Rain on Tin

Hi folks! Today I am in Maseru for a GAD meeting. I am still technically the secretary, but will step up to co-chair soon I believe. Either way I am very involved with GAD which stands for Gender and Development. We are working on our identity/mission statement at the moment and hope to have plans for future events in place soon. We are focused on raising issues about gender discrimination in Lesotho. Domestic violence (or as it is more progressively known, intimate partner violence)is rampant in this country. It is considered normal for men to beat their wives, girlfriends, etc. We want to change that! Also we want to bring awareness to issues of homosexuality as well. Many of you may know that public displays of homosexuality are considered criminal acts in various countries in Afria. While that is not the case in Lesotho homosexuality is not discussed or looked upon favorably. We want to change that too!

My job is better at site. The hiv/aids education and awareness workshop is in a week and a half and we have a Lesotho organization confirmed to join us in village to help discuss the difficult issues. I am optimistic that it will be a success, but also realistic that it may not go precisely as planned. Such is life in Lesotho. I am happy about the fact that my cooperative members asked for this information so I know they will be eager to receive it. I just hope that cultural boundaries will not be hindrance to learning. I don't know if I'm more concerned about talking about sex with my primary school students or my cooperative members. Either way it's not entirely comfortable! Wish me luck.

Kids constantly say "bye bye" when I wave and say hello to them. I've tried to teach them to say "hello" instead ever since I arrived in my village. Last week a young girl said hello to me first before I said anything. I almost cried. Also another young girl has been jogging alongside me when I run past her house. She's done it about 4 times. Sometimes she's with friends or her sister, but usually it's just her and she runs 10-15 minutes with me then goes back home. Her name is Mpolokeng and is very dear to me. Sometimes when I'm just concentrating on running the last 3rd of my jog she comes out and completely distracts me to the point where I'm able to run longer than I thought possible. Mpolokeng is adorable.

Without much else to report I want to plug a product. Solio chargers. They are small portable solar chargers that have connectors to charge various electronic devices such as phones, iPods and digital cameras. I have one and it's what keeps my phone and iPod charged 24/7 at my site where I have no electricity. It's a wonderful invention that is helping me stay safe and secure in Africa and is also helping the environment. Obama has a solio charger. (How's that for celebrity marketing?) It's true, there are pictures of him holding one. lol. I don't know if he actually uses it or not. Why would he need to? But it is still a wonderful invention. Check it out and consider other solar charging possibilities. Germany is currently the leader in the solar technology in the world. Ohio gets more sun than Germany does. Just putting things into perspective for my fellow Ohioans. Did you know The Onion calls us "America's State"? That's another true story.

Alright, I must go. It is getting late and I must walk back to our training center for the night. Take care, be well and love the world wisely.


Emily (Naleli)