International Women's Day!

Happy International Women’s Day kaofela! Today is about recognizing and valuing the accomplishments of women, worldwide. I hope you all do something special to commemorate today, and think about strong women in your life, or who have women shaped you. I wanted to take this opportunity to highlight some incredible women in my life; the women I work with at my clinic! I have interviewed four of my co-workers who have inspired me during my time here, and I wanted to introduce them to you all today. So without further ado:

What is your name?

            Mme Peiso (Nickname Spesh or Pei)

Where did you grow up and where do you live now?

            I grew up in Butha-Buthe. Now, I stay in Maseru.

What do you do at the clinic?

            I am a pharmacy technician.

What kind of schooling did you have to prepare you for this job?

            A college, National Health Training College for three years.

What are your hobbies?

            Before I was pregnant, I liked going out with friends, having drinks, and partying all night. But now I just go out for lunch and sleep all day on my weekends.

What is your favorite food?

            All types of junk foods! Especially chips and pizza. (Chips=French fries)

What is one thing you love about Lesotho?

            Peace! There are so few crimes.

What is a dream you have/ something you want to accomplish in the future?

I want to study pharmaceutical chemistry. It’s about creating or synthesizing the new drugs. But it is a full time program so I’d have to leave my job.

What is something you want the world to know about being a Masotho woman?

            I respect people who respect me. If you don’t respect me than I won’t respect you. Respect is a two way street.

Anything else you’d want to tell people from the U.S.?

            I think we are now taking our careers more seriously. We’re focused more on our profession and work on that, still taking care of our families too. Before, we were just housewives, waiting for men to bring money for us while we work at the farms, cleaning, cooking, going to fetch wood.

What is your name?

            Mme Naleli (Nickname: Star) ((Her name is pronounced like Naledi and this means star in Sesotho)

Where did you grow up and where do you live now?

            I grew up in Hlotse, the English name of the village is America. Now I live in Maseru.

What do you do at the clinic?

            I am a professional counselor.

What kind of schooling did you have to prepare you for this job?

            I have a degree in social work. Four years to obtain my degree.

What are your hobbies?

            Baking and creativity is my thing. I have a small baking business where I make different kinds of cakes for all occasions.

What is your favorite food?

            Personally, anything with bacon and cheese.

What is one thing you love about Lesotho?

            The rich inheritance we have, national resources; diamonds, water.

What is a dream you have/ something you want to accomplish in the future?

            I want to have my own foundation. Offering life skills to orphans and vulnerable children.

What is something you want the world to know about being a Masotho woman?

            We have beautiful clothes. The food is amazing, very healthy. We, the younger generation, since we went to school, we no longer believe in being submissive.

Anything else you’d want to tell people from the U.S.?

            They must come to Lesotho and explore this beautiful mountainous country, it is amaaaaazing. People come for skiing at Afriski, it’s beautiful.

           

What is your name?

Mme Sepiso (Nickname Sepi)

Where did you grow up and where do you live now?

            Berea

What do you do at the clinic?

            I am a nurse. Registered nurse!

What kind of schooling did you have to prepare you for this job?

            Four years at National Health Training College

What are your hobbies?

            I like reading, exercise work outs, cooking, playing around with kids!

What is your favorite food?

            I like beans, milk, boiled eggs, white meat, rice, and fish.

What is one thing you love about Lesotho?

            Peace. And also the climate, it’s so safe. No tsunamis, no volcanos, no earthquakes! The national disasters. It won’t affect us!

What is a dream you have/ something you want to accomplish in the future?

            My Masters in Public health! After Masters, I’m going to do a PhD in epidemiology.

What is something you want the world to know about being a Masotho woman?

            Respect. We are so respected. That’s our culture. Basotho, they like respect.

Anything else you’d want to tell people from the U.S.?

            They must come and visit here! Because we still have plenty of natural things. Lesotho is not modified, it’s just natural. But am I not speaking the truth? It’s the truth. Mountains are everywhere. Nature is still here.

What is your name?

            Mme Masekolle (Nickname: Mother)

Where did you grow up and where do you live now?

            Berea

What do you do at the clinic?

            Counseling (HIV testing)

What kind of schooling did you have to prepare you for this job?

            I had training, workshops.

What are your hobbies?

            I like farming.

What is your favorite food?

            Meat!

What is one thing you love about Lesotho?

            I like the mountains, the landscape

What is a dream you have/ something you want to accomplish in the future?

            I want to own a car, one time.

What is something you want the world to know about being a Masotho woman?

            I love wearing seshoeshoe (traditional Basotho dress)

Anything else you’d want to tell people from the U.S.?

            We are growing maize, sorghum, wheat, beans, peas, it is all fresh.

What is your name?

            Mme Nthabiseng (Nickname Mme Ntha)

Where did you grow up and where do you live now?

            I grew up in Mokhotlong and now I’m living at Berea.

What do you do at the clinic?

            So many things! All the tasks that is expected to be done at the clinic. My official role is a nursing assistant. The registration of patients, monitoring weight and measuring of BPs. The checking of blood sugar levels. I work in the pharmacy most of the time. I also work with pregnant ladies and breastfeeding mothers and their babies as well.

What kind of schooling did you have to prepare you for this job?

            I went to Maluti Seventh Day Adventist School of Nursing. It was two years.

What are your hobbies?

            I am like a web. I like working in the fields mostly. Hoeing, planting some veggies, and also during harvest, I want to do it myself, not done by somebody else for me.

What is your favorite food?

            Beans. I can eat beans 24/7.

What is one thing you love about Lesotho?

            The weather. I like mostly the winter.

What is a dream you have/ something you want to accomplish in the future?

            My dream is to build a shelter for vulnerable children, just like an orphanage. I would love to do it when I retire from work. (Which will be in 2027!)

What is something you want the world to know about being a Masotho woman?

            I would like the world to know that a Masotho woman is an independent being, regardless of whether you have a husband or not, but we are independent, Masotho women. We learned to work for ourselves, not to depend on anybody else.

Anything else you’d want to tell people from the U.S.?

            I would like to tell the people from the United States that even though we face many political challenges, they don’t lead us astray. We still stand up and fight for ourselves. We still stand up and thrive regardless of the political instability.

I’m so lucky to work with these amazing women, who have treated me like family and have made my time here in Lesotho so special so far. They think I’m crazy for moving away so far from my family and friends, but they are so encouraging and supportive nonetheless. I love my random Sesotho lessons I get from them throughout the day and our daily lunch gatherings. I really am so glad I have these women in my life and I can’t wait to work with them on projects in the future!

I also just wanted to give a special shout-out to ausi oa ka (my host sister) who helped teach me how to cook and can peaches today! She wants to grow up to be a doctor, and she’s extremely motivated. I am lucky to live with a hardworking and kind young woman like her!

Also want to give a very important shout-out to ausi oa ka (my sister) Nomi and mme oa ka (my mom) Andrea who always inspire me to be strong like them.

So to all, Happy International Women’s Day, make it a great one!

P.S.-Tried to attach some pictures, but unfortunately, the internet is not cooperating today! Sorry!