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

Six Volunteers Going to Lesotho in January 2013

We now have 6 volunteers who have positively committed to go to Lesotho in January 2013 to help with the teacher training and project development.  Definitely going from the U.S., we have:

• Janissa Balcomb (L2L President, from Idaho)
• Craig Balcomb (L2L Volunteer & Janissa's brother, from Ohio),
• Sherrie Howey (L2L Board Member, from Colorado),
• Kathy Plath (L2L Volunteer, from Colorado), and
• Jennifer Selden (L2L Volunteer & Sherrie’s daughter, from North Carolina).

Definitely going from southern Africa, we have:

• Fortunate Gunzo (L2L Volunteer, from South Africa/Zimbabwe).

Janissa, Craig and Fortunate have been to Ketane before, Craig in 2010, Fortunate in 2011, and Janissa in 2010 & 2011. Kathy hasn't been to Ketane but traveled extensively elsewhere in Lesotho in the 1980s.

We have 6 more people from the U.S. and 2-3 people from South Africa still interested in going with us who may or may not be able to make it, depending on their schedules and finances.

There is A LOT of work to be done before and during the January 2013 trip.  I would like to extend a special thanks to all these volunteers for their help. 

If you are interested in volunteering, contact me at jbalcomb@laptopstolesotho.org.

- Janissa

Janissa & Sherrie Meet in Colorado

Janissa Balcomb, L2L President, and Sherrie Howey, L2L Director, got together at Sherrie's home in Beulah, Colorado, last week  for 4 days to discuss L2L business.  They met with L2L Volunteer Kathy Plath, and Janissa spent half a day with FIPE's Jack Wilson and his wife Bettie.

Janissa took 15 XO laptops, destined for Kokobe Primary School, with her to Beulah.  This is so Kathy, Sherrie, and Jennifer Selden (Sherrie's daughter) will have an opportunity to learn how to use the XO laptops before they help with training in Lesotho.  To save shipping costs, each of them will then carry 5 of the XO laptops with them to Lesotho when they go in January 2013.

During the visit, Janissa and Sherrie did some serious brainstorming, discussed L2L and FIPE goals, and made plans for the upcoming trip, among other things.  Janissa also gave Sherrie a crash course in how to use the XO laptop.

A special thank-you to Sherrie and Hamp for their wonderful hospitality and to Jack and Bettie for the great conversation and dinner.

- Janissa

Note: All expenses for this trip were paid for out of Janissa's and Sherrie's personal funds. No L2L money was used.

Funding for Solar Power from FOL

I am happy to announce that Friends of Lesotho has generously pledged $3386 to L2L this year! This money has been provided to help establish a solar power system at Kokobe. We will be able to buy four 80 watt PV panels, two 260 Ah batteries, a 20 A regulator 24 volt, and a 1200 watt 24 Volt Victron Inverter. This leaves only $2000 needed for the rest of the system (wiring, distribution board, grounding, and installation). A big thank you to Friends of Lesotho for this generous pledge of support.

Andrew Dernovsek Resigns from L2L Board

L2L Co-founder Andrew Dernovsek resigned from the L2L Board this week, citing a difference in perspective.  

I'm sorry we couldn't resolve our differences, but I respect his decision.  I thank him for helping to get this project started and for his service to the people of Ketane, Lesotho.

 

Andrew has been very busy lately finishing up his graduate studies.  He plans to continue his work as Executive Director of UCE and will be traveling to Cambodia where he will work with orphans and women rescued from sex-trafficking.

Andrew's resignation leaves our Board with three Directors: President Janissa Balcomb, Secretary Sarah Gardner, and Director Sherrie Howey.  We hope to recruit 1-2 additional directors in the near future.

 

- Janissa