in Lesotho:

In November 2022, we celebrated 5 years of being operational in Lesotho and being fully led by a Mosotho woman as Country Director, which means that the Lesotho team is now 100% Basotho – an important milestone to have reached, which was part of the plan since we opened in Lesotho. We want to practice what we preach and increase the number of African entrepreneurs working in Africa instead of foreign entrepreneurs. Daniela Gusman, the Founder & Executive Director, has transitioned into an advisory role.

Partnering with Habitat for Humanity toward building environmentally sustainable affordable housing prototype:

At the end of 2022, rise signed an MoU with Habitat for Humanity Lesotho to collaboratively build an affordable housing prototype using sandbag methodology or adobe bricks, to help us move towards more environmentally sustainable affordable materials while simultaneously building comfortable and thermally efficient housing for the poor.

– Wrapping up the 4th in loco fellowship cohort:

The 4th in loco cohort is currently wrapping up a school kitchen, at Seboka Primary School in the Lithabaneng Area. This area has been identified, by the Ministry of Education, as one of 5 schools in critical condition in the areas of sanitation, food security, and clean water access. The kitchen is being constructed using the innovative and environmentally friendly sandbag method.
Thank you to donors Action Ireland Trust
The opening ceremony is planned for 5th April 2023.

International Workshop

Be part of international construction, engineering, and architecture students from the USA, Europe, and Asia who will participate in the in loco program alongside 10 young graduates in the built industry, benefit from an international design and build experience, and allow yourself to develop design skills suitable for working in challenging environments, and conditions of scarcity of resources.

This year’s workshop will take place from the 14th to the 25th of August 2023.

Click HERE for more info and to apply.

Upcoming events;

Join our monthly webinars, where on Thursday 30th March, Elisa Engel, the Founder of Citizen Architects, who also lectures at various universities, will be talking about Ethics and Values in Architecture.

Join our radio shows at Bokamoso FM 97.4, every Tuesday, at 2:05 pm where you can learn more about opportunities in entrepreneurship, the built environment, rise’s projects, and programs.

Case Studies

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, morija@leo.co.ls

Ms Daniela Gusman, +266 5946-0734, daniela@riseint.org

Mrs Maneo Ralebitso, +266 5801-6984, cereboz@yahoo.com

Mr Pusetso Nyabela, +266 5886-0884, pnyabela20@gmail.com

rise News

rise awarded a grant by US Embassy for Tool Library

July 29, 2022By Chris Theko2 Comments

United States Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Erika Lewis with **rise** Construction Coordinator Thato Nkikana

American Corner, State Library Maseru – The handover ceremony of a Tool Library for rise funded by the Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Fund of the US Embassy took place today 28 July, 2022. rise has been awarded a grant in the amount of $8,061 towards the establishment of a Tool Library for entrepreneurs in the Built Environment industry. As part of rise’s mission to build an active entrepreneurship ecosystem for Basotho youth, rise plans to provide tools that young aspiring entrepreneurs can work with and help their businesses grow. Towards that end, rise plans to set up a fully-equipped tool library for entrepreneurs to improve their carpentry, joinery, and welding skills, and also utilize them on construction projects.

United States Acting Deputy Chief of Mission Erika Lewis said “In addition to efforts to strengthen the business ecosystem in Lesotho through the recently signed Millennium Challenge Corporation compact and support for expanded exports from Lesotho to the

United States under the African Growth and Opportunity Act, the United States is committed to working hand-in-hand with the private sector, civil society, and government to drive investment in innovation and creative solutions. This grassroots project, which will build skills and opportunity, is a perfect example of what we can accomplish together.” She further expressed that she is happy to know that rise has been working to help communities in Lesotho for 5 years and looks forward to future collaborations with rise.

Looking at the world today, we see a huge mismatch between the skills young people have and the skills employers need. Without opportunities to build the right skills, millions of youth will struggle to find jobs and risk being left behind. Through the in loco program, rise helps these young Basotho to start their own businesses and become “job creators” instead of “job seekers”, thereby creating opportunities for themselves and their communities. For this to happen, these young people need resources to start.

Nkopane Sehapi, The Manager of Partial Credit Guarantee Fund (PCGF) in his speech expressed: “I would like to thank rise International for keeping their promise of assuring the position of humility, commitment, dedication, and determination to uphold and defend the interests of current and future Basotho entrepreneurs.

It has been a very crucial year for entrepreneurs to come back in full operations since the Covid19 pandemic – let alone the crop of start-ups to make breakthroughs in business. PCGF and the Ministry of Small Business, Cooperatives, and Marketing in collaboration with rise will soon launch a one of its kind model to assist graduates, businesses, and informal businesses countrywide.”

The primary beneficiaries of this tool library are young Basotho entrepreneurs aged between 18 to 35 who are in the process of setting up their own businesses in the built environment. They are a mixture of carpenters, electrical and structural engineers, construction workers, plumbers as well as other artisans and craft workers. Some will have been through rise’s in loco fellowship program and others will be upcoming entrepreneurs wanting to set up their own businesses in the built environment in order to earn a living. The secondary beneficiaries will be vulnerable communities with whom rise partners and through the in loco fellowship designs and builds much-needed infrastructure to improve the quality of lives by solving a social need.

“It is a pleasure to have been a recipient of the US Embassy Self Help Grant which has enabled us to buy 69 tools in 3 different categories; power tools; bricklaying; and carpentry tools. Through this tool library we are able to help all the pioneers who have graduated from our in loco program, as well as other

Basotho youth who have businesses in the built environment, to excel and reach their fullest potential. Our overall vision as rise is to see job seekers become job creators. The Lesotho we want is in the hands of the youth.” – Reitumetse Nthako, rise Country Director.

Pictures captured by Reitumetse Raphanyane

Watch the full event here

rise News

Young Female Mosotho Architect wins National Student Architecture Award in South Africa

July 26, 2022By Chris Theko0 comment

Mpho Sephelane, a young Mosotho Architect is the winner of the 35th Corobrik Student Architecture Awards, walking away with a R70 000 cash prize. These awards are said to have been inducted in 1986 and are the only competition of its kind dedicated to Masters Architectural students in South Africa (Corobik (Pty) Ltd, 2022).

This year 8 major South African universities selected their best Masters Architectural student, who presented their thesis to a panel of judges who were professionals from the South African Architecture Industry.

Mpho was selected by the University of Cape Town, School of Architecture to present her thesis which was titled ‘Re[covering] Place: African ways of seeing, thinking and making as a call to rethink and remake places in cities’.

She brought a piece of her heritage by describing the use of the Basotho blanket as a transformative and imaginative symbol of identity and relevance. It is true that knowing where we come from and holding onto our culture and heritage is our unique compass.

Talk about breaking boundaries! When asked how she felt about winning the award, she stated “I am still ecstatic and honored to have received such a prestigious award. It has proven to be the validation that I and other students like myself needed to drive us forward in owning our narratives in architecture. I am also extremely thankful for the overwhelming support I received during my studies and now, it is truly humbling.” She further expressed that if given the chance to speak to her 21-year-old self this is what she would tell her “Just start; you will be unsure, you won’t always get it right and you will be misunderstood, but do it anyway. Lastly, I’d tell 21-year-old Mpho to never stop learning and to celebrate her wins, no matter how small.”

Mpho reiterates that the opportunity afforded to her has validated a lot of what her fellow students, especially people who connect with their culture, have been struggling with – the issue of translating who they are and what their culture entails and the values they bring to their everyday lives and professions.

“The journey is really a beginning for me as I am excited to continue to collaborate and learn from other cultures about such ideas of translation and preservation.” – Mpho

Congratulations to Mpho Sephelane. Thank you for being an inspiration to younger generations of Basotho Architects – rise

rise News

Lesotho exhibits at Triennale Milan, Italy for the first time

July 18, 2022By Chris Theko0 comment

More exposure internationally for the Mountain Kingdom as Lesotho is awarded a pavilion at the prestigious Triennale Museum in Milan, Italy, one of the world’s leading cultural institutions. This year Triennale Milano takes up and continues the important reflections that emerged from the last edition; Broken Nature, ensuring critical continuity with its proactive approach. The exhibition is conceived as a space for open, wide-ranging debates and exchanges of views, where different experiences, cultures, and perspectives can converge. The title of this 23rd International Exhibition is “Unknown Unknowns”, it offers itself to visitors as a rediscovery of mysteries.

Did you know that we only know a paltry 5% of the universe? Lesotho, a landlocked country in South Africa, is part of that 95% of the world still unknown to many. The research for the pavilion was conducted by Giada Zuan, on behalf of rise and the Milan-based architecture AOUMM, under the leadership of Luca Astorri, rise‘s lead architect and co-Founder of AUOMM. The research found that the Kingdom of the Sky through water forms an essential element of the country’s identity. “Lesotho Water Realms: a visual research on geopolitics, society, and rituals” offers the visitors three-dimensional scales between landscape, human proximity, and spirituality, through an assemblage of visual fragments.

The Lesotho Pavillion was visited by His Excellency Ambassador of Lesotho in Italy Thesele John Maseribane along with the Founder of rise, CEO of AOUMM, and Lead Researcher Giada Zuan (Pictured).

Watch this short clip of the pavilion

Credits:

Lead researcher: Giada Zuan

Curators: Luca Astorri and Matteo Poli, , AOUMM, Daniela Gusman, rise

Team: Retsepile Rammoko, Valentina Riverso, Pedro Clarke; A+ Architecture , James Melson,

rise News

Everyday is World Youth Skills day at rise

July 15, 2022By Chris Theko0 comment

Everyday is World Youth Skills day at rise

The United Nations declared July 15th World Youth Skills Day to be the day we all celebrate the importance of youth training and skills development. This day is dedicated to providing young people with opportunities to improve their skills by participating in programs designed to develop their entrepreneurial and work skills.

Skills development is at the core of our work at rise which is why the in loco fellowship program was created and launched 5 years ago. It is a “learning-by-doing” program where local graduates from the Design, Architecture, and Built Environment fields are awarded practical hands-on work experience while equipped with the skills to set up and run successful enterprises. We have had 3 successful cohorts since 2018 and are proud that 93% of our in loco fellows who graduate, called Pioneers, are now in self or full-time employment.

We are thrilled to announce that this year, we are piloting new ways of achieving our mission of youth skills development by partnering with Lesotho’s Ministry of Finance and their apprenticeship program for unemployed youth from which we are selecting the fellows.

Furthermore, we will be building a primary school kitchen using sandbag technology – they are fire-resistant, have good thermal efficiency qualities, and will lead to a possible affordable housing solution.

Developing the skills of the youth is at the heart of rise, every day is World Youth Skills day with us. Join our community of supporters and Subscribe to be a donor here.

Photo by Rets’epile Rammoko

rise News

Lesotho wins support from Irish Government for Climate Change action

July 5, 2022By Chris Theko0 comment

Ireland’s Minister for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora, Colm Brophy, T.D., announced on July 1st, the Irish Aid funding to strengthen the ability of developing countries to predict and prepare for extreme weather events. It is facilitated in partnership with Met Éireann, to enable the work of the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF), established by the World Meteorological Organization and the UN. The Facility is meant to work with developing countries, providing funding and technical expertise to help them to address weather and climate information gaps.

Minister Brophy in his announcement stated that: “We are living through a time when climate change impacts are already devastating peoples’ lives and livelihoods. Initiatives such as the SOFF are crucial to building the capability of developing countries to predict and tackle extreme weather events such as those we are witnessing today. I am pleased to announce Irish support for this innovative programme, which builds on our strong track record in supporting climate adaptation in the most vulnerable countries”

rise International in partnership with Irish charity, Action Ireland Trust, were awarded funding towards their proposed project along with only 3 other grantees. The research project, which will be driven jointly by Action Ireland Trust and rise will examine how Lesotho can move away from imported building materials that have high carbon levels towards local, indigenous construction materials, thereby reducing the overall carbon footprint of Lesotho. The project seeks to address Lesotho’s gaps in the research of sustainable locally sourced construction materials, enabling the construction industry’s transition to becoming more environmentally responsible, by replacing imported environmentally harmful construction materials with locally-made and recycled green products. The project will also examine how to build upon local capacity and to develop entrepreneurial skills in Lesotho, in addition to exploring how building regulations and standards in Lesotho can be enhanced. Additionally, this project aims to support policy makers in reviewing and revising outdated construction regulations and standards, regarding the use of sustainable material and construction techniques for energy efficiency in buildings.

Daniela Gusman, Founder of rise stated: “We are so thrilled with this news, as thanks to this funding from Irish Aid and our partnership with Action Ireland Trust, we are able to research indigenous building techniques and materials, as well as grow local entrepreneurship skills in Basotho traditional building techniques, so as to build Lesotho’s local economy. As well as the economic advantages, this project will also help combat climate change; not just in terms of the usage of more environmentally friendly building materials that have a lower carbon footprint, but also in terms of the construction of buildings that are more thermally efficient. This is especially important in a mountainous country like Lesotho, where the climate is extreme, with bitterly cold winters that get as cold as -15°C and hot Summers when temperatures hover around 28°C.”
Fran Whelan, CEO, Action Ireland Trust said: “We are absolutely delighted to be selected as one of four grant winners by Irish Aid under the ‘Enterprise Fund for International Climate Action’. The project we are planning in Lesotho will create great opportunities in the development of more sustainable construction methods and materials. This research will be very beneficial to not only Lesotho, but also for other countries in Africa. It is a great honor to be the recipient of this grant at a time for urgent change and action around climate change and we look forward to continuing our work with Irish Aid and rise International”.

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.”