Parish: St. Leo - Tacoma

COUNTRY OF INVOLVEMENT: Lesotho, Southern Africa

The Tacoma Lesotho Connection (TLC) is a non-denominational, 501(c)3 organization that aspires to develop resources, promote understanding, and foster mutuality between communities in Tacoma and Lesotho. TLC works in partnership with grass-roots, Basotho-led organizations responding to:

• the high incidence of HIV/AIDS
• ever growing number of AIDS orphans and vulnerable children; and
• extreme poverty of Lesotho, Africa

In the spirit of ubuntu, our humanity is inextricably bound up with theirs

Description of fundraising efforts:

Second Annual Booking It Run for Educational Scholarships in Lesotho

Ten year old Shay Glackin-Coley initiated the Booking It run to raise money for children affected by HIV/AIDS and poverty in Lesotho. The 2008 run raised $2,722.00 for scholarships and, when combined with $480 from other TLC sources, student awards for 2008 totaled more than $3000! Congratulations to Shay and all those who worked so hard to make the second annual run a success. Special thanks to Shay’s father, Kevin Glackin-Coley for the incredible support he provided for the event. All proceeds from “Booking It” went towards scholarships for elementary and secondary students in Lesotho, Africa – no administrative costs were deducted by TLC or our Basotho scholarship partners, the Sisters of the Holy Names in Maseru, Lesotho. The 2009 Booking It Run is scheduled for Saturday, August 22, at Ft. Steilacoom Park. For more information about participating in the run or helping out, please contact Kevin Glackin-Coley at (253) 627-0566 or check out the web site http://bookingitrun.com

Other Projects, News, and Jobs Well Done

The St. Clare Clinic, which provides care to AIDS patients and others in Mohale’s Hoek, is in desperate need of medications and supplies. The $270 raised this year for the clinic, when combined with funds raised earlier, resulted in $650 for the work of the clinic. We are grateful to St. Leo's Parish for including TLC in their Gifts for the Journey project; these funds will be reflected in our 2009 report. Total funds received through TLC, from all sources, in 2008 = $9,780.

Although in-kind donations don’t show up in the financial report, they are very precious to us. In addition to the time and work of Gerald and Mary, our partners in Lesotho supported their efforts by providing food, shelter, expertise, networking, and the legendary Basotho hospitality. On this side of the ocean, friends and family donated air miles and funds earmarked for the trip. Two large suitcases full of medical supplies were gathered by volunteers here and delivered to the St. Clare Clinic by Mary and Gerald. Many volunteers also contributed time and talent to making the Booking It Run a success by marking the course, providing refreshments, and serving as event organizers, timekeepers, trail supervisors, and doers of details. Others helped to sell fair-trade Basotho handicrafts which provided an income for artisans in Lesotho. Volunteers helped to promote the alternative Christmas giving project and students at Tacoma's Bryant Elementary School folded paper cranes and assembled ornaments by combining their cranes with tiny Basotho hats as symbols of peace. Profits from the ornaments crafted by Tacoma's children will be used toward the care of orphans and vulnerable children in Lesotho.

Other Fund raising: Alternative Christmas Gifting, letters, Sunday bulletins, speaking to groups, one-on-one discussions, and grant writing.

Collaboration with individuals or groups outside of the parish/community:

Tacoma Lesotho Connection Associates

Gerald Eysaman: respected Tacoma architect and preservationist, is donating his time to TLC and the St. Camillus Center to develop a design for the building. When he visited Lesotho last October, Gerald met with various stakeholders, developed a detailed plan, and helped to choose a builder from the community for the project. He is currently completing detailed architectural drawings for the project and plans to return in August of 2010 to oversee the first month of construction.

Christopher van Elk, J.D.: practices law in New York (9 years) but also provides pro bono assistance to TLC in Tacoma. Chris guided TLC through the process of incorporation and attaining nonprofit status and continues to provide assistance and advice on legal matters.

Primary Lesotho Partners working with the St Camillus Center

Sr. Juliana Manele, Director, St. Camillus home-based care Center: a Holy Cross sister who has dedicated her life to taking care of the orphans and vulnerable children in the Mohale’s Hoek district of Lesotho. In 2002 she received permission from her superior to give up her cooking duties at the convent to open the St. Camillus Center with the help of Bishop Sebastian Khoarai. Sr. Juliana uses small funds raised in various income-generating projects and donations to support orphans and people affected by HIV/AIDS.

Bishop Sebastian Khoarai, OMI: The Bishop negotiated with the local chief and community council for a site large enough for a 650 square meter building (appendix B), and the necessary governmental paperwork has been completed. He also advocates for funding and support for the work of St. Camillus Center from organizations and individuals within the country.

Nicole Ofori-atta, the Peace Corps volunteer working with St. Camillus Center. Nicole works to develop programming at the center and assist with the day-to-day work. In addition she keeps records and works to raise resources for operations. She is now working with TLC to ride and submit grants for the construction of the new St. Camillus Center.

Additional US Partners

Additional Partners in Lesotho

Networking Efforts

Describe visits between your parish/community and your African Partners:

Mary Van Elk, St Leo parishioner and TLC board member, visited Lesotho from September 24th. – October 5th, 2008 and has this to say about her trip: “I saw firsthand the suffering that pervades the daily lives of the Basotho because of HIV/AIDS. However, their joy shone through their sorrow as they faced this scourge with amazing courage and hope. While there, I took part in activities with Basotho volunteers at St. Camillus Center. I also discussed and signed the TLC contract regarding the funding of the expansion with the bishop, the center director, Sr. Juliana, and the Peace Corps Volunteer. Many hours were spent with the architect and Sr. Juliana in discussions about exactly what was needed in the new building to fulfill the needs of those who will be served directly and indirectly through the training that will be provided at the center.”

Gerald Eysaman, Tacoma architect, accompanied Mary to Lesotho. Gerald met with various stakeholders, developed a detailed plan, and helped to choose a builder from the community for the St. Camillus project. He is currently completing detailed architectural drawings for the project and plans to return in August of 2010 to oversee the first month of construction.

How is your ministry organized and run:

Almost all of TLC's members are also members of St. Leo's Parish; however, we are reaching out to other churches and organizations to broaden our support base and to encourage collaboration and understanding between communities in our area and in Lesotho. All of our efforts are to support projects that are initiated or already establish by our Basotho partners.

TLC has a mission statement, bylaws, strategic planning sessions, tax-exempt (501c3) status, and an active board that participates in monthly meetings. Current TLC Board Members: Mary Vanelk , Veronica Schmitt, Theresa Power-Drutis, Sherry Hellenkamp, Karen Havnaer, Kim Ebert Colella, Jennifer Dvorak, Cathy Chick, and Contact: Theresa Power-Drutis (253) 534-5402  director@TacomaLesotho.org

Describe Youth Involvement:

Kylie Skellen, TLC Youth Coordinator: a freshman at Bellarmine Preparatory School she is working toward a Varsity Letter in Community Service via United Way. In addition to her work with Tacoma Lesotho Connection, Kylie volunteers through the Key Club and L’Arche. As youth coordinator, she will initiate projects to involve young people in the philanthropic efforts of TLC and will collaborate with members of clubs that already exist within the school to promote greater cross-cultural understanding of active involvement in global justice.

Students for Peace, Pacific Lutheran University: this campus club assisted TLC with the Booking It Run and recently contacted us to see about other ways to be involved. We recently met with the group to discuss possible fund-raising projects and educational campaigns for the coming year.

Bryant Elementary School: children at the school assisted with our alternative Christmas giving

The “Booking It Run” is a youth initiated project which also attracts many young people as run organizers and participants.

Basotho Youth Involvement: Young people in Lesotho are involved in gardening and other partner projects. Elementary school children contribute to projects such as the library renovation and maintenance.

Describe areas of expertise that exist in your mission work:

Partnerships and Networking: building library collections, leveraging resources by adding to the work of others, web site development, accessing existing network resources, e.g. idealist, internship programs, youth organizations

Research and Grant Writing: we have conducted research on least developed countries, national and international initiatives, HIV-AIDS, leadership, information communication technology, and resource development. In addition we are collaborating with partners in Lesotho to write grants to fund the capital campaign for the St. Camillus HIV/AIDS Home-Based Care Center.

Architecture and Construction: much has already been learned regarding differences between the US and developing countries in terms of resources, building materials, techniques, and pace.

What other information would be helpful for others or your community to know/learn from:

Networking with other seems to be the best way to leverage our small efforts toward a greater good. We are interested in ideas about the best ways to contribute to and promote this network. We would be happy to share our experiences around acquiring nonprofit status and the decision-making process that led to becoming a 501(c)3. It would also be good to hear the experiences others have had with positive and/or negative effects of acquiring nonprofit status. Could we work toward making easier for others who want to do work in Africa to do so without this cumbersome process?

What would you like to see or experience at future conferences

It would be great to have a focus of the next conference be collaboration: e xploring ways to avoid redundancy and “how to avoid reinventing the wheel.” Collaborations with others in the region (perhaps even the US) who are working in the same country but perhaps not on the same projects could be one area. Useful tools for collaboration across borders might be another. This directory is a really good first step and a very valuable resource, particularly now that it can be accessed via the Web.