BLOOM Africa Becomes Campus Organizaton

In the summer of 2011 I had the opportunity to experience something very unique. I had the chance to travel to Lesotho, Africa for a month long service trip through Wittenberg University. That month in Lesotho forever changed my life. It was an experience that I will never forget. It has impacted me more than I could have ever imagined.

I had a passion for service before the trip, which was why I initially wanted to go to Lesotho.  Before I left for the trip I thought that when I went there I was going to have an impact on the lives of the Basotho. I thought I was going to be the one helping them out and enriching their lives.  The impact the Basotho had on me was so much greater than the impact I could ever have on them. They taught me about perseverance, strength, love, hope, joy, and hard work. Anyone could teach me about these ideals and help me grow, but it was the way in which the Basotho taught me about that will have a lasting impact on my life, greater than I could have ever imagined.

This impact from the Basotho ignited my passion and love for Lesotho and it was the mission and hard work of Andrew Steele and BLOOM Africa that motivated me to start a student organization on Wittenberg’s campus devoted to spreading awareness about HIV and AIDS. I learned about BLOOM Africa while I was in Lesotho when I first met Andrew Steele. I was in awe that a college student had the drive and passion to start a non- profit organization. I couldn’t imagine doing that, but upon returning to Wittenberg I knew that BLOOM was something I wanted to get involved in and something that I wanted to bring onto Wittenberg’s campus.

Before going to Lesotho I knew that HIV and AIDS was a big issue in Sub Saharan Africa, but I didn’t know the extent of the issue. Lesotho opened my eyes and forced me to see how much this pandemic has affected not just Lesotho, but all of Sub Saharan Africa. I thought that maybe if I didn’t realize how big this issue was that other students might also not know how big of a negative impact HIV and AIDS has had on this part of the world. It was this thought that made me realize that creating an HIV/AIDS awareness group needed to be done.

The mission of this group is to promote awareness and understanding about the HIV/AIDS pandemic that is devastating countries in Sub Saharan African. We hope to accomplish these goals through educational and philanthropic events, committed to spreading knowledge of the issue, with the ultimate goal of spreading awareness on Wittenberg’s campus, as well as the Springfield community at large, and providing financial support to the orphans in these areas in Africa.

I chose to name this student organization BLOOM Africa. I did this for many reasons. The first reason was because BLOOM Africa the NGO is known on campus and has a positive image because of Andrew Steele and the Lesotho trip. I hoped that this positive image could reflect back onto the group and attract students. The second reason I chose the same name is because my goal for this group is to grow knowledge about HIV/AIDS in hopes that awareness can bloom in more areas than just Wittenberg and Springfield, but in places where anyone who has learned something from the group goes. The spreading of knowledge is easy. It just takes someone to tell just one other person and knowledge has been spread. It is the acquiring of knowledge that can be the challenge. I hope that with this organization we can give people the resource to acquire knowledge and they in return can spread the knowledge we have given them. The final reason I chose the name is because I hope that we can form different BLOOM Africa chapters on other college campuses throughout the country. This would not only spread awareness and create more support for the non-profit organization, but it would also spread and produce knowledge about HIV/AIDS at the same time.

I have high hopes for this organization and with the support of BLOOM Africa (NGO) and the students at Wittenberg, I think we can accomplish great things. I am excited to see what the future holds for this organization.

Peace,

Michael

Michael is currently serving as an intern with BLOOM Africa, and is a student at Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio.

Leavin On A Jet Plane

It’s happening!  It really is happening!

On March 1, William Thomas and I will be traveling back to Lesotho on BLOOM business.  This is the first time BLOOM Africa has sent personnel on official business to Lesotho.  Previously, team members were able to spend time in Lesotho through service trips and volunteer experiences.  Now, we are sending team members to solely focus on the development of our organization.

This is a huge step for us.  We are now at a point where we can invest in the development of relationships and project sites in Lesotho.  Our hope is to target potential future project sites, BLOOM contacts and possible future staff members.

We will be spending 10 days in Lesotho, traveling all around the country from the capital city of Maseru to the rural mountaintops of Ramabanta.  We’ll also be taking some of the goods donated to us and delivering them to the community centers and orphanages we have worked with in the past.

We look forward to returning with newly built relationships, reports on past projects and locations for our future work.  This visit will lay the groundwork for much of our work in the months ahead.

While we’re there, we’ll be blogging right here, so stay tuned for updates from our visit!

Thanks again for your continued support, this wouldn’t be possible without you.

In great anticipation,

Andrew

Uniquely Lesotho

Sure, you know BLOOM.  Your gracious support over the past 2 years has been tremendous.  Many of you have traveled to Lesotho yourself, or know someone who has, or share that humanitarian empathy for the work BLOOM is doing.  And, as some of you have found yourself in this same situation, answering the 'WHY LESOTHO?' question is one of the hardest. 

I have found myself in that position many, many times.  Why is BLOOM focusing in this tiny, landlocked country Lesotho? When, across its’ borders is a glamorous country filled with more potential for grants, support, and better understood by the world.  What I have found, is if we can explain the WHY question of Lesotho—beyond our personal anecdotes, pictures, and experiences—the more effective we can be in implementing BLOOM’s programs, and, where it really counts…building support and awareness. 

WHY LESOTHO?

-Landlocked.  There are only a few other countries in the world that are solely dependant, and in a certain sense, at the mercy of another country.  In this case, South Africa.  Lesotho’s drive, passion and determination has allowed it to fend of invaders, exploitation, and emerge with a spirit that keeps Lesotho optimistic in the face of one of the highest HIV/AIDS, orphan, and poverty rates in the world.  This pride in their country is the contagious bug that the Basotho uniquely have. 

The implications being landlocked have on Lesotho are also some of the causes for its current situation.  Economically, Lesotho is subject to, many times, higher costs due to the shipping costs associated with moving items across borders.  Without coastline, those shipping costs are often not dictated by Lesotho.  Because of its mountainous terrain, growing is difficult, which places a heavy reliance on shipping. 

-Water. Lesotho’s cash crop.  Liquid Gold.  Because of its position in the mountains, water is the one commodity Lesotho has an abundance of.  I encourage you to do some reading on the Lesotho Highlands Water Project.  An interesting project that in one sense has allowed Lesotho to, in theory, sell and benefit from this cash crop.  This project was set up via a treaty between two countries—Lesotho and the Republic of South Africa as a bi-national agreement.  This is a fascinating relationship, and an interesting cash crop, that we hope to educate more about. (http://www.lhwp.org.ls/)

Lesotho Highlands Water Project

-Education.  With poverty and orphan rates soaring, implications are felt on the education system.  In short, a vicious cycle has occurred.  Children attend school up through, what the western system would classify as, middle school.  At that time a tuition system is needed to attend high school—an obvious challenge for many.  If students are fortunate enough to attend high school, an even smaller number advance to university.  And while this is all going on, the simple fact that there are little to no jobs in country for the Basotho remains.  Many go unemployed, feeling unfulfilled or unable to share their expertise, and in turn provide for their families or villages.  However, more and more Basotho are looking toward its neighbor, South Africa, as a land of opportunity, and many decide to make the trek across the border.  Implications of this are a ‘brain-drain’ (if you will) of many educated members of Lesotho society.  University educated lawyers, businessmen, doctors, and scientists, now practicing in South Africa.  In a sense, Lesotho is losing many of its citizens who they have educated. 

I hope this editorial helps paint a picture of some the various dynamics impacting Lesotho, and helps you understand the ever important ‘WHY’ question.  The topics above are only a few of the many, and a dusting of the information that can be found within them.  In the coming months, BLOOM hopes to highlight many of these ‘WHY’ questions for you, and we encourage you to share the ‘WHY LESOTHO?’ story with your friends, colleagues, and family.  The ‘perfect storm’ of factors impacting Lesotho is present, which makes the value of working with the Basotho people on the various BLOOM projects and initiatives so high.

Khotso,

Jon

This entry was written by BLOOM Africa Board Member Jon Duraj.  He can be reached at Jon.Duraj@bloomafrica.org.