From the 4th to the 21st of October a truly amazing group of 36 Irish Volunteers gave it their all in Lesotho for the ACARA Lesotho Build Project 2010.

It was a physically, emotionally and mentally exhausting experience and a privilege to share it with this group of exceptional people.  Without them and the support of friends and families this project would not have been possible.

In just 14 days we completed the following:

• The construction and fit out of 2 classrooms
• The building of 3 Keyhole Gardens
• The building of 2 ACARA Friendship Walls
• Maintenance work on existing classrooms
• The building of a playground at the ACARA Safe House built in 2008

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful and committed people can make big changes in the lives of hundreds of children, now and in the years to come.

Thanks to a wonderful team and new friends made.

Kea Leboha

ACARA Volunteers - Lesotho Build Project

Do The Right Thing is new to RTE and is a show all about aspiring volunteers who are ready to put their lives on hold for a year and travel to some of the most challenging places on earth. ACARA Action Projects are delighted that they will be using some of our volunteers action footage from our Lesotho Build Project over the course of the next 10 weeks. Presented by Lucy Kennedy and Baz Ashmay.  The show will run for the next 10 weeks or RTE 2, Tuesday nights at 10:00pm. You can also get kept up to date via the website

http://www.rte.ie/tv/dotherightthing

To view all footage of our Volunteers and our previous Lesotho Build Project. http://www.acara.ie/lesotho/videos

We return to Lesotho again on the 4th October 2010 with a new group of volunteers.

http://www.tv3.ie/videos.php?video=25899&locID=1.65.74

Colette O'Sullivan and Helen O'Malley, ACARA Action Projects - Field Work in Lesotho

Click on the Link Below to ready the full interview:

ACARA Action Projects, Interview on Irish Examiner, Friday 13th Aug 2010

Katherine Kelliher B. Arch. Sc  Dip. Arch. MRIAI
Partner, Kelliher Miller Architects  www.kmarch.ie

Project Architect: 2008 and 2010

Katherine Kelliher, Kelliher Miller Architects. Architect for ACARA Lesotho Build Project 2008 - 2010

Katherine studied architecture in Bolton St, DIT and graduated with an honours degree in 1995. She has worked in Hong Kong and Ireland in a number of architectural practices. She is accredited in conservation of historic buildings Grade III and is a qualified Project Supervisor Design Process.

Andrew Gargan : Project Quantity Surveyor: 2008 and 2010

Andrew Gargan: Quantity Surveyor, ACARA Lesotho Build Project 2008 - 2010

Andrew is a professional Quantity surveyor and has over 10 years experience in the construction industry. His latest project in Dublin was the Aviva stadium. After doing a trek for Barretstown in 2006 he teamed up with Acara Action Projects in his spare time to be part of the team to carry out charity builds in Lesotho, Southern Africa. His ambition is to work on non-profit projects as well as private/ public enterprise projects.Andrew likes photography, architecture and jaffa cakes

Peter Finn – Site Foreman 2008 and Advisor for 2010 Project
Partner – Michael Duffy and Sons Constructions ltd  http://mdsconstruction.ie

Peter Finn, Site Foreman, ACARA Lesotho Build Project 2008 and Advisor in 2010

Peter, 35 years, started off as a carpenter then went on to undertake a Building Technician Course in Bolton Street, Dublin.  He has been involved in each of the 5 Room to Improve series on RTE and after been introduced to ACARA in 2008, by his friend Bernard Sweeney (also part of the Project Team of 2008),  Peter became Site Foreman for the first Lesotho Build Project

Personal Interests: Football, Kickboxing and Healthy Living

Declan O’Mahony – Site Foreman 2010

Declan O'Mahony: Site Foreman, ACARA Lesotho Build Project 2010

Declan O Mahony BA (hons) Diploma PM

Declan is a graduate of University College Cork and has over twenty years experience in the construction industry. Declan is a member of the Institute of Project Management.    He founded his first company in 2004.  That company became part of Assist Project Management in 2006 where he is a Director  http://www.assistpm.ie .  In addition to PM services Assist comprises QS, cost management, space planning, architectural design and planning services.

Declan is a keen canoeist and enjoys a regular soccer game on Wednesday nights.

With only 9 weeks to go everything is in place. We are really excited to be bring yet another amazing group of Volunteers out to Lesotho to build classrooms. We depart Dublin Airport on 4th October and return on 21st October

The Challenge:
ACARA have initially committed to a 5 year plan to provide funding to assist in the education and safety of the children of Lesotho by providing some of life’s basic requirements:

1. To Build 2 Classrooms

2. To revisit the ACARA Safe House built in 2008 to build a playground and repaint etc

3. To fill a 20ft Container with clothing, footwear, toys, bedding, school supplies, medical supplies. These will then be distributed to as many orphanages, village’s and homes as possible.

The Brief:
The second ACARA “Lesotho Build Project Challenge” will take place from the 4th – 21st October 2010

Phase 1: To bring a minimum of 40 participants to the Mafeteng Region, just south of the capital to build two classrooms.

Phase 2: To provide a keyhole vegetable garden and a play area for the children from the local communities.

Phase 3: To build a playground in the ACARA House build in 2008

It will be 18 days of hard but rewarding work. An amazing experience!

Helen O’Malley:          087 6794356

ACARA Action Projects
Unit 19
Eastgate Drive
Eastgate
Little Island
Cork

Charity Number: CHY: 18493

Email: info@acara.ie
Web: www.acara.ie/lesotho

Volunteering Fair Cork 20th February 2010

Irish Aid is hosting a public information fair in Devere Hall, University College Cork on Sat. 20th Feb. (11am-4pm) on overseas volunteering opportunities.

ACARA will be presentating the Lesotho Build Project at 3:00pm

Check out the Irish Aid website at the following link:

http://www.irishaid.gov.ie/about_volunteering.asp

This first clip shows footage from the actual build itself and give an idea of the scale of the project and a snapshot of the amazing volunteers.  This is the first ever Safe House built in the country of Lesotho.  It caters for orphans and vunerable children.

This second clip show us on our day off from building.  We took a day trip up into the mountains and delivered clothing, toys and medical supplies from our 40ft container to the hospital in Seboche and a school in Phoku, both in the north of Lesotho and the area we are going back to for the build project in March 2010.  In this video you will see a tent which is a calssroom.  We are delighted to let you know that ACARA has now replaced with proper classrooms.