Laptop Badges

received from Aaron Laufman-Walker on 16 June 2012:

I've kept up with the L2L blog and it seems like you've made some incredible progress! I stumbled onto something that I had to share with you. I thought it was a pretty cute OLPC badge as well as a neat Peace Corps project. They could make a great gift for the teachers or your volunteers.

http://www.peacecorpsmeritbadges.com/collection/olpc

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Thanks, Aaron. This might make a good award for students who achieve a certain degree of computer proficiency. 

FYI:  They are made in Mongolia, through a Peace Corps project there.  They cost $2.50 each, including shipping.

- Janissa

Communications and "An answer to our prayers"

We continue to have problems connecting with our project people in Ketane.  The project's internet cell phone is working now, but Matlabe needs a refresher course in how to connect to the internet and use it for email. 

Unfortunately, Matlabe hasn't taken the initiative to resolve this problem himself and get help.  (But that's another issue.)  Those of us in the U.S. were getting very very frustrated because the lack of regular communications prevents us from getting work done and making progress.

Then along came Mamatsepe. 

Mamatsepe is a young, enthusiastic, technologically sophisticated Mosotho, whose surname I have yet to learn.  She used to work at the Vodacom store in Maseru.  She and I met last year when she sold me the project cell phone.  Mamatsepe tracked me down recently and contacted me asking if she could help with our project. 

Talk about fortuitous! She's just the person we need.  When I told her about our situation, Mamatsepe volunteered to get in touch with Matlabe and teach him how to use the cell phone.  They've set up a meeting for next Thursday.  She has also offered to relay messages to him if and when we can't reach him directly from the U.S. 

Thank you Mamatsepe!!!

When Mamatsepe and I spoke last year, she told me she grew up in Maseru and had never had a chance to see much of Lesotho outside the capitol. She expressed a strong desire to get away from Maseru and see rural Lesotho. I'm hoping that, in exchange for her help, we can provide her an opportunity to travel to Ketane, not only to see that part of her country but also to give her some experience working with our computer project. 

I look forward to working more with you, Mamatsepe.

- Janissa

Former Project Manager Mapesh Leaves Nohana Primary School

Tsela "Mapesh" Mapeshoane, formerly the L2L Project Manager, has left Nohana Primary School and is now working at a school near Kokobe Primary School.  He hopes to stay active in the computer project and is looking for ways to assist at Kokobe.  Kokobe is his family home.

- Janissa