4110 Denfeld Ave.

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• 4110 Denfeld Ave.
• Kensington, MD 20895
• www.friendsoflesotho.org

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How to Use This Presentation

• This slide show may be used while speaking at
  Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV) reunions as
  well as with other organizations and groups who
  wish to learn more about Lesotho and the mission
  of The Friends of Lesotho.
• Speakers can adapt the presentation based on the
  audience and their Peace Corps experience.
• Individuals can read the notes pages to
  supplement the presentation slides.

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Overview

• PART 1 - Lesotho Kingdom in the Sky
• PART 2 - Friends of Lesotho (FOL)
• - Who we are
• - How were organized
• - What we do
• PART 3 - How to help

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Lesotho Kingdom in the Sky
Question Name three countries in the world that
are completely surrounded by just ONE other
country (not including an ocean).
Answer Lesotho, the Vatican (Italy) and San
Marino (Italy).
part 1
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Lesotho Kingdom in the Sky (contd)
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Lesotho History
Moshoeshoe (1786-1870) - Father of the Basotho
nation and one of the greatest leaders in the
history of southern Africa.

• 1820s - Gathered Basotho refugees during Lifaqane
  
• 1824 - Established national capital at Thaba
  Bosiu
• 1833 - Invited missionaries
• 1858-1868 - Fought four Boer Wars
• 1868 - Petitioned for Basotholand Protectorate

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Lesotho History (contd)

• Basotholand never part of the Republic of South
  Africa
• Independence restored after 98 years of British
  Rule
• Became the Kingdom of Lesotho on October 4, 1966.

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Lesotho Geography and Climate
Area About the size of Maryland Capital Maseru
(173,700) Terrain High veld, plateau and
mountains. Climate Temperate. Rainy
season in summer, winters dry but snow in the
higher elevations. Southern hemisphere seasons
are reversed.
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Lesotho People
Nationality Noun -- Mosotho (sing.) Basotho
(pl.). Adjective -- Basotho. Population (2005
est.) 2 million Ethnic groups Basotho 99.7
Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3 Religions
80 Christian, including Roman Catholic
(majority), Lesotho Evangelical, Anglican, other
denominations other religions include Islam,
Hindu, indigenous Languages Official -- Sesotho
and English. Others -- Zulu, Xhosa

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Lesotho Culture

• Friendly and curious
• Oral traditions
• Decorative arts
• Sports
• Pitsos
• Feasts
• Sesotho language

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Lesotho Economy

• Economy based on water and electricity sold to
  South Africa
• Earnings from the Southern African Customs Union
• Wages of laborers employed in South Africa
• Exports - diamonds, wool, clothing, furniture,
  footwear and mohair
• Agriculture and livestock
• Economic aid

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Lesotho Tourism

• There are numerous activities to enjoy as a
  tourist in Lesotho

• Camping and Backpacking
• Pony Trekking
• Rock Climbing
• Bird Watching
• Canoeing
• Fishing
• Rally-Driving
• Skiing

To learn more about tourism in Lesotho visit
http//www.ltdc.org.ls/
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Lesotho Tourism (contd)

• There are numerous activities to enjoy as a
  tourist in Lesotho

• Handicrafts
• Hotels, Casinos, Mountain
• Lodges
• Sehlabathebe National Park
• Cave Dwellings and Paintings
• Fossil Hunting
• Philately
• Festivals and National
• Holidays
• Volunteer Projects

To learn more about tourism in Lesotho visit
http//www.ltdc.org.ls/
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Lesotho Health

• A reasonably healthy place due to dry, cool
  climate
• No mosquitoes, and thus no malaria
• Main health problem is water
• All the district capitals have hospitals
• AIDS a serious problem in Lesotho
• Tuberculosis and venereal diseases are major
  health problems

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Lesotho Government and Political Conditions

• Lesotho is a parliamentary constitutional
  monarchy
• Prime Minister is head
  of government and has
  executive
  authority
• King serves a largely
  ceremonial function
• The King is proscribed
  from from actively
  participating
  in in political initiatives.
  

The Royal Family Princess Senate, Queen
Masenate and King Letsie III
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Lesotho Government and Political Conditions
(contd)

• Government Structures
• National Assembly
• 80 directly elected
• 40 elected through Proportional
  Representation
• House of Senate
• 22 Principal Chiefs whose membership is
  hereditary
• 11 appointees of the King

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Lesotho Government and Political Conditions
(contd)

• The Constitution
• Provides for an independent judicial system
• Protects basic civil liberties, including freedom
  of
• speech
• association
• the press
• peaceful assembly
• religion.

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Lesotho Government and Political Conditions
(contd)

• Elections
• Lesotho held its first post-independence local
  government elections on April 30, 2005
• A quota system reserved one-third of electoral
  divisions for women candidates 53 of the
  victorious candidates were women
• Locally elected officials are presently in
  post-election training while regulations for
  local governance are drawn up by the National
  Assembly and infrastructure is created.

Honorable M. Motsanai Speaker of the National
Assembly
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Lesotho U.S. Relations

• The United States was one of the first four
  countries to establish an embassy in Maseru after
  Lesotho gained its independence from Great
  Britain in 1966.
• Lesotho and the United States have consistently
  maintained warm bilateral relations.
• Total U.S. aid to Lesotho is over 10 million,
  including humanitarian food assistance.
• The Government of Lesotho encourages greater
  American participation in commercial life and
  welcomes interest from potential U.S. investors
  and suppliers.

Ambassador June Carter Perry
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Lesotho U.S. Peace Corps

• About 100 Peace Corps volunteers per year
  concentrate in the sectors of
• Community health
• Education
• Rural community development
• Agriculture
• Approximately 1,888 volunteers have served in
  Lesotho since 1966.

FOL supports PCVs working in Lesotho by sending
donations to a Tuition Assistance Program and
for special projects through a Volunteer Advisory
Committee
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FOL Who We Are

• Friends of Lesotho
• A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization promoting
  friendship between the peoples of Lesotho and
  North America
• Comprised of former Peace Corps volunteers and
  others who share our mission

part 2
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FOL Who We Are

• Affiliated with the National Peace Corps
  Association (NPCA)
• Funds scholarships and grants to small
  development projects in Lesotho
• Provides information about current events in
  Lesotho
• Assists in locating old friends from Lesotho

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Board of Directors 2006 - 2007
FOL How Were Organized

• Kevin Freer
• PC Lesotho 1976-1978
• Altamonte Springs, FL
• Claire Hilger
• PC Lesotho 1997-1999
• San Francisco, CA
• Jim Mueller
• PC Lesotho 2002-2004
• Waldorf, MD
• Martha Munson
• PC Lesotho 2001-2003
• Harrisonburg, VA
• Elizabeth Perry
• PC Lesotho 1997-1999
• Sultan, WA
• Todd Vetter

• Bill Dunn, President
• PC Lesotho 1979-1982Anchorage, AK
• Richard Rowan, Vice-President
• PC Lesotho 1979-1983
• St. Paul, MN
• Ella Kwisnek, Secretary
• PC Lesotho 1992-1994
• Pittsburgh, PA 15228
• John Hollister, Treasurer
• PC Lesotho 1986-1988
• Kensington, MD

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FOL Board Committees and Task Forces

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FOL Meetings

• For all board and committee meetings
• Members are welcome to join
• conference calls
• Minutes are posted on the FOL website.
• Regularly scheduled meetings
• Board meets every three months via conference
  calls
• Committees accomplish their work between meetings
  and report back to the board on their status.

Contact any board member for the conference phone
number and access code.
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FOL Meetings (contd)

• Annual meeting
• Held near the date of Lesothos
  Independence Day October 4th
• Conducted via conference call
• Purpose is to elect board members and
  present the Annual Report
• Includes speakers from the Lesotho Embassy,
  recently returned Peace Corps Volunteers and
  others who update the membership on news from
  Lesotho
• Announced in the September Newsletter with
  call-in information
• Members are encouraged to gather in groups for
  the meeting.

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What FOL Does Information Sharing
     

• Website
• www.friendsoflesotho.org
• Home Page
• About Lesotho
• Contacts
• News
• Members
• Sesotho Language
• Maps
• Photos
• Letters
• Links

• Newsletter
• Faye Farmer, Coordinator
• Presidents Report
• Committee Reports
• Lesotho News Updates
• Ways to Give
• Fundraising Ideas
• FOL Project Reports
• Book Reviews
• Networking, Reunions and Member Updates

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What FOL Does Peace Corps Volunteer
Connections

• Information and referrals for both Pre-Service
  volunteers and RPCVs
• Prospective PCV requests for information and
  contacts of current volunteers in Lesotho
• Directory of RPCVs with emails
• Opportunities for RPCVs to continue their support
  of projects in Lesotho
• FOL also matches up RPCVs with individuals and
  groups who want to support our mission.

www.friendsoflesotho.org
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What FOL Does Fundraising

• Provides new opportunities for funds
• Ensures the Boards ability to continue its work
• Increases our ability to fund needed projects
• FOL gladly accepts donations, which we will
  forward to Lesotho
• Funding sources include memberships, company
  matching gifts, donations, bequests, sales and
  special events

Copies of FOLs financial activities for the year
can be obtained from John Hollister, Treasurer.
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What FOL Does Work Within Lesotho

• FOL provides grants to current Peace Corps
  Volunteers in Lesotho for small projects
• Volunteer Advisory Committee (VAC)
• VAC funds projects which would otherwise be too
  small to be considered by major donor NGOs
• Projects have included supplies for classrooms
  and HIV/AIDS awareness education, and small
  business and craft co-op start-up materials

Letters and updates from donor recipients and
funded projects are available on our website.
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What FOL Does Work Within Lesotho (contd)

• FOL funds scholarships to Secondary school
  students
• Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)
• Recipients selected by the TAP Committee
  (consisting of current Peace Corps Volunteers)

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TAP Recipients

• My goal is to change the way of living in my
  family and to become a social worker. Through
  your help I will achieve my goals and am now
  focusing on my success. - Moleboheng 'Muso,
  Qacha's Nek
• Thank you very much for the money to go to
  school. I shall work very hard this year and I
  shall attend school very well. When I finish
  school I want to be a doctor. - Lira Mokebe
• Thank you very much for your assistance to my
  family. I am very happy about this assistance
  because it's the first time we have this. My
  family sent their love. - Letsika Mosala, Moteng

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What FOL Does Work Within Lesotho (contd)

• FOL funds HIV/AIDS education
• FOL has provided targeted funds for development
  of HIV/AIDS programs through PCVs

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What FOL Does Work Within Lesotho (contd)

• Orphanages
• FOL is proud to help match funding and workers
  with orphanages
• Currently working with Touching Tiny Lives on
  funding initiatives

More information on Touching Tiny Lives can be
found on our website.
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What FOL Does Work Within Lesotho (contd)

• Members and friends sometimes ask FOL for help to
  transfer funds or supplies to Lesotho for special
  projects when individuals or their organizations
  do not have the means to do so.
• Special distributions have included
• Supporting SHIPAid, a program that
  ships used clothing
  and educational
  materials to Lesotho.
• Vitamins
• Sports Equipment
• Books
• University service-learning projects
• Other on-going requests.

For more information on special disbursements,
contact John Hollister, Treasurer.
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How You Can Help Membership

• Why join FOL?
• Make a difference in the lives of Basotho
• Keep abreast of the news in Lesotho via our
  quarterly newsletter, website and Annual Meeting
• Join a group of like-minded people.

part 3
Membership Forms available on the FOL website.
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How You Can Help Referrals of Other RPCVs

• Can't find someone? Neither can we sometimes. Do
  you know the where-abouts of anyone on our
  "Missing" list?
• Encourage others to renew their memberships or
  join FOL.
• Thanks for your help.

For more information on how to locate RPCVs,
contact Ella Kwisnek, Membership Chair.
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How You Can Help Newsletter Articles

• Do you know a great website?
• Have you given a talk about Lesotho?
• Have you visited Lesotho recently?
• Do you have photos from Lesotho to share?
• Submit articles, photos, or information of
  interest to our members to
• Faye Farmer, FOL Newsletter Coordinator
• f_e__at_hotmail.com, or send hard copies to
• 2612 E. Geneva Drive, Tempe, AZ 85282

FOL members who can sponsor one of our future
newsletters through corporate, church or other
organizations are asked to contact Faye Farmer
for details.
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How You Can Help Donations

• Members can indicate how they would like their
  additional contributions allocated
• HIV/AIDS Education
• Tuition Assistance Program
• Orphanages
• Volunteer Advisory Committee Projects
• Morija Museum
• Wherever the need is greatest

Friends of Lesotho Inc. is a 501 (c) (3)
organization. Contributions are tax deductible
to the extent permitted by law.
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How You Can Help Fundraising
The fundraising committee is always looking for
new ideas and member participation.
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How You Can Help Wills and Estate Planning

• Members can request information on more ways to
  give
• Wills
• Estate planning
• IRAs
• Insurance policy beneficiary
• Other bequests and memorial gifts

Contact John Hollister, Treasurer, for a copy of
the Wills and Estate Planning Kit.
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How You Can Help Committee Work

• FOL members who do not wish to make a long-term
  commitment to the board are encouraged to
• Join standing committees, or
• Work on special projects which
• match their skills and interests to
• the needs of the organization

For more information on committee work, contact
Bill Dunn, President.
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How You Can Help Board Service

• Directors are members in good standing who are
  elected on their ability and willingness to
  support the purpose of FOL
• Nominations are welcome year round
• Elections are held at the Annual Meeting in
  October
• Directors serve for two-year terms

For more information on board service, contact
Bill Dunn, President.
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Kea leboha!Thank you for your interest!

• Visit our website at www.friendsoflesotho.org
• Informational websites
• http//www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index
  .html
• http//www.unicef.org/infobycountry/
• http//www.unaids.org/en/
• http//www.unesco.org

For more information and news, visit our website
for additional links to Lesotho on the web.