A keyhole garden is a raised, circular garden bed with a keyhole-shaped indentation on one side. The indentation allows gardeners easy access to the garden in order to add uncooked vegetable scraps, grey-water, and manure into a composting basket that sits in the center of the bed. Typically, the walls are made of stone to give the garden a rigid shape, and to help trap moisture in the bed.
Why are keyhole garden necessary?
Having healthy food to eat is essential for people around the world. In Lesotho, where almost 1/4 people are sick with HIV/AIDS, it is especially important that grandmothers are able to grow vegetables to keep themselves and their orphaned grandchildren healthy (especially if they are HIV+ and require nutritious food to help digest their ARV medication). Because seeds and garden tools are very expensive, keyhole gardens are a sustainable, inexpensive solution to feeding these rural families.
What are the benefits of a keyhole garden?
Key Hole Gardens:
Take very little space
Do not waste valuable land
Make gardening easy
Self-fertilize by using garden waste as fuel to grow vegetables
Allow frail and/or disabled grandmothers to easily access their crops
Keep animals from eating the produce due to the raised beds
Require less water
Produce 2—10X the number of vegetables
How to build a keyhole garden:
MATERIALS
Old soda cans (crushed up)
Large stones/bricks
Long sticks and a strong string
Soil, compost, sand, ash, manure and straw
STEPS
Choose a flat area approx. 3m squared.
Build the centre ‘basket’ of the garden with the sticks and string. This basket will be filled with cans/compost to feed the garden.
Use large stones to build the garden wall. Leave an area wide enough to stand in while tending the garden.
Fill the garden with a layer of cans (for drainage), then soil/manure/straw/ash as you build upwards to waist height.
Help Lesotho gives new meaning to “Menstrual Cycle”
“Menstrual Cycle” was a fabulously fun spin class for a cause hosted by Help Lesotho at Wheelhouse Cycle Studio in Ottawa, Ontario. Participants cycled up a sweat in the disco-ball adorned spin room (complete with pumping tunes and lots of motivation from powerhouse instructor Jen!). After cool-down, coveted prizes from Elements Luxury Tented Camp and Spa, Bicycle Craft Brewery, Pearls4Girls, and Allegro Clothing were raffled off to lucky spinners.
All of that sweat was well worth it – each ticket allowed for the purchase and creation of 3 washable sanitary kits for a girl in Lesotho.
Why are re-useable sanitary kits necessary?
Girls in Lesotho miss one week of school every month because of their periods. With access to re-usable kits, girls get back those 50 days of school each year. One $15 kit lasts up to 3 years – that gives a girl 150 days of education; that’s 150 days where she can take control of her life, and gain the confidence to become a role model in a country where gender equity is a shockingly huge problem.
Who makes the kits?
Young women attending the Mazzarello Vocational School have been hired to produce kits for Help Lesotho to purchase. This is the first income-generating project for the school, allowing the girls to make a small salary to support their families.
MENSTRUAL CYCLE RAISED ENOUGH MONEY TO CREATE AND DISTRIBUTE 166 SANITARY KITS. That is 24,900 days of education girls will get back.
The impact of the reusable sanitary kits is remarkable. They are one of the simplest and most cost-effective strategies for empowering girls to stay in school. Best of all, by having the kits made by girls in Lesotho, this project has DOUBLE the impact for Lesotho’s vulnerable girls!
Founder and Executive Director of Help Lesotho, Peg Herbert during an interview with CKCU.
“She’ll be telling us about how this remarkable initiative came about, and the truly beneficial effects that are totally changing lives. Accompanying her talk is praise music from Lesotho.”
When we think about achieving gender equity, many of us assume that men are holding girls and women back through patriarchal norms. But mothers-in-law are women – and they have traditionally been one of the greatest hindrances to empowering women in Lesotho.
As I take the long, long journey home again, I am reflecting on what has been the most memorable during this trip. I have to say, other than the remarkable lovely people on the donor trip, the part that impacted me most this time was the depth of love our beneficiaries express for Help Lesotho. I know that sounds corny but it is truly tangible, reiterated often and in such touching ways.
One tiny example is the response of a little girl at the Centre. She was asked to draw a smiley face on one side of a paper plate and what makes her happy on the other. What makes her happy is Help Lesotho!
Shadrack, the entire staff and I are determined that our programs always be delivered with respect and love – despite their serious, often very emotional content – and what I/we experience is that love pouring back to us. It has overwhelmed me many times and I have to fight back tears. When given the chance, our beneficiaries do not ask for anything for themselves, they only want to thank us – it is extraordinary and consistent in every village, school, session and graduate.
The other side of this deeply moving appreciation is the children and adults who go to such lengths to raise the funds for the programs.One little school district in New Brunswick, Anglophone North, under the leadership of Gary Branch, has raised over $100,000 for Help Lesotho since 2006!! Imagine!
Don’t listen to the awful messages on the news – the world is filled with generous, caring people who are stepping up to do what they can for others.
We are here not only to change people’s lives but to save people’s lives. Lesotho continues to have the 2nd highest rate of HIV/AIDS (25% of people are HIV-positive) and the 1st highest rate of TB in the world. Our work is needed more than ever: Help Lesotho remains as one of the few sources of hope the Basotho can turn to.
Just before I left, our staff were preparing for a new program called the ‘Pearl Program’ which is funded by our Pearls4Girlssocial enterprise. The Pearl Program will work with 50+ grade seven girls to build their self-esteem and prepare them for making healthy decisions amidst the peer pressure they will inevitably face at high school next year. High school starts at grade eight here so they are still so little. I noticed a tiny little girl watching the preparations. She kept staring at the t-shirts with pink writing that said “I am a Pearl Girl”! One of our staff told her what was happening and she replied (in Sesotho),
“I want to be a Pearl Girl when I grow up”!
I took her for a little walk in the field for a visit. I will remember her and hope to see her in the Pearl Program in a few years!
Before I left, the cosmos flowers were in full bloom – my favourite.
In my last letter, I wrote of us receiving permission for a huge parcel of land adjacent to our Hlotse Centre and that we needed to fence it properly. This week, one of the guests on our donor trip offered $5,000 toward its construction and will match the funds we raise up until the $25,000 we need! Yet another miracle! Another guest came home and doubled their monthly donation amount. As I said – they are amazing!
I hear from so many people who are awed by the work being done in Lesotho. I send this praise right back to each of you. YOU are the reason we are able to accomplish so much. Please keep telling your friends and family about the ways they too can help change the lives of people in Lesotho. Our work grows because our donors are respected for their judgement – and they tell their friends. It is as simple as that. Here are a few concrete ways you can really help us:
Host or co-host a home or business party for our Pearls4Girls program if you are within a days’ driving distance of Ottawa. Before Mother’s Day would be a great time for a sale to raise funds for Help Lesotho’s girls’ leadership programs!
Now that I am back, I am keen to book new speaking engagements. If your church, community group, or school would be interested in hearing about development work in Lesotho, please let me know. I love the chance to connect with new people, but I need your help to make these opportunities available.
Lastly, please share my ‘Letters from Lesotho’ with your network! This link has all six letters from my 2017 trip.
It has been a wonderful trip but I am looking forward to going home and to seeing my sons and their families, not to mention having consistent high-speed internet, unlimited water and electricity! So much has happened. It seems a long time.
Over the next months, please reach out and let me know how you are. You are an important member of our Help Lesotho family.
Best wishes – and thank you for walking this journey with me.
Salang hantle (stay well)
Love,
P.S. Our Annual Report 2015-2016 is now published and available here. You will be happy to know that 90% of our revenue went to programs! Thank you RE/MAX Hallmark Realty for our donated office space in Ottawa – it allows us to send more funds to Lesotho!
PPS We are hosting a ‘Brunch with Peg’ on April 22 in Ottawa. There are eight tickets left. If you live nearby and can join us to see some photos and hear the stories of my trip – please reserve your ticket soon! See my personal invitation to you here.
As Help Lesotho’s Founder and Executive Director, Dr. Peg Herbert spends at least two months a year living and working in Lesotho. As a Canadian exemplifying what good international development looks like, Peg shares her experiences through ‘Letters from Lesotho’ so we can all get a glimpse of what makes Lesotho such a special place.
If you would like to connect with Peg about her letters:
As I write, I can hear the children playing at the centre. Some of them are deaf but still make noises of happiness. There are students in the library poised with concentration and students in the computer lab trying so hard to learn this electronic world as fast as they can.
I think I left off as we were going to the graduation ceremony of the young mothers. As a mother myself, I still cannot imagine how difficult their lives are trying to bring these gorgeous babies up without support or resources.
It is deeply touching to hear the male village chiefs and councillors acknowledge and honour them and the importance of the program.
Two Canadian families are funding this program and they would be overwhelmed by the appreciation of these young girls. One young mother told us she was so bitter that she was forced into sex and now had to pay for the rest of her life by forfeiting her education, looking after a sick baby and going from house to house with a small bowl to ask for enough mealie meal to feed her child. She bravely told the group that this program had changed her – she now knew how to look after her baby and no longer had to beg for food. She had a garden and seeds for vegetables and the Starter Pack project had allowed her to generate enough income to feed them. That we should all feel such gratitude in having the most basic things of life – hope and sustenance.
We returned to the final days of the grandmother conference – a sight to behold. We had no water for the final three days of the conference. Feeding 140-150 people on site with no water is no mean feat! These grannies are wonderful! After two years in the program, it is still something to hear them discuss about the challenges of raising orphaned children in a new world where children have rights and choices but no opportunities.
During the GIRL4ce presentation on early and forced marriage – they called out repeatedly: “That is just the way it is in my village”, “This is too common”.
As we talked, they shared how they must take the lead in stopping this harmful practice. They are such good souls – doing their best. When I asked how many were brides in an early or forced marriage themselves, over 30% put up their hands.
Another of their serious challenges is obtaining their identity documents, albeit birth certificates, death certificates of their spouse, making application for their senior’s pension (about CAD $50 per month). They spend lost days struggling to get to the government offices and queue all day in the burning sun – just to be ignored.
So, for this conference, we brought the government officials to them – nurses to take blood pressure and test for HIV/AIDS and blood sugar levels; government officials to register them for their pensions and other essential documents in this modern world.
They were delighted and so appreciative.
The grannies gave our Canadian guests the most delightful send off – with handmade flags, singing and dancing. They were so happy to have these Help Lesotho supporters join them. Everywhere the guests went in the areas where we work, they were greeted with such honour and welcome. It really is overwhelming – from people who have so little. The trip group was wonderful – so easy to have and so interested in our work.
In person, they could see how far we stretch our funds and how enormous is the impact.
Since they left, we have had fun emailing about our poor sheep that was gifted to us from Sefapanong – the group named her “BaBa”. She stayed tied up in our yard for several days and then was respectfully prepared for a feast for the staff yesterday afternoon. I confess, my conscience was relieved to no longer hear her bleating day and night!
One of our guests seemed haunted to realize we did not have enough funds to buy all the boys from the 2015 Herd Boy Program blankets and gum boots (rain boots). When you actually talk to these boys and see how threadbare they are and how important those boots are to prevent snake bites and other unmentionables, one gains a new appreciation for the impending cold and bitter winter. The herd boys from the 2016 program were so proud to show us their new blankets and boots, which solidified these simple items as essential components of the program.
As soon as this guest arrived home, I received an email offering to buy the remaining 121 boys each a new blanket and pair of boots. The boys will be delighted. Here we are deeply touched by the generosity of Canadians.
After the grannies left, we had the job of clean up!! Imagine how long it will take to wash 246 sheets and 123 pillow cases by hand, hang them to dry in the sun, fold and put away. Each of the mattresses will be aired and washed down with vinegar. This is the routine after all our camps and conferences, of which there are roughly 10-12 a year. Our staff are amazing.
The next day, I went to Maseru to spend a full hour in conversation with King Letsie III and Queen Masenate. Being just the three of us, we were able to have a fulsome chat about two of our initiatives. The first one is the Sanitary Kits that are made in Lesotho by girls here for girls. The kits last for three years and are environmentally and educationally significant in a land where HIV/AIDS is spread so often through contact with blood. This dovetails well with one of the Queen’s own initiatives to give every girl in Lesotho sanitary security. I am hoping we can partner.
The second was our new GIRL4ce Movement – a youth-led initiative of Help Lesotho – of boys and girls who advocate to end early and forced child marriage (an increasingly common practice here) and gender-based violence. They are an education-entertainment group with great branding, catchy songs, dramas, dances and poems to motivate communities to step up and stop these damaging practices. We will have the launch in a month or so and are working with their Majesties to find a date that would enable them to come. We hope GIRL4ce will become so cool that they will be invited to perform all over the country and be able to reach others through various media.
Unless girls are allowed to enter adulthood in safety and before having babies, so many other issues will not be solved.
My final piece of news is about our growth. At our Hlotse Centre headquarters, we are maxed out for space. Although it is large, we use every inch. We have converted our two double car garages into classrooms, put windows and doors on our lappas for more year-round space, reconfigured our offices and other spaces for multiple uses, it is still not enough. The demand for our programs increases monthly.
We have been generosity offered another computer lab by a group in Denver.
The need for it is enormous but we have no where to put it and, given the year-long waiting list for this program, we were desperate to find a spot. Ntate Shadrack, our Country Director, and I made a presentation to the local council several weeks ago to ask for more land. These councillors know how valuable we are to their constituents and that we have never asked anything in return. Now we are.
After a long meeting, they unanimously voted to provide the new land we requested on either side of our existing property and to fix the horrible road to our Centre.
Step 1 complete.
Step 2 is to raise the $25,000 it will cost to put secure fencing up around this huge parcel of land.
Step 3 is to get the survey from the council and start the fence.
Then, we will pour the pad for the container and get it delivered. Another project that will educate thousands more! The new land will allow us to build new pit latrines – ours are full and after seven years of use by tens of thousands of people, this is not surprising.
We will need help with this new project so if you know any group or individual who would be willing to fund these improvements, please let me know. I know fencing is not a ‘warm and fuzzy’ impact but these are the nuts and bolts issues that allow us to reach those who need us every year.
Never a dull moment!
Love to you all,
As Help Lesotho’s Founder and Executive Director, Dr. Peg Herbert spends at least two months a year living and working in Lesotho. As a Canadian exemplifying what good international development looks like, Peg shares her experiences through ‘Letters from Lesotho’ so we can all get a glimpse of what makes Lesotho such a special place.
If you would like to connect with Peg about her letters:
There is so much going on here that I hardly know where to start.
Our Canadian trip guests and I have been up in the mountains of Thaba Tseka since Thursday and came down on Sunday afternoon. It was a spectacular trip – the scenery is breathtaking and the welcome extraordinary.
On Friday, we rode horses straight up a mountain path for 50 minutes to one of our remote schools.
Our guests read to the children and then traced their little feet on a piece of paper so we would know what sizes were needed to provide a new pair of shoes for each of the 132 children.
It was a lovely visit – the children sang and danced for us and the community came out to welcome and participate. They are so grateful to be part of Help Lesotho’s family. When we partner with a school, its status skyrockets!
The road to the school and neighbouring communities was completely impassible for vehicles – creviced by rain and erosion. I told the local counsellor and the herd men who accompanied us that I would write a letter to the clerk of the council petitioning for a new road to use whatever influence I might have. A couple of people have died coming down to the hospital. One young mother ended up having her baby between the rocks half way down because she just could not make it to the clinic.
When we came down from the school, we went directly to the little store in town called ‘Pep’ – like a very small Zellers – to order the shoes and a pair of socks for each child. Now that is direct impact!
Saturday, we went to Sefapanong Primary School, twinned with Turnbull School in Ottawa, for a morning with the children. It was such fun. The children ran down the side of one mountain and up the other to welcome us with signs they had made. Our guests tutored the children in math, English and science. As I chatted with the principal, Ntate Lebina, the chief and numerous community representatives came over the mountains with a herd man and a sheep in tow.
The chief presented me with the sheep as a token of their profound appreciation to Help Lesotho and Turnbull School for changing the lives of so many in the area.
We have programs for herd boys, young mothers, grandmothers, teachers and the school partnership in that area. This year alone, Turnbull School raised enough to purchase math supplies for each student and classroom, in addition to uniforms for many of the 532 students at this remote school. We were very touched by the generous gift of the sheep but less enthusiastic about taking the poor thing home tied up in the back of the truck on the 5-hour drive. Now it is here at our Centre, waiting its destiny!
We had a chance to visit with one of the herd boy program graduates – he is a 22 year old handsome young man – in tattered blankets and frayed pants. He was articulate about how much the program had meant to him – that he got information about how to look after himself, how to treat women, how to be respected by others and the importance of herd boys valuing themselves. It was such a pleasure to speak to him. Frankly, it was the longest conversation I have ever had with a herd boy because they are so shy.
The program officer, Sello, who runs that program was once a herd boy himself and the impact of his leadership was evident. I so wished the Canadian family who had sponsored that program could be with us to see the results of their generosity.
Our entire staff has been preparing for the Grandmother Conference which started yesterday afternoon.
While we wish all 200 grandmothers from the two-year Grandmother Support Program could come to the conference, some grannies are not able to make arrangements for their orphaned grandchildren to be looked after by someone else for these few days.
Seeing 125 grannies arrive in their colourful blankets and Seshoeshoe dresses– singing, ululating and dancing all the way up the walkway into the Centre was extraordinary.
Some of these dear souls have never been out of their villages. Others had never been on stairs. Some are too old to climb the stairs; some are too frightened.
‘M’e Mampaka, our Grandmother Support Officer who is in charge of the conference, wore her Kingston Grandmother Connection t-shirt in honour of some of the Canadians who give so generously to the program. Our trip guests made beds on the floors for the grannies – 16 to a room – and served them dinner. What a happy crowd!
I was almost in tears to see them all together like that.
As much as our staff are totally prepared to run conferences such as this, there are always challenges. The cook told me there was sadly no meat available in town to serve the grannies. The water is off and on – I got up at 5:30am to quickly wash my hair before the grannies started their bucket baths. The lack of water may even further complicate the task of feeding these grannies three meals a day.
You have a very special opportunity to see a live broadcast from the grandmother conference later this week. On Thursday, March 16, I will be live with the grannies on Help Lesotho’s Facebook page at 12:00pmEST (6:00pm in Lesotho)! This is our first attempt to deliver live coverage of one of our programs – now we need to hope it does not rain so our internet connection cooperates! Details about how to view the live broadcast are below.
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We are leaving right now to go to the Young Mother Graduation for 150 pregnant girls and young mothers about a 30 minute drive away. It will be wonderful to celebrate all that these young mothers have accomplished over the last year – more on that later! This evening we will re-join the grannies.
Another good day!
Thank you all for caring so much about the Basotho – you would be so proud to see where your funds are going and how deeply appreciative the beneficiaries are.
My very best wishes,
Facebook LIVE from the Help Lesotho Granny Conference on March 16!
Tuning in for the live broadcast is easy:
At 11:55pm EST on March 16, login to your Facebook account on whichever device you want to use. If you do not use Facebook, you can either create an account (it’s free!) just for this purpose, or ask someone you know if you can watch via their account.
If you have not done so already, click the buttons to ‘Like’ and ‘Follow’ our page!
At 12:00pm EST, a live video will start. If you do not see it, try scrolling down the page a little bit.
Note – You will not be on video! The grannies in Lesotho will not be able to hear or see you!
The broadcast will last approximately 30 minutes. During that time, the grannies will sing, talk with Peg Herbert, and answer questions (translated between English and Sesotho). You are encouraged to write questions and/or comments in the Comment box below the video. We will ask the grannies as many questions as time allows for!
If you are not able to watch the live broadcast at noon on March 16, you will be able to watch the recorded video of the broadcast anytime afterwards by visiting the Help Lesotho Facebook page.
As Help Lesotho’s Founder and Executive Director, Dr. Peg Herbert spends at least two months a year living and working in Lesotho. As a Canadian exemplifying what good international development looks like, Peg shares her experiences through ‘Letters from Lesotho’ so we can all get a glimpse of what makes Lesotho such a special place.
If you would like to connect with Peg about her letters:
Despite losing her mother at age six and growing up with a father with mental illness, Rethabile is an incredibly strong, bold, inspirational young woman. Ever since learning about special education, Rethabile felt she was called to work with children with disabilities. She learned sign language and is now a volunteer with a foundation that is empowering deaf children to reach their potential.
Just a few weeks ago, Rethabile’s family kicked her out of her home because she refused to marry her boyfriend. She is now staying with a friend while she continues to volunteer and attend Help Lesotho’s Leaders-in-Training Program. Rethabile explains,
“I stood up to them and they expelled me from the family. I don’t understand why they would do that to me but I’ve stayed strong.”
When asked why she did not want to marry her boyfriend, Rethabile said,
“I don’t think my life will move forward properly if I marry this man. I know God can make things better if I stand to empower me and change my life for myself. Marriage is a lifetime commitment and I need to marry someone I love. I don’t want a man just to buy me things – I want real love.”
As a young mother to two children, Matsepo is being bold by reducing the fear that exists around testing for HIV/AIDS. Prior to joining Help Lesotho’s Young Mother Program, Matsepo says that she did not know much about the virus that has decimated her country. After learning that people who test positive for HIV can still live long, healthy lives if they take the proper treatment, Matsepo had herself and her two children tested. She plans to be tested regularly, and is encouraging other young mothers to get themselves and their children tested as well.
“Would you believe I was shy in Primary School? Now I am a different person”.
At the 2016 Leadership Camp, Tlalane shared that she has been working hard to build her confidence so she can go after her dream of working in television. One of Tlalane’s friends recently introduced her to an older man who wanted to buy her gifts in exchange for a sexual relationship. Tlalane was tempted by the idea of nice clothes and the social status that comes from having a boyfriend with a car, however she boldly decided to remain focused on her studies and creating a bright future.
“Actually, what makes us different is what makes us special. If I don’t have something that my friend has, that is okay because it makes me special. I want to have a job with money that I know I worked hard for.”
Many girls in Lesotho are taught to accept things the way they are. Even if a girl is being abused, threatened, or forced into unwanted behaviour, it is expected that the girl will stay silent. Madompane used to be one of these girls, but now she is a bold young woman who is standing up for young people in her community who need to learn about healthy decision making, avoiding risky behaviour that could lead to HIV, STIs, or pregnancy, and staying confident in the face of challenges.
Having just completed her final year of high school, Relebohile recognizes that she is at an important decision point in her life. Many of the girls who she grew up with are already married and having children. Relebohile could join them – but instead, she boldly joined Help Lesotho’s GIRL4ce program so she can raise awareness about gender-based violence. Through the GIRL4ce training, Relebohile says that she has changed the way she sees things in the outside world.
“I don’t keep quiet now, and if I see someone abused or married and a younger age or trafficked I can do something about it.”
It is my custom when I arrive to meet individually with each staff. This is their time to use however they wish. They too are a product of the challenges our beneficiaries face.
When I first came to Lesotho in the early 2000’s, the life expectancy was 35. Now it is 46.
Each person has suffered so much loss. Some use their time with me to talk about their personal lives, get advice or a listening ear. Others talk about their professional goals and seek ways to grow. Some want advice on their children and relationships. Some confide issues that plague them emotionally. Giving everyone the opportunity to talk takes days but is a precious time for me personally and for each of them.
One of the new staff said:
“I still cannot believe – we all cannot believe the care and love we get at Help Lesotho. It is unbelievable to put us first, to put the beneficiaries first, that this is all for them. It has changed my life and putting this into practice changes everyone. They say – who are these people who are so kind and who honour us? ”
Another said,
“I am so grateful to have this job. Now I can put bread on my family’s table. Before this there were many times when there was none. I have two younger brothers and one younger sister for whom I must pay schools fees and see them launched into life.”
Another said:
“Help Lesotho makes my life to flourish!”
I think I am going to keep that line!!
Our new staff are struggling to handle the highly emotional content of our training sessions. Several wept at how touched they are by the pain our beneficiaries are experiencing and the joy of truly helping them.
One of our computer instructors spoke about an older man in our program. He is not clean or groomed, which is very unusual here, and has several disabilities – of sight, a tremor and he struggles to understand. Perhaps he has not gone to school. When a point is explained clearly and presented in a large font, he gets it and remembers it. He is trying so hard. He wants to learn computers so that he can write a story book. He was so grateful and excited to be selected for the program that he came three hours early the first day. He still comes two hours early every day to sit outside and contemplate this magnificent learning experience he is fortunate enough to have. He simply cannot wait.
Of course I had to meet him.
(Katiso with Thato Jr.)
His name is Katiso. He is 41 years old with cerebral palsy. He loves to write stories and volunteer at his church.
When one sees how hard it is for him to articulate his words so that others can understand, it becomes so much more clear why learning to type will give him a whole new world of communication and self-expression.
Two of our grannies died this quarter. There is so much sadness.
I leave for the airport within the hour to fetch our special guests who are coming to explore our work and this magnificently beautiful country with me. We have two guests from Toronto – Susan Richardson and Carmen Piche; one from Huntsville – Carol Gibson; and five from Ottawa – Hugh Dorward, Cathy Steele, Marianne Feaver, David Esdaile, and Jennifer Parr, who was our Board Chair for ten years and an enormous help to me for the past decade. I think this is Jennifer’s 5th or 6th time in Lesotho! She has a Basotho daughter, Thato, whom she sponsored as a child and who is now in university and a mother of a young daughter.
We have many exciting adventures planned and I so look forward to sharing my love of Lesotho with them. More on that later….
Thank you for the feedback on my letters, it is lovely to touch base with you and to know your thoughts.
My very best to you all,
Salang hantle
As Help Lesotho’s Founder and Executive Director, Dr. Peg Herbert spends at least two months a year living and working in Lesotho. As a Canadian exemplifying what good international development looks like, Peg shares her experiences through ‘Letters from Lesotho’ so we can all get a glimpse of what makes Lesotho such a special place.
If you would like to connect with Peg about her letters:
As I take the long, long journey home again, I am reflecting on what has been the most memorable during this trip. I have to say, other than the remarkable lovely people on the donor trip, the part that impacted me most this time was the depth of love our beneficiaries express for Help Lesotho. I know that sounds corny but it is truly tangible, reiterated often and in such touching ways.
“I want to be a Pearl Girl when I grow up”!
Another of their serious challenges is obtaining their identity documents, albeit birth certificates, death certificates of their spouse, making application for their senior’s pension (about CAD $50 per month). They spend lost days struggling to get to the government offices and queue all day in the burning sun – just to be ignored.
e have programs for herd boys, young mothers, grandmothers, teachers and the school partnership in that area. This year alone, Turnbull School raised enough to purchase math supplies for each student and classroom, in addition to uniforms for many of the 532 students at this remote school. We were very touched by the generous gift of the sheep but less enthusiastic about taking the poor thing home tied up in the back of the truck on the 5-hour drive. Now it is here at our Centre, waiting its destiny!
I leave for the airport within the hour to fetch our special guests who are coming to explore our work and this magnificently beautiful country with me. We have two guests from Toronto – Susan Richardson and Carmen Piche; one from Huntsville – Carol Gibson; and five from Ottawa – Hugh Dorward, Cathy Steele, Marianne Feaver, David Esdaile, and Jennifer Parr, who was our Board Chair for ten years and an enormous help to me for the past decade. I think this is Jennifer’s 5th or 6th time in Lesotho! She has a Basotho daughter, Thato, whom she sponsored as a child and who is now in university and a mother of a young daughter.