Nthabiseng Mohanela (TeReo)

Cultures of Resistance Awards — Lesotho

Nthabiseng Mohanela (TeReo) is a Lesotho-born creative writer, activist, fashion designer, arts and crafts coordinator, musician, and fire dancer. She performs live under the alias TeReo. As an activist and musician, TeReo previously worked with Conservation Music and the Family Arts and Development of Land Youth Association. Tereo initiated a program called “Trash to Treasure” to educate other designers on the necessities of recycling and sustainable living using trash and natural materials, such as wood and crystals.

TeReo received a Cultures of Resistance Award (CoR Award) and is using the award to repair the center’s car and purchase studio equipment to help with the organization’s e-learning program. The award is also allowing the Centre to buy external hard drives and fix an old laptop. Additionally, the award is serving as compensation to partner artists who helped the organization produce a music video for the Lesotho Film Festival.

About the award, Mohanela says: “Thank you for this encouragement and boost. Our biggest challenge is mobility. We currently have a car that is broken and needs a new battery, and this money will assist with that, as we all know public transport can be very risky during the pandemic…. It can also help with food and transportation for our collaborating artists that join us in the studio. We are adhering to Covid-19 precautions and this award means we will be able to procure sanitizer and masks for our collaborators during recording sessions.”

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