As the last village I would visit in the first training series we would go out to Ha Seng. This is a village about 15 kilometers north of Semonkong town but yet it takes us about two hours to travel the rough furrowed road. The area is beautiful out that way with long vistas of the surrounding valleys and mountain sides.

This village had one of the best attendance records yet. The group of farmers, mothers and fathers all gathered in one of the two old school houses. It was surely a throw back to their time in the same spot. By the look of the building it was probably that old. I was in utter shock to think kids were trying to learn math, Sesotho, English, and science in this kind of place. Not even in the third world should there not be enough seating for the kids such that seniority determined who sat on the cardboard in front of the benches. Sitting on a bench wasn’t much of an upgrade. The nails from the boards hammered together were pounded down and the whole bench was propped up with pieces of block; not even a whole block. The windows were great if Lesotho was overly hot all year long but on this day holes in the wall let us know just how cold it was outside. Horizontal rain flew in on the westerly side poke-a-dotting the kids’ back-packs. If they weren’t already empty because the school can’t afford books or the kids, school supplies, someone may have saved them to a dryer place.

I was struck stiff when I looked over and saw how someone had placed a piece of the kids’ cardboard under my back-pack. Kids must sit on the dusty dung floor but my pack wasn’t allowed to get dirty. There is clearly something wrong here!

There are a series of pictures I have posted online and I will provide a link so people may see what some kids have as their learning environment. What a disappointment and yet the ministry officials all get a brand new Lexus. Yes, I’m upset!

Me’ Nthabileng is sooooo excited. I talked with Semonkong Lodge here in town about her wool spinning. The way I see it is if she is willing to put the extra time into spinning the stuff I’m am more than willing to go to bat for the woman and find some places to sell the stuff. The Lodge is always looking to help out if they can get some good stuff. Their gift shop is loaded with talented Basotho work for sale with the money going to those individuals. When I told Me’ she was just grinning and said she would get some samples prepared to take down in two weeks. Anyone want some hand spun wool?!!!

Our current Peace Corps director just heard that he has been accepted to a new post in Ghana as their PC director. It’s a good move for someone who actually served up there during his own PCV service. I wish him luck as he moves to more familiar grounds in Africa. He was a good boss who respected volunteers more like adults than most (as heard from the international PCV gossip channel!). A strong emphasis on PCV collaboration and technology integration was another priority that I hope isn’t lost after he’s gone.

Such is Peace Corps where there is always a constant turnover of people. Just as you get in a groove with people three months pass and something else is going to change!

Patrick, a Zambian Peace Corps Volunteer, came to Semonkong to visit for a couple days this week (September 9-11). This is actually his last stop on a trip that took him through Zambia, Nigeria, South Africa (Capetown), and Lesotho. He’s headed out on Saturday for the USA. I wish him the best after a good couple days hanging out and showing him around. I’m sure the guy has left quit the impact back in Zambia and that people will be eating the fish out of those ponds he helped build for many years to come. The weather in the ‘Kong took a turn for the cold on Wednesday night just to give Patrick a taste of Lesotho. He’s from Maryland and is soft after two years in warm Zambia so it’s more of a favor to weatherize him for the coming winter!

Well, the second week of trainings is finished. Of the eight villages scheduled for this round of trainings, five were able to cooperate with us to get people together on their training day. Chiefs in the other three all forgot to let others know about the event which Me’ Mokhoase and I have rescheduled. For the most part, I feel this has been a real success. Before we started people were saying I would be unable to draw people out for anything without offering food. Their pessimism fed a small doubt in me but I was curious to see how many people were willing to still listen. I also consider those that come out to be more interested in hearing something new rather than just waiting for free food. In total we have talked with over one hundred people.

It has been amazing to have Me’ Mokhoase conduct the sessions. She actually asked if she could help present and has shined. Not only is she able to address the points I have set out with accuracy but she also makes a point to emphasize the reasoning I’ve provided to give people explanation as to why we are working in a certain way. Her enthusiasm is contagious. As I watch people listen and hear their questions it is clear that she pays attention to detailed explanation and is maintaining the audience. She is not shying away from future trips to the villages and is already talking about what is next.