Children at Auray Primary receive books

Developing the Lesotho Project 2013/2014

The beautiful landlocked country of Lesotho has a mountainous terrain which makes it difficult to reach the more remote regions. For our first shipment to Lesotho, sponsored by the Waterloo Foundation, in 2010, a 20-foot container of books and other resources was distributed by helicopter with the help of our partner, the Lesotho Ministry of Education. While this was an exciting way to deliver the resources, the economics of this type of transport could not be repeated on a regular basis, so School Aid began the task of creating a distribution network from the UK to Lesotho.

As a result we are proud to report that our second shipment to Lesotho left the School Aid warehouse on 28 November 2013, bound for Maseru Rotary Club. By February 2014, all the resources were on their way to 32 primary and secondary schools, which between them educate almost 15,000 students - more than a quarter of them identified as orphans or vulnerable children (OVCs).

Working with Partners Dolen Cymru, Sentebale and Maseru Rotary Club

Waterloo Foundation - sponsor.

Dolen Cymru and their associate charity, Dolen Cymru Lesotho Link, sponsors the placement of Welsh teachers in Lesotho schools. In January 2014, five teachers travelled out to Lesotho to take up teaching placements in Lesotho schools. Over the next few months, these teachers received the donations from School Aid, supervised their unpacking and worked with the teachers to advise on the best way to utilise the books and other supplies. In addition, Dolen Cymru teachers are completing the first part of our monitoring and evaluation questionnaires - with some very encouraging initial feedback.

Sentebale have five key projects focusing on helping the most vulnerable children in Lesotho get the support they need to live healthy and productive lives.

Many boys in Lesotho spend several months in the mountains tending to their family's livestock, so miss out on essential learning and are isolated from social interaction. Sentebale offers night schools and help with basic literacy and leaning skills for these boys. School Aid is particularly pleased to be able to help these initiatives with a donation of books for each 'herd-boy' school.

Rotary Club of Maseru (School Aid consignee)
After seeking an introduction through our contacts in Cape Town, School Aid has established and developed a strong partnership with the Rotary Club of Maseru, who helped us to import the donation into Lesotho then stored the boxes before overseeing their distribution to the recipient schools. Thanks to all our donors who have made this possible, and we look forward to sharing feedback from the schools as it comes in.

Date
28th November 2013
Tags
Lesotho