Hi friends! If you don’t know me, my name is Rachael Fink and I have had the incredible privilege the last 10 months to work alongside some of the most amazing humans I’ve ever met, here at TTL in Mokhotlong.
I am honored to be here, in-country, for TTL’s 18th birthday. If you ask me what I think TTL’s “secret to success” is, I can confidently say it is the amazing staff that work here.
This week we’ve highlighted the incredible impact TTL has made these past 18 years, but an organization is only as great as the people behind it. Especially those who embody the mission go above and beyond to see the organization succeed.
So today, I would like to take the time to highlight our brilliant staff because they truly make TTL the most amazing place.
To run an effective organization, dedication, inspiration, love, and passion are essential; all of those elements can be found in abundance here at TTL.
All the Bo-Mme provide excellent 24-hour care to all the children staying in the TTL Safe Home. If you have any experience with kids, you know how exhausting it can be from time to time, but when I tell you the love and passion these Bo-Mme exhibit when interacting with the kids never ceases, I mean it. I will often be in my office (which is right next to the Safe Home) and I hear the echoes of laughter throughout the day as the Bo-Mme and kids play together. Of course, playing with the kiddos is just one facet of their job; they have many other responsibilities to adhere to as well, like: constantly monitoring the children’s health, making sure the babies are receiving the proper vitamins and medication, feeding the kiddos 6 times a day, changing nappies, taking the children to the hospital for check-ups, tracking each kiddo’s progress and development of milestones via data entry forms, and so much more. The job is not an easy one, but they do it with much elegance.
I’ll see Mme Maitumelang beaming with the brightest smile as she dances and laughs with the children, Mme Makabelo filled with compassion comforting a child who fell down or is not having a good day, Mme Mapoloko humming along in the kitchen preparing delicious meals for the kiddos, Mme Mamat’seliso, with her 18 years of experience here at TTL, knowing exactly what each child needs and being able to provide that to them… the examples I could share are endless. Every Mme in the Safe Home brings a special, unique contribution to the team.
The Outreach Team spends a lot of long days going out into the Mokhotlong community on arduous roads (which can be extremely taxing) providing support and care to all of our clients. They conduct health assessments, check on the wellbeing of our clients and their families, provide support and guidance, distribute food packages, and plan and execute community education projects to advance the health and wellbeing of not only current community members, but also setting the foundation in which future generations will be more well educated. All of those things are done with so much enthusiasm. Going on Outreach all the time, I see Mme Kokonyana, who has been here for all 18 years, knowing everything there is to know about our clients and the Mokhotlong community, and Mme Bonang and Ntate Moruthoane, who connect so genuinely with all of our clients, it makes me smile.
On our administrative staff, Ntate Thabang is busy keeping track of all the daily office duties and looking after the maintenance of the buildings; Ntate Tumisang is busy keeping our campus beautiful, planting and harvesting food for the Safe Home, fixing things that need to be fixed, and being the absolute G.O.A.T. (greatest of all time).
On our Management Team, Mme Nthabeleng devotes so much time and energy to the development of TTL, and has made this organization a highly-respected and well-known one across all of Lesotho. Mme Kefuoe is constantly busy facilitating the finances and heading the Outreach Program, making sure everything for TTL runs smoothly. Mme Lehela works flawlessly to make sure the Safe Home is running well and educates caregivers on the best practices to sustain their children’s health.
From long-time employees whose dedication has carried this organization throughout the years, to the young, new faces bringing in creative, innovative ideas… TTL has it all.
I am honored to know all of these incredible humans and to learn from them each and every day. To be a part of an organization doing so much good in the community, saving lives every day, and working to build a brighter future for generations to come, is nothing short of amazing. I am grateful I am able to hang out with the coolest people ever, people who everyday exhibit what it means to be a changemaker.
I would like to wish TTL the biggest “Happy Birthday!” You’re all things amazing and I love you so dearly.
– Rachael Fink
The TTLF Fellow is a representative of the North American organisation The Tiny Lives Foundation. Based for one year in Mokhotlong, Lesotho, the TTLF Fellow serves in an administrative support capacity for the Basotho charity TTL.
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