Providing Lesotho's Children with Keys to the World

This is the story of our efforts to end the vicious cycle of poverty, disease, inadequate education, and early death
in a remote rural community in Lesotho, Africa, by providing quality education and life skills
to the young children there. Join us on our journey ...

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Updates from August & early September

My apologies ... I am long overdue for updating this blog.  It's been a busy time with lots of things happening.  Here's a quick summary:

Team Members
  • Delia Helie, a new Peace Corps Volunteer in Ketane, has offered to help.
  • Shaun Ilderton, our I.T. specialist from Durban, has resigned due to time conflicts.  He will be returning the two XO laptops he has.
  • Matlabe has started using his new email account.  Please add matlabeteba@gmail.com to your address book.
Fundraising & Donations
  • Janissa submitted a grant application to EiF (Engineering Information Foundation).
  • We've received a number of personal donations, including several online contributions through JustGive.org and Facebook Causes.
  • Janissa set up a Laptops to Lesotho table at a local rodeo and raised $60.
  • We received a donated XO laptop (nonfunctioning, usable for spare parts) from an unknown person in California.
  • Janissa is working on grant applications to Ananda Foundation and an anonymous foundation.
  • Craig is working with teachers in the Cincinnati area on fundraising.
  • Diane McWethy is working on fundraising through the Goshen Public Library.
Shipping
  • Maureen Powell and her husband carried eight of our XO laptops from the U.S. to Maseru.  They had no trouble going through security and paid no customs fees.  The laptops are currently being stored by Deepak Pullanikkatil of Peace Corps/Lesotho, awaiting pickup by someone from Ketane.
Partners & Support
Initial and/or follow-up contact was made with the following people and organizations.  I'll write more about these in upcoming blogs.
  • Jane Hale, Family Literacy Lesotho, & Peter Maphatsoe, Family Art & Literacy Center
  • Colleen Smith, MindSet
  • Angel Knapp, GrantStation
  • Andrew Steele & Bill Thompson, BLOOM Africa
  • South African representative of a Swiss foundation which wishes to remain anonymous
  • Jennifer, I Love My XO
  • Nia Lewis & Adam Holt, One Laptop Per Child
  • OLPC News Forum
  • Adi Nochur, 1Sky.org
Scheduling
  • Matlabe is still working on arrangements to have Dr Kasongo of MS STIC travel to Ketane for a needs assessment for our school network and internet connection (no dates set yet)
  • Fortunate is still working on arrangements for teacher training at Kliptown Youth Project (no dates set yet)
  • Janissa is making arrangements to travel to Lesotho in November and December (approx Nov 2-Dec 7).  Her brother, Craig, will probably travel with her to help with training.
  • Janissa has created a Google online calendar for the public to view L2L events and also a private Google calendar for team members to post their schedules on.
Ongoing
  • Aaron is still trying to figure out why the USB modems don't work in Ketane.
  • Mapesh & Matlabe are working out contract details and what-if scenarios
Pending
Janissa needs to follow up on fundraising through:
  • Deepak Pullanikkatil, Maseru Rotary,
  • Cindy, Soda Springs Library, and
  • Shawnae Somsen, Soda Springs Public Schools.
Janissa needs to follow up technical assistance through:
  • Jennifer Getz, eduWeavers (eSibonisweni)
  • Indiana University OHOT (One Here One There)
  • Seth Woodworth
  • Cilliers du Preez
  • Malizo Sinono, GCNS Communication
Brochure & Business Cards
  •  Janissa has created a three-panel color brochure you can print double-sided on an 8½ x 11 sheet. The brochure was very well received at its first fundraising event, the Grays Lake rodeo. Contact Janissa if you want to receive a copy of the pdf for your own fundraising events.
  • Janissa has also ordered business cards for herself. The minimum order size was 250, so she'll have lots of extras if you'd like to have some. They have the L2L contact info including the new website & email addresses.