Making RUMPs

Sewing and posing all at once-a perfect Saturday afternoon!

I had only been in my village a few months when I noticed a girl in my neighborhood was at home one Monday. She was actively doing chores around the home, but she should have been at school. I asked why she was home and she smiled, telling me she was sick.

I was confused, as she appeared to be perfectly fine. We had the same conversation for another two days, with her still looking perfectly well. The fourth day, she was back at school. 

When I noticed her home again a few months later, I took advantage of my improving language skills and asked more questions. I learned that she was home because she was menstruating. As a single orphan (in Lesotho, single orphans have lost one parent, double orphans have lost both) with a father who works outside of Lesotho, she had no access to menstrual hygiene products and realistically, no money with which to buy them. 

This troubled me until I attend the LGL Summit in June. There I learned an inexpensive and easy way to RUMPs or Reusable Menstrual Pads. Since then, the women in my organization and I have been planning a time to make these with both women and girls in my community. 

One of the things I love about this particular pattern is it does not require special skills or materials. It uses only fabric, towels or other absorbent material, thread, a needle, and a button. The fabric and towel do not even have to be new, just clean, making it the perfect project for people with limited resources. 

The women of my organization and I have been planning this day for a few months, scheduling it for after most of work with the Chicken Coop Construction would be completed. Girls were asked to bring their own fabric, however, I supplied the other sewing materials thanks to my mom and RPCV Lisa supplying me with more sewing notions than I could ever use. 

Finally the day arrived and the fun began!

Step One:

Trace the pattern onto the material and cut it out. You need to copies. 

Step Two:

Hold the two cut pieces together, pretty side in. Place ribbon or material sewn into a strip near the top and bottom of the pad. Pin everything in place. 

Step Three:

Sew the two pieces of fabric together, but stop with a few centimeters not completed. Turn the work right side out and finish stitching. 

Step Three is best done with friends, conversation, laughter and music!

Step Four:

Sew a button on to one wing of the pad and a button hole on the other wing. 

Step Five:

Show off the completed work. The middle pad currently holds towel, to show how
these beautiful works of art with in fact work.

Posing with a pad-pride in accomplishments
and empowerment!

Strike a pose and show off your girl pride!

Books for Life Book Club

Life is better with books. 

Books fresh out of the box the day they arrived at my hut

About a year ago, an NGO called Trees for Life donated two boxes of children’s books to my host organization (MCCC) through their Books for Life program. Although a number of neighborhood kids read them at my house immediately after I opened the first box, it took a few months for the women to decide the best way to put this donation to use.

It was finally decided that we would start an English Reading Club for school children. Our goal was to get some high school students to take leadership of the group; to plan and read with the younger children. It was a brilliant plan, as it would increase the community engagement and English skills of both age groups. After a few attempts to do leadership training with high school students chosen by my organization to lead the club, we realized that high school students are exceedingly busy between school, traveling to and from school, homework, and their chores. They simply were not interested or motivated to use their small amount of free time to lead the club.

My counterpart and a dozen children reading at one of our
first book club meetings. 

As a result, my counterpart, Ausi ‘Mareisi, and I stepped in to get things started. We are still hoping others will take on the leadership of the club over time, but at least for the moment children are getting the opportunity to read books in English. They practice reading the books aloud to one another, which is helping to bridge the gap between their abilities to read and write English compared to hearing and speaking it.

There is nothing quite as exciting as watching a child who rarely gets to look at a stack of books reverently pick up one and start sounding out the words within it.

Gender: LGL Summit and Madagascar

This is the fourth post on a mini-series about gender in Lesotho. While it can be read as a stand alone post, it is best read following Gender: An Intro, Gender: My Role and Work, and Gender: Ototo's Thoughts.

The LGL Summit participants and facilitators with the US Ambassador for Madagascar

As I mentioned in Gender: My Role and Work, I recently had the incredible opportunity to attend the Peace Corps Let Girls Learn Summit for East and Southern Africa in Madagascar.

To get to Madagascar from Lesotho takes two days of travel-the travel time almost identical to traveling to New York. This is not because of time in the air, but the flight times available. So, after traveling all day Saturday and a four hour flight from South Africa on Sunday, we arrived with the Mozambique and South African representatives. We waited around at the airport for a bit as another flight with the rest of the group was delayed. 

As we walked from the airport to the bus, I marveled at the differences in cars from the mainland of Africa. In southern Africa, most cars are Toyotas or Volkswagons. Here, we were surrounded by the rounded bodies of Peugeots and Renaults. It took me a few minutes to realize the other thing that was surprising me: the steering wheels were all on the left side of the cars like in the US. After two years of looking at drivers on the right, I was surprised to see Madagascar is different and that it took me so long to figure it out. 

As we left the airport, dusk was approaching. We drove through the capital city of Antananarivo for a long time, looking at the primarily two-story buildings sitting nearly on top of the roads. By the time we were out of the capital it was dark. Although we were told it was typically a two hour drive to our destination, it took four, partially due to sitting for an hour waiting for an accident to be cleared. 

Despite being travel-weary when we finally arrived at Peace Corps Madagascar's lovely Training Center, it was impossible not to feel welcomed by the friendly, smiling faces of our facilitators, hosts, and fellow participants as we walked into the dining room. 

Team Lesotho rocking our traditional Seshoeshoe dresses:
me, 'M'e 'Mamakola, 'M'e 'Mamasupha, and Katie

Thus began a week of incredible work and fun alongside Peace Corps Volunteers and Staff from eight countries around Africa. Together we learned ways to implement Let Girls Learn in our countries. We started by discussing why girls education is vital to development. Facts such as "Increases in women's education are responsible for more than half the reduction in under-five child mortality," "If every woman had primary education, maternal mortalities could fall by 70%" and "With each additional year of schooling, overall economic growth increases 5%-12%"  really drive home the value of educational opportunity for women and girls in all communities around the globe. 

We spent the bulk of the week looking at how we as Peace Corps can help communities, schools, and individuals place a higher value on the education and success of girls. I am particularly impressed with the way the Peace Corps Headquarters team has designed the program to be woven into the work PCVs in our countries are already working, instead of introducing a huge amount of new work to be done. 

Having education volunteers work to decrease corporal punishment and gender-specific problems at schools, for example, can help girls to stay in school and learn more while there. Working to ensure schools have "girl-friendly" latrines can help girls to not miss school during their menstrual cycles, especially when combined with projects to make reusable pads with the students. In Lesotho, all volunteers work on teaching Life Skills and have the opportunity to work with youth clubs, both of which are big aspects of the Let Girls Learn program. 

The Mountain Kingdom (that's Lesotho)'s implementation plan-many
acronyms because we are Peace Corps!

Another thing about the Let Girls Learn program that I found incredibly well planned is the push to engage the community at large and especially men and boys. Positive changes to cultural views, as noted last week in Ototo's article, requires far more than just the input of those who benefit the most from the changes. If men and boys are not included in the process, it will not succeed. 

Enjoying dinner with friends from PC Tanzania
 and PC Madagascar on our last night. 

One of my favorite things about the entire summit, however, were the moments spent outside of sessions. We were in session from 8:30 to 5:30 every day but our mealtimes and evenings were spent connecting with one another. Learning about the cultural similarities and difference between the countries we work in and the way that Peace Corps operates in difference countries was fascinating. I am sure I am not along in saying I got a plethora of new ideas from the staff and volunteers from different posts. 

With the summit complete on Saturday afternoon, I took the remaining two hours or daylight to explore the area around the Training Center, binoculars in hand, hoping for at least one new bird species to cap off a week spent in a country with numerous unique bird species. It was an unsuccessful attempt, although I did hear some and I checked out some cool mushrooms. 

The next day, our daylight drive to the airport allowed me the chance to see more of Madagascar. The hills and rice fields were beautiful. I was again impressed by the size of the capital in comparison to anything in Lesotho...but then again, Madagascar is significantly larger than Lesotho. While I would have loved a bit of time to check out birds and lemurs, the trip was predominantly about LGL and Peace Corps and I loved every minute of it. 

A bridge from the road to the rice fields on our drive into Antananarivo

Antananarivo or "Tana" sprawling into the background. Sadly I shot this just before the city's "Hollywood" styled sign
came into view. 

Gender: Ototo's Thoughts

This is the third post on a mini-series about gender in Lesotho. While it can be read as a stand alone post, it is best read following Gender: An Intro and Gender: My Role and Work.

My fellow PCV and great friend Mackenzie's counterpart Ototo is amazing. Together these two incredible women have been forces for gender during their two year partnership. In addition to the regular life skills they do with youth in schools throughout their community, they have coordinated four youth camps focused on gender and leadership. Two of these were Camp YOLO or Youth Optimizing Leadership Opportunities. Male and female high school students worked with together to become strong leaders for positive change in their schools including creating a student council to help organize their efforts. 

Recently, Ototo wrote a piece for our Gender Equality Lesotho committee's annual newsletter. With her permission, I am thrilled to share it as part of this Gender series.

The Importance Of Gender Equality In Lesotho
By Ototo Taleng

According to my understanding, gender empowerment means both sexes, men and women, girls and boys, enjoy the same rights, resources, opportunities and work. Simply put, both men and women work together and meet each other half way.

Gender equality is important and highly needed in my country, Lesotho. However, I have noticed that we, Basotho, can improve in gender equality while further implementing the ideal of equality. I say this because without gender equality there is no foundation for healthy relationships. People fail to trust each other, which can lead to gender-based-violence. In addition, gender-based-violence can affect the economy of the country. For example, as a female director with a nonprofit organization in Lesotho, I have found that many people will not support my choices for the organization, simply because I am not a man. The inequality among genders leads women to make poor choices, such accepting violence from their husbands or boyfriends.

Mackenzie and Ototo lead activities at camp.

Gender equality is also needed in Lesotho because women are not given the chance to prove that they can bring social change. I believe women are not only looking to create equality in childcare and among the house duties, but economically and socially too.

To bring awareness to female empowerment and gender equality, I help direct the GLOW camps and BRO camps. I believe these camps play an important role in fulfilling the issue of gender empowerment. For example, during the camps we discuss the advantages of equality rights through lessons and demonstrations. After the camp, the campers are given an opportunity to be Peer Mentors in other camps like Camp YOLO (Youth Optimizing Leadership Opportunities).

It is during Camp YOLO that Peer Mentors are able to teach and implement what they learned during their GLOW or BRO camps. This creates leadership opportunities and demonstrates gender equality. Peer Mentors and camp participants are all working together to improve gender equality. They also know they can overcome challenges, which is important for self esteem and leadership in all gender.

Ototo and Mackenzie's work has included a training program
and support group for fathers raising motherless
children, this included a  heavy focus on
building positive father-daughter relationships.

I believe gender equality can be achieved through youth camps. It is very interesting to see students helping each other and become good role models to others. It is nice to see campers acting “outside of the box” as they avoid hurtful and harmful gender norms and expectations. I believe Lesotho can be a country that supports gender equality and I believe the camps are a good starting point for teaching the importance of becoming a leadership in equality.

Be sure to read the next in the mini-series on Gender: Gender: LGL Summit and Madagascar.

Gender: My role and work

This is the second post on a mini-series about gender in Lesotho. While it can be read as a stand alone post, it is best read following Gender: An Intro.

Finding my own role as an American woman in this world has been interesting. In my mid-thirties, I am at an age where culturally men may still be single, but women are married and reproducing. When people learn I am unmarried, they often ask how many children I have, as it is beyond comprehension that I am not at the very least being a mother at my age.

I could push this wheelbarrow with my new gas tank, but
accepting help-even from ten year old brothers-is culture.

I like to do things for myself, however, when I left Pre-Service Training, I recognized that to accomplish any work in my community, I would need to integrate. If I constantly fight to do everything for myself, that makes integration harder, so I have tried to balance my fierce self-reliance with accepting help.

When I show up at an event, I am relegated to a chair, not encouraged to jump in on cooking, serving, or washing dishes. But, my chair is not placed with the men. So, I sit with either a few grandmothers or teenage girls, being served by the women because integrated or not, I am still a guest.

Women typically do not drink beer. If they drink, it is sweet wines and ciders. I once told a female friend that I prefer beer and was told, "Oh no, you must drink like a lady."


I have tried throughout my service to open people's eyes to the gender stereotypes here in Lesotho and to challenge them to consider that women or men can do all things. Early in my service, I became a member and the eventual co-chair of Gender Equality Lesotho [GEL], a Peace Corps Committee focusing on gender equality.

Through my role with GEL, I have encouraged other volunteers to work with gender in their projects and classes. Whether it celebrating international days connected to gender like International Men's Day, International Women's Day, and the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence or hosting gender related youth activities like clubs and camps, there is a huge amount that can be done to educate on gender and help bridge the gaps in the treatment of men and women in Lesotho and around the world.

Co-directing Camp GLOW last year was a highlight in my own gender work in Lesotho. It provided not only the opportunity to help 190 young women feel empowered to and deserving of achieving their goals, but provided a conversation starter about gender for countless conversations in the months preceding and following the camp. Similarly, helping with my friend Yolanda's Camp BRO meant I had a chance to interact with fifty young men and to show that breaking gender barriers is about more than just women.


Just over a year ago, Peace Corps and First Lady Michelle Obama announced a partnership program called Let Girls Learn. The goal of this impressive initiative is to decrease the obstacles and challenges young women face in completing their education and become positive, productive members of their society. In its first year, Let Girls Learn was introduced in 13 Peace Corps countries around the world.

To raise public awareness for Let Girls Learn, the #62MillionGirls campaign was launched and even included a billboard in Times Square. People from around the world-celebrities to school girls in rural villages participated-by uploading their photo. The goal is to achieve 62 million photos to represent the 62 million girls worldwide that do not have access to education.

I followed the introduction of Let Girls Learn closely, while celebrating that there are still many barriers for women, but school-based education is not one of them. Then, Let Girls Learn announced that in its second year it would more than double its reach. With twenty-three countries added, Lesotho made the list! My understanding is that Lesotho was considered despite its high prevalence of young women in school because those same young women face an HIV infection rate of 40%. No one else in the country is more at risk of contracting HIV.

Two months ago, we learned that Peace Corps would be hosting a regional Let Girls Learn Summit for a representatives from each country to participate in. After applying, I was chosen as one of the two PCVs to attend our summit! I cannot wait to share the exciting things we discuss and learn this week with my fellow PCVs, Basotho, and you!

Camp GLOW Photos

I uploaded a bunch of photos from Camp GLOW recently. When you have a moment, be sure to enjoy them at the web album! Here is a sampling...

Moments Make A Day

I quietly close the gate, trying futilely to be invisible as the villagers at the pitso all look at me. I am skipping this community meeting in favor of attending the send off for the seventh graders at the school where I teach Life Skills.

As I walk, I am greeted by two women. After the proper greetings in Sesotho, one says, “When you go?” in English. I look at her, clearly confused, so she repeats herself.

Still lost, I ask in English, “how did I go or when did I go?”

She breaks into a beaming smile, says yes, and then thanks me profusely before heading on her way again. As I walk away, I am stupefied. Was she asking me how my trip was? When my trip was? Or When will I leave Lesotho for good?

Has she asked any of these questions in Sesotho, I would have had no problem understanding her, however, she wanted to use her rudimentary English. This is probably how my Sesotho comes across at times; close but completely incomprehensible.

***

The message the students shared with me at their
closing ceremony: "We would like to thank you Madam Thato
for everything you did to us as Grade 7. We promise you that
 we are going to pass. We will always miss you a lot. Thankx."

Some schools have big parties to celebrate the departure of the seventh graders following their national exams. My school, however, cannot afford to feed everyone, so our send off is subdued. Each student receives some sweets, fruits, a package of cookies, and a loaf of bread. The teachers, including me, each say a few words.

The students rise and thank me in unison for my work with them this year. Then, they sing for us. Finally, the principal challenges them to succeed in high school and lets them know that their results should be in before the school closes in a month.

And with that, they are done with their free education. They will not know until later whether they have passed their exams or will return to Standard 7 again next year. Those who pass will be able to go on to secondary or high school, if their families can afford it.

I know these twenty-seven teens will hold a special place in my memory. Being a small class, the oldest, and the most proficient at English; I got to know them better as individuals than my other classes. And still, I realize how little I know some of them outside of the school.

Only today I learned that the most proficient English speaker in the class, a lovely, bright young woman, is an orphan. She currently lives with her uncle, who takes little interest in her and her education. The principal and I discussed her intended meeting with the uncle. She is going to challenge him to help his niece apply for the government sponsorship so that she can attend secondary school. Over the past few years, teachers at the school have helped find uniform items for this student so she could continue to attend. Assuming her uncle helps her apply for sponsorship, she will need all new uniforms next year. I suggested also pushing him to speak with the Ministry of Social Development as they are starting to help orphans with uniform items and sometimes even with food so that they can attend secondary school. Hopefully, she will be able to continue attending school, as she is simply too bright to stop at such a young age.

***

Later in the day, I want to a friend's. On my way, I bump into another friend of mine. After weeks without seeing one another, we catch up on life. I continue on my walk happy to have such great friends and interactions in my village.

My friend's husband is in the hospital, his cancer having spread to his bones allowing a simple fall to break his hip. I offer her support and commend her energy despite being divided between the shop they have, tending her children, and visiting her husband. Even though life is so difficult for her at the moment, she gives me a cold soda from her stock when I depart the shop.

***

When I return home, I anxiously check my email. This morning I sent a friend in Charleston an article for Charleston Daily. He is a gifted writer and published poet so I am nervously waiting to see what he thinks of my writing. I want to jump for joy when I see his response telling me that the article is just beautiful. Not long afterwards, he emails me the link to the published article.

***

In the evening, my brother, Thabo, comes in for my Sesotho lesson. We talk and bond for an hour before the other brothers join us for our movie time. After my brothers say goodnight, I prepare for bed, overjoyed by the little moments that make each day different and special in this beautiful country.  ***