Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Commitment
At rise International, we are committed to fostering sustainable development, social equity, and strong governance in Lesotho and Sub-Saharan Africa. Our work aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), global climate action frameworks, and principles of ethical governance. Through sustainable building, entrepreneurship development, and community-driven solutions, we ensure that our impact is long-lasting and transformative.
rise International launched the Research & Innovation (R&I) program in June 2022 to drive impactful climate change solutions, innovative building practices, sustainable economic development, and entrepreneurship. The program aligns with our goal of positively impacting Sub-Saharan Africa by improving the quality of design, construction, and economic development. Through rigorous research and cutting-edge solutions, we aim to address climate change, drive innovation in building practices, and promote sustainable development locally and globally. The R&I program bridges the gap between research on sustainable building materials and entrepreneurship in Lesotho through several key strategies, addressing climate resilience and sustainability.
By aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals SDGs & global frameworks, such as the Paris Agreement (2015) and the Kyoto Protocol (1997), we focus on innovative building solutions that utilise locally sourced materials to reduce Lesotho’s reliance on imports and its environmental footprint. In particular, our R&I Program aligns with the following SDGS:
- 13 CLIMATE ACTION
- 5 GENDER EQUALITY
- 1 NO POVERTY
- 11 SUSTAINABLE CITIES & COMMUNITIES
- 9 INDUSTRY INNOVATION & INFRASTRUCTURE
- 8 DECENT WORK & ECONOMIC GROWTH
- 17 PARTNERSHIP GOALS
Research & Innovation Program Focus Areas
Built Environment:
- By developing locally sourced sustainable materials, Lesotho can reduce its reliance on imported building materials (currently 74%).
- Promote innovative building solutions aligned with global frameworks like the Paris Agreement, Kyoto Protocol, and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to reduce carbon emissions.
- Improve shelter and housing for low-income households.
- Decrease household dependence on polluting heating sources by promoting awareness of thermally efficient building materials.
Entrepreneurship:
- Address youth unemployment (39%) and limited job opportunities (7,500 graduates enter a limited job market annually) by empowering young Basotho entrepreneurs.
- Support Lesotho’s National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) by promoting economic diversification and small enterprises.
- Promote a circular economy through workshops and training sessions on sustainable building materials.
OUR IMPACT
1. Sustainable Building Materials Researched
We conducted extensive research on sustainability, supported by Action Ireland Trust & Irish Aid, locally-sourced building materials which are available as an open resource:
2. Entrepreneurship Empowerment (focus on women)
We host regular workshops to empower Basotho entrepreneurs, prioritising women, in sustainable building materials to help them establish businesses producing locally sourced materials. Our workshops cover essential topics such as the circular economy and the built environment, business model development, market research and analysis, financial planning and fundraising, operations and supply chain management, mentoring, and prototyping sustainable building materials.
3. Access to Market Opportunities
We also host various exhibitions showcasing sustainable building materials to help create market demand and awareness, thanks to the support of our partners, including the British High Commission in Lesotho, Irish Aid and others.
Figure 1: Participants of a circular economy workshop
Figure 2: Awareness Exhibition of hemp blocks, ICEB & plastic bricks
4. Prototype Development & Testing
We have started prototyping hempcrete blocks as well as Interlocking Compressed Earth Blocks (ICEB) and are building demo buildings and writing up research findings.
5. Knowledge & Skills Development
We host workshops and training sessions for local fired brick producers and entrepreneurs. These sessions equip participants with the knowledge and skills needed to:
- Understand the technical aspects of producing Interlocking Compressed Earth & Plastic Bricks
6. Supporting Business Development
We provide support to entrepreneurs and connect them to technical expertise, potential funding opportunities and other resources through networking & practical opportunities with industry professionals. We also encourage and promote peer-to-peer knowledge exchange through various workshops and networking events.
Figure 3: ICEB brick production training
Figure 4: Plastic brick production training
FUTURE PROJECTS
- Research on Sustainable Alternative Binders
- Training Women and Local
- Fired Brick Producers on production on ICEB
- Development of a Manual for ICEB
- Demo Buildings using Sustainable building materials for Affordable Housing
- Prototyping of ICEB and
- Hempcrete Blocks
- Research on Basalt and Dolerite in the Built Environment
- GIS mapping of Thatch
7. Impact Through Capacity Development and Multi-Stakeholder Partnership
In alignment with the SDGs of fostering partnerships, we have made significant strides in capacity development and research on sustainable building materials.
Through collaboration with Limkokwing University, Technical University Dublin (Ireland), Avans University (The Netherlands), RMIT (Australia), and Politecnico di Milano and Politecnico di Torino (Italy), we have hosted a series of impactful lectures and produced extensive research.
No. of Lives impacted
Jobs Created
Businesses Created
Pioneers
Social Impact Infrastructure Projects
# of R&I Initiatives
FAQ
Answers to Your Questions About Our ESG Commitment.
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