Water project and always adventuring

It feels like it's time to provide an update on my life in Peace Corps Lesotho!

Over the last month-ish I have done the typical things I always do (working at the clinic) and some new things as well.

Most notably I have been working lots on my community water project. We have held several community meetings for planning purposes, and had a site analysis done by a local contractor to provide us with a quote. I now have all of the information needed to submit a grant proposal, which is what I am currently working towards. If this project gets approved and completed, we will improve water access for 268 people, and increase the number of fully functional water taps in the community from 1 to 11. This will dramatically decrease water collection times, and therefore likely increase water usage rates, leading to improved hygiene and better health outcomes.

Recent US administrative changes have cut previous PEPFAR funding which would have entirely funded this project. In the current situation, I will have to fundraise money from donations and third party NGOs. Once I complete this grant and it is approved, you will be able to contribute money to help fund the project!

Work aside, I've also had a few fun weekend trips over the past month. Two volunteer friends visited my site and we went hiking deep into the mountains, where we camped for the night. Up there we stayed next to a herdboy hut, and he provided us with free firewood. In exchange we gave him two smores that we cooked over the fire, under the most brilliant milky way.

It was silent out there, about five miles from any large community. The herdboy told us (in Sesotho) that he basically lives up there year round, tending to his herd of goats and sheep. He milks the goats and, in combination with maize meal, has enough food to live for months without restocking. But overall he was very quiet, I suppose from years of living in a quiet place; We had to coax out the answers to our burning questions. That night I thought about what his perspective on life must be like, how different it must be from ours, having spent most of his life alone, in the deep, tranquil mountains, with only the bells around animals' necks and chirping birds livening the noisescape.

One weekend I went to my Sesotho teacher's house in a nearby village. She told me they were going to slaughter a pig, and that I should come to help and eat. So yeah... I helped kill a pig. It has to be the most awful sound I have ever heard, like a person burning alive. But damn... that was the best piece of meat I have ever eaten. Plus pig liver and intestines are also super yummy. You can't get fresher than one-hour-old meat!

I also played in a football match for my community's team. It was just a friendly, so nothing was at stake, which was also the only reason I was able to play (because my team is much much better than me). However I had fun and didn't feel completely useless because I was able to outrun the others. Plus I've been practicing with the team in the afternoons, so hopefully I'll improve with time.

I also had an important Project Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting. PAC is a volunteer-led committee that I am now apart of which focuses on facilitating communication between nonprofits that volunteers are working with and Peace Corps staff. The yearly meeting was a presentation to various stakeholders, nonprofits and Lesotho government officials, on Peace Corps current operating practices. So I, and three other members of the PAC health committee, presented the activities current health volunteers are completing, as well as any challenges we are facing. The meeting was very successful, and it was interesting to be a pseudo-staff member for the day, not just a volunteer.

Last weekend I went with some friends to Semonkong, where the famous Maletsunyane falls lives (the highest waterfall in Africa). It is a stunning place. I was able to hike down into the massive 1,000 foot-deep canyon, and swim under the falls. It was icy snowmelt water, so a quick polar plunge sufficed my itch. The place reminded me of a miniature Grand Canyon.

That Sunday after Semonkong I travelled to Maseru to watch a football match at the Setsoto Stadium. The arena isn't massive by American standards (13k capacity), but the crowd brought the energy as we watched the Kaiser Chiefs from South Africa faceoff against Lifofane from Lesotho. The Chiefs won 3-1 to no surprise (some of their players were apart of the South Africa world cup squad), but for a moment Lifofane was leading 1-0 and it was incredible. The fans in the stands had a huge drum and were singing all these Sesotho chants. Not a bad experience, considering a ticket to the match ran ~$3 USD.

That's all for now, folks! Thanks for reading and caring, and I will keep you updated on everything, especially the water project and how you can help contribute.

Stay well,
Connor