Ba re e ne re was invited to collaborate with the Lesotho Council of NGOs (LCN) and Lesotho Association of Non-formal Education (LANFE) in hosting a community dialogue with Herders (Balisa) in Sefikeng, Berea on 10 September 2019. The aim of the outreach was to promote the value of literacy and education among Balisa. The initiative was also proposed in the spirit of bridging the gap in representation when it comes to the Herders. Our collective aim was to offer a platform for Balisa ba ka Sefikeng to express their creativity, frustrations and ambitions.
For Ba re e ne re, the event was geared towards prompting literacy development (basic and critical) and creative storytelling among marginalised Basotho. We envision that the stories emerging from these groups will cast light on the people’s lived realities such that policy-makers my be proactive about making the necessary adjustments. Innovative measures ultimately lead to strides in our collective development as a country.
The discussion was held in an open forum format so that the Herders could voice their needs and wants themselves versus having a external figure do it. Many of the speakers versed tales of: broken promises and exploitation, weak business acumen to help launch entrepreneurial personalities, a lack of resources to effect casual learning, and inconsistent availability from facilitators offering training towards helping the Herders acquire formal primary and high school qualifications.
After hearing many of the concerns raised Ba re e ne re pledged to donate old Sesotho classics to Balisa ba ka Sefikeng, as well as make preparations towards hosting workshops for them within the next 12 months.
Ba re e ne re | Arts Education 