I wrote before about Lesotho – the African Kingdom I visited last October. Now, I’d like to put faces to the name. Here are some children at an orphanage in Maseru, the capital. There are also pictures of children I met while on my way to a school in the Maluti Mountains. The culture and history of Lesotho are so rich, it’s impossible not to fall in love with the people and the kingdom. Stay tuned for a piece on a spiritual cave nearby…. where a prophetess used to give healings and prophecies in the 1800s about the future of this kingdom. Have you ever considered going to South Africa? I’d love to know your thoughts + questions!
“Dumela” means “Hello” in SothoA child smiling at an orphanage in MaseruChildren ride donkeys to school in the morningThaba Bosiu Cultural VillageThaba Bosiu Cultural VillageThaba Bosiu Cultural VillageA buffet breakfastGranadillaLesotho Hotel in Maseru …. the Basotho hat is the symbol of the countryHerding cattleA monastery outside Lesotho
Next in my travel series of throwback trips from last year is Lesotho. I’m writing about Lesotho – a Kingdom within the borders of South Africa – because it meant so much to me when I was there. I was very lucky to get the opportunity to visit as part of a Rotary trip; more specifically, a club visit by my mother District Governor Gianna Doubell. Needless to say, I loved it so much that if I could go back tomorrow I would. Unfortunately, I visited such a remote area that chances of that are highly unlikely!
The history of people living in the area now known as Lesotho goes back as many as 40,000 years.
The present Lesotho (then called Basutoland) emerged as a single polity under paramount chief Moshoeshoe I in 1822.
Under Moshoeshoe I, Basutoland joined other tribes in their struggle against the Lifaqane associated with the reign of Shaka Zulu from 1818 to 1828.
Moshoeshoe I
Read on for more photos + facts about this fascinating Kingdom in Africa! (more…)
Running from April 2 – 4 2014, Rotary Internationaltogether with the Department of Health in South Africa initiated 3 days of free community health checks + testing. Many add-on services partnered in order to provide a complete array of health testing. The aim? To promote a person’s basic human right to healthcare. It took place across 140 sites in South Africa (Eastern Cape, Western Cape, Kwazulu-Natal, Lesotho, Gauteng + Northern Province). Simultaneous testing was also occurring in Nigeria, Kenya + Uganda. Below are some photographs from District 9370 as they rolled out their health days!
Uitenhage, in the Eastern Cape, was the official launch site of South Africa. Between this site + the site in Nelson Mandela Bay at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, we tested close to 3000 people between the 2 sites over the 3 days. Offering services such as testing for blood pressure, HIV, TB, audiology, optometry, dental, cervical, kidneys + cholesterol, there was also de-worming, family planning, measles vaccinations, vitamin A injections, diabetes, blood glucose testing + prosthetic hands for the disabled. Everyone was afforded the same opportunity to become empowered with their state of health. Where there was a need, patients were referred for the correct treatment + help. The beauty of the health days is that all the health services have been combined so that families can be seen as a unit – mothers + children can get tested together. This curtails travelling expenses + loss of valuable work days. I worked as Social Media Manager for the Eastern Province of South Africa, providing updates on the developments of the Family Health Days at the sites. View all the photos at thisawesome link. Support the official facebook page of the Rotary Club of Algoa Bay here. Join the Rotary movement globally here. Join me on Twitter here. Let’s connect on Instagram here.
Preparations are underway here in Port Elizabeth for the annual Rotary DG dinner. With its motto ‘Service Above Self’, Rotary is an international non-profit organization for top professionals everywhere. I got the following explanations from Wikipedia and the Rotary International website, which explain everything beautifully.
“Rotary International is an organization of service clubs known as Rotary Clubs located all over the world. The stated purpose of the organization is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. It is a secular organization open to all persons regardless of race, color, creed, gender, or political preference. There are 33,976 clubs and over 1.22 million members worldwide. The members of Rotary Clubs are known as Rotarians. Members usually meet weekly for breakfast, lunch or dinner, which is a social event as well as an opportunity to organize work on their service goals.”
The mission of The Rotary Foundation is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill and peace through the improvement of health, the support of education and the alleviation of poverty. The Foundation is a not-for-profit corporation supported solely by voluntary contributions from Rotarians and friends of the Foundation who share its vision of a better world.
There are different districts all over the world, and different clubs in each district. Here in the central area of South Africa and Lesotho (district 9320), the Algoa Bay Rotary club is the largest. My mother is its President this year. She oversees all the meetings and projects of a club of 71 members.Tonight the District Governor this year, Kevin Dersley, is visiting our club and we’re hosting a glorious dinner event held in his honour. Another exciting event Rotarians all over South Africa are looking forward to is the 2011 ‘Discon’ event… from the 29th of September to the 1st of October, held in my hometown of Port Elizabeth…
