Lumelang,

It was the best gift ever! The weekend of February 14-16 we hosted our first Alumni Reunion. I have been excited for this occasion for over a year.

When Help Lesotho was first started, the overarching objective was to create a critical mass of well trained, knowledgeable, and committed youth as agents of change to foster a healthy, HIV-free and gender-equal society. This is the goal we strive for every day. We train youth about their rights and their responsibilities. We support schools, police officers, teachers and grannies so that they can support the youth. Since 2004, we have had over 40,000 graduates from our intensive programs – definitely achieving that critical mass we dreamed of. These young people are the reason I am here in Lesotho and why Shadrack (our Country Director) and our amazing staff in both countries always work above and beyond. They are our hope for real change in Lesotho.

Looking back, I also cannot help but mention that without the incredible support and trust from Laurence Graff and Sandra and Paul Hellyer, this kind of scale would never have been possible.

It is now our role to connect, encourage, motivate and focus these graduates for social change. This is a key priority in our 2019-2022 Strategic Plan and a constant on my mind. That said, it has been a struggle to stay in touch with our alumni as the youth move, change their phone numbers, have no money for data, become disengaged and depressed without support or jobs, etc. The efforts we have made to date to engage them have not been successful.

You may well have heard about the current political challenges in Lesotho, which are deeply disturbing and only serve to deepen our commitment to our beneficiaries. They need us more than ever and the country needs these stable, smart youth as voters and responsible citizens to lead the country forward. [Note – Help Lesotho’s work is not directly impacted by the political turmoil.]

To make a 15-month story short, Mamokete and several of her fellow alumni friends worked with Kate, Shadrack, and ‘M’e Felleng to plan a reunion weekend and rally our alumni by every means possible: posters, WhatsApp groups, social media, word of mouth, texts and more. Alumni came from all over the country. Dozens slept over the two nights – a fabulous pajama party!

Our three large tents sheltered us from the beating 30-degree Celsius sun during the three-hour ceremony. The Centre property looked every bit the gorgeous sanctuary it was intended to be. Everything was perfect. We estimate between 200-250 participants were in attendance. The speeches were wonderful – a welcome from Ntate Shadrack, ‘M’e Maseretse represented former staff, ‘M’e Mampaka, Mamokete, Lintle Mathosi, Sr. Alice, and me. Three young men performed songs and poems. There was a band and a GIRL4ce performance. It was so emotional. I left like I was at my own funeral hearing the eulogies! Check out this video to see and hear a few special moments from the event.

The agenda was planned and executed by Mamokete and her friends. As I listened to each one, I so wished our donors could be there to witness the impact their support has made. It was touching and meaningful. One highlight was the speech from Likeleli Lekhanya, who was sponsored by Winifred Koneri to graduate from Paray High School in Thaba Tseka in 2016. Eighteen months ago, while at university, she took a taxi home with some friends. Tragically, her vehicle got caught in firearms crossfire. An errant bullet lodged in her spine. Paralyzed from the waist down, she endured weeks of hospitalization followed by depression and anxiety about her future. The doctors said she would never walk again. In front of her peers, she shared the painful journey from absolute despair to a return to hope and sense of purpose. She told us that the training she had received from our camps and sponsorship guided her back to a new understanding of our mantra: LEADERS NEVER GIVE UP!

Likeleli mastered her wheelchair, returned to school and is now a motivational speaker. A generous benefactor is paying for her to travel to Japan to get spinal surgery to capitalize on the slight movement that remains in one leg. This beautiful young woman challenged the audience to realize that if she can do this, they can too. It was a remarkable speech, inspiring to us all. I was so proud of her.

Our event was taped and broadcast on national radio and TV. The speeches and presentations were followed by gifts and a lovely lunch. At lunch, the TV producer told me that this is what her own teenagers need to be part of! We all spent the afternoon visiting, taking selfies with old friends, laughing and reflecting. Not a dry-eye or unaffected heart. Mamokete and I spent almost two hours popping corn for those who stayed the night on Saturday. It was so much fun. I loved seeing them so happy. I loved seeing so many young people I have helped to raise and am so fond and proud of.

The participants launched our new Alumni Room in the Centre, a special place to visit, network and access computers to research, apply for jobs/scholarships/schools and write CVs. We will have an alumni corner in our Pitseng Centre and Maseru Office as well. We are determined to keep these young people close to us and each other. When the next election is called here, and I prophecy it will be soon, we are ready to launch an initiative to mobilize youth to vote and provide education on how to choose a candidate.

In other news, we have partnered with Habitat for Humanity to build five two-roomed houses and 17 pit latrines for vulnerable households from our grandmother program in Berea. What a blessing!

In closing, let me emphasize that the speeches and conversations at our wonderful event included you! All the youth and former/present staff mentioned their appreciation for each person who has contributed to this massive group of young people who are the hope of this struggling nation. Without you, none of this could have happened.

I send the thanks of all who are here, all who wanted to be but could not, and all those who are better people because you cared.

Fondly,

Peg

P.S. If you would like a copy of our Strategic Plan, please let us know by contacting info@helplesotho.org

I want to support more alumni like Mamokete and Likeleli!

Read Letter #1
Read Letter #3

Greetings,

As my flight touched down in Lesotho at the end of January, I was, as ever, anxious to assess the rain situation,  after hearing about the devastating impacts of the ninth year of drought in the region. In practical terms, this means that there is such a long period without rain that people have no water and crops cannot be planted or come to maturity. Even when the rains do come, they are not sufficient to grow food for the needs of the population. This past December, the World Food Program reported that 70% of people in Lesotho would need food assistance to survive 2020 because of the lack of rain. Climate change is affecting all of us and in Lesotho, the rains are coming later every year. September-October is the spring planting season. The lack of rain parched the depleted soil to the extent that it was useless to plant. The first rains only came after Christmas. Vegetables were planted but it was too late to plant maize – the nation’s staple food. For those interested, this is the most recent report.

It was delightful to be so warmly greeted by the staff. When I woke up in the morning, the children at the Centre were anxious to chat – despite my groggy, jet-lagged state! At first, there are only the small boys – girls must stay home to do the chores, sweep, fetch water, etc., only free to join the activities around noon. I loved their questions: How many hotels do we have in Canada? Is my home as big as the Centre? Are there wild animals in Canada? Does Canada have water? Are there fish in the rivers? …. and the inevitable question – Why did I start Help Lesotho? When one young lad realized Canada went up to the north pole, he earnestly asked me if that is indeed where all the presents are made!

This Centre is their second home where they are always welcome, treated as smart, thriving young leaders, and where their feelings truly matter.

I tried to imagine how one sweet young boy had found a single roller blade and somehow managed to ‘roll’ it along on these uneven, potted, stoney roads! Another walked so far to be here with almost no soles left on his shoes.

It is our practice to hold a two-day staff meeting upon my arrival. The first day we dress up. The second day, all wear their Help Lesotho staff golf shirts – looking very smart. I share how we raise funds in Canada, the results of our annual audit, strategies for skill development, and messages from donors and staff. The staff share their impact reports on their last quarter activities. Since July, we have reached over 10,000 people. Our Herd Boy Program received such accolades that one herd boy, Lebohang, and Ntate Sello, our Grant Implementation and Impact Manager, were invited to Berlin to present at the 30^th Anniversary International Celebration of the Convention of the Rights of the Child for nine days in November.

We listened to a report about our Country Director, Shadrack Mutembei, and our Senior Capacity Development Officer, ‘M’e Felleng’s, presentation at the Southern Africa Regional Conference on Prevention of Violence Against Women and Girls on December 4-5 in Johannesburg about our Herd Boy Program as a unique example of success in involving marginalized boys in gender equity programs.

The staff sang so beautifully and gave me a thoughtful late birthday celebration and cake. We commemorated our senior accountant, ‘M’e Nthabeleng Posholi’s 5 years of faithful service to Help Lesotho. It is special to be together again and share our work.

There is a great deal to look forward to in the next couple of months. I will meet with staff individually, with my friend and co-conspirator, Sr. Alice Mputsoe, with old friends and partners and with the former St. Mary’s Girls – a six-year project, started in 2004, to educate girls sponsored by St. Bartholomew’s Anglican Church in Ottawa. We are busy preparing for our first Alumni Reunion this week, initiated and planned by our graduates themselves. We are expecting around 150 people. I can’t wait to see them – some I have not seen for ten years.

Thank you for reading along and accompanying me on this journey. We will catch up more in Letter #2. As I close, I want to thank those who collected the eye glasses I brought in my suitcase for our grannies– such a gift!

Best wishes to each one,

Peg

PS: It is a huge help if you share these letters with your colleagues, friends and families. We do not spend any money on advertising. Word-of-mouth is the most effective way for us to grow and share our impact. Many people do want to support work such as ours but they are unsure which organizations actually use the funds as they claim. This year, 91% of our revenue was spent on programs. Your recommendation and advocacy are needed to help sustain this work!

PPS: For those interested, this link takes you to a faith-based podcast I did with two Anglican priests in London, Ontario just before leaving Canada.

Read Letter #2

Lumelang,

Fall is closing in upon us here (remember, Lesotho is in the southern hemisphere!). Nights grow colder; mornings and evenings are fresh. Anticipation of the bitterness of winter peppers conversations. In this final letter from my season in Lesotho, there is so much to share with you.

Bidding farewell to our second group of donors was rather sad. Their thoughtful, fulfilling conversations on international development and our programs will be missed. Although from different locations, each arrived with a special connection to Lesotho. They were lots of fun and a pleasure to watch in their delight at learning and engaging with our beneficiaries and staff.

One consistent highlight was the hour horse ride up the mountain to Majara Primary School. Thankfully, teachers have returned to school across the country after the teacher strike. The government has committed to finding a resolution so we are hopeful that the schools will remain open for the duration of the school year.

The little children put on various activities for us, including the traditional ‘Mohebo’ women’s dance. As they performed, my attention was captivated by an adolescent girl sitting up on the hill mimicking each movement and mouthing the words to the music. I wondered if she had been one of the girls in this dance when she was in primary school. I imagine that she didn’t have the school fees to enroll in high school…or at least not the funds to pay for accommodation because the nearest school is three hours away. She knew the dances, but now she has nowhere to dance.

I was taken aback when the children performed a short play about how Help Lesotho started. One little girl played the role of me as a professor – in very high heels and a fancy printed dress. Her four students introduced themselves – one from China, one from India, one from somewhere else and one from Lesotho – Sister Alice Mputsoe. No Canadian students! In the drama, I asked Sr. Alice if I could come and visit her country! We have almost completed fundraising to build two new classrooms for the school – they are in dire need. Thanks to a few generous donors, we are only $5,000 from our goal of $35,000. This new building will replace the horrible, draconian classrooms these dear children try so hard to learn in. In the worst one, 47 children cram into the dark and damp little room.

A highlight for all was our visit to the herd boys. In a recent mapping we did, we found that 10% of the population of this entire district is herd boys! It is beyond touching to see these boys and young men open up and feel ‘seen’ in the world. They were incredulous when I told them that it is a woman who has paid for their program. For boys who have never known the tenderness of a mother’s love, this seemed profoundly meaningful and many eyes filled with tears.

Six months ago, we asked them if they would like a hygiene kit – soap, underwear and the like. They refused, firmly believing that if they were too clean, their employers would think they were not doing their jobs. Now, after the training and their new role as peer educators and communicators with local leaders, they had a change of heart. One boy tentatively enquired if they could have soap – now that they were meeting the community and were of importance.  When asked if they wanted some laundry soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste, the room burst out in cheers! Imagine youth being excited about soap! With encouragement, another said: “Even though we are only herd boys, could we have a ball so we could have some fun”. ‘M’e Sheryl’s mother had given her some money to meet just such a need so we committed to go directly to the warehouse and purchase three soccer balls and the rest of the supplies. I cannot tell you how happy it made us all that we could just say YES and let those boys have a few basics to feel clean and special. None of us will ever forget.

We then visited our young mothers in the same area. Again, when I told those young girls that two women have provided the funds for their program, one would have thought I had given them a real mother! Those who provided the funds are not organizations but rather real, compassionate women who share what they have so these girls can have a chance to raise their little ones. The girls happily reported that they are now taking care of themselves by drinking lots of water and caring for their little ones by reading to their babies and actively playing with them.

The Young Mother Program Officer, ‘M’e Shasha, reports that their village support networks are working well, citing the example of the girls contributing R5 (CAD 50 cents) to pay hospital fees for a baby who got burned because the mother could not afford the transport to take her baby to a hospital. Another group bought a few groceries for one of the mothers whose husband passed away. They are sharing what they learn with other pregnant women in their village. ‘M’e Shasha said: “One group had a big smile when describing how they were sharing stress management tips with other members. They all laughed with excitement which is rare from women who are so vulnerable. We were proud.”

The young mothers wanted me to thank the people who bought them the baby bags. Girls here use plastic bags from the grocery store to carry their baby things and as liners for the children’s diapers – which may be rags. They use torn pieces of blankets to warm their babies. Receiving the baby bags went a long way in raising their confidence and hope for their children. Each lovely new baby bag contains a blanket, three previously unaffordable diaper waterproofs, and a few other supplies. These incredibly poor young mothers could not hide their big smiles because they can now attend the baby clinic appointments and church with pride. It takes so little!

Our longtime supporter, Tessa Bell, secured funding from her Rotary Club of Lantzville Society on Vancouver Island for a Teacher Training Project for 40 teachers which was successfully completed a couple of weeks ago. The teachers are overwhelmed with the demands of the curriculum and the needs of their students. They were appreciative for the help to learn some solid strategies and pedagogical approaches.

Months ago, I heard from a former sponsored student alumnus, Mamokete from Thaba Tseka, who is completing her degree in Pretoria. She wrote to say the alumni want to hold a huge celebration next year during my visit to thank Help Lesotho for being their family and supporting them to grow up to be responsible, healthy adults – and that they would pay for it themselves. This is my dream – to get as many of the 40,000 graduates of our intensive programs together so that they will realize what a force they are in the country. I would love to see so many again and for them to mobilize for social change. Mid-February 2020 – stay tuned.

A couple of messages I received this week:

“I have never experienced the love between a parent and a child, but then my granny was always around trying to make me feel welcomed and wanted”.
“I used to feel so down when people judge me or remind me of my downfalls and tell me I could not make it because I failed so many times in the past. But at Help Lesotho, I have learned that it takes courage to bounce back as long as I identify my fears and work on them. Indeed, I will make it. I want to make sure that I transfer this knowledge to other people in my community and to people who have lost hope in life because of their downfalls. I will encourage them and tell them that is not the end, that life goes on and our challenges don’t determine who we are. Fighting to bounce back determines how powerful we are. I really have learned so much about this topic and appreciate it.”

And finally, one very sweet message from one of our CHANGE4ce new graduates – Thato:

“Help Lesotho has made me to believe in myself and be a good leader. I developed change in each and every day. Help Lesotho is the smartest most innovative most consciences people on the area of Lesotho. My heartfelt gratitude to all Help Lesotho staff members for the energy, innovation and patient focus they bring to this necessary and ongoing task. I will be driven by a purpose to improve the quality of life for every person I meet.”

 

As I leave, I remain aware that in this incredibly picturesque land, filled of beautiful people, it is not always easy to ‘see’ the suffering.   A constant diet of starch fills the crevices of the bodies; a polite, gentle spirit hides so many sorrows. In a country named the most-unhealthy in the world, scarred with thousands of deaths of loved ones – the mistrust of life and the fear for survival are the deep, invisible wounds that fester and limit potential. One must never mistake the easy laughs and brilliant smiles for happiness. They are the remnants of a distant memory of a wholesome society – before AIDS, drought and debilitating devastation of the familial structures and social orders. Not all wounds bleed.

THREE OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP

For those asking how to help, here are three ways you, your families or colleagues can support the work.

1.Centre Competitions on Cognitive Games: As you know, cognitive development, with psychosocial support, is the underpinning of all our programs. We have initiated competitions between children in our two centres on four games that promote critical thinking: Chess, Scrabble, Monopoly and Cribbage. This has been such fun and the children are captivated, motivated and constantly practicing. Children as young as seven are joining in. This gives them purpose and a concentrated break from their concerns. Each quarter, children from one centre go to the other for a Saturday competition. Local children and youth crowd around to follow each move. We are seeking funding to expand and improve these quarterly competitions to 240 competitors a year and cover proper trophies to be displayed at the winning centre; educational rewards for the winners (flash cards, coloured pencils, etc.); transport for 30 students to the opposing centre (60 qualifying students in each competition) 50 minutes away and lunch for the competitors. The transport and food are the most significant costs. This will motivate, entertain and improve the learning of hundreds of children a year.
Cost: $2,500 per year

2. Staff Capacity Building: To address the need for constant training for our staff and professional interns, we have developed a simple online learning management system (LMS) to move learners through short, motivating courses. Two of the five levels are complete and we need funds to hire some help to complete the plan for a total of 200 courses in finance, admin, program delivery, psychosocial support and management. It is hard with such a small staff to develop everything ourselves and with help, we could finish this in a year. I see this as key to our sustainability and standardization of program quality for the next decade. We have a proposal ready – so please ask if this is something you can help with.
Cost:$19,750

3. Best Way to Help: Become a Monthly Donor:We plan a year ahead. We are currently developing our July 2019-June 2020 budget. Becoming a monthly donor or increasing your monthly donation allows us to plan more effectively and efficiently to use your heard-earned money wisely.

I started Letter #1 eleven weeks ago reflecting on our 15 years of delivering programs in Lesotho. I end this final letter with a huge amount of optimism. We have exciting new projects in our next three years’ strategic plan. We have achieved our objective to create a critical mass of young people who can change the country. We have all the love and goodwill needed to mobilize them.

On behalf of each beneficiary, staff and community member – thank you so very much for joining us on this journey. We all need to know that good things are possible. We are on it – on your behalf.

Please keep in touch and I hope to connect with you again soon.

Love,

Peg

Peg Herbert, Founder and Executive Director

Read Letter #5

Lumelang,

The roosters are creating a racket. Cow bells on the sheep clang as the flock grazes the field. Staff sing as they enter the Centre – absently, lovely. A new day dawns. The fruit from the peach trees we planted nine years ago have ripened and been immediately picked by the children. Not a single one is left – just as we planned so long ago. Summer is delayed because the rains were tragically late this year. Up in the mountains, there is no corn on many of the stocks. Much of the seeds in our grannies’ gardens died in the dry soil. Second plantings of vegetables will ripen but harvest for the winter will be sparse. The late greening of the land is encouraging though and most welcome.

Finally, the cosmos have bloomed!

We were thrilled to host our newest board member, Thabang Mashologu, his wife Sarah and their two adorable sons, for a couple of days last week. Thabang is from Lesotho but did all his degrees in Canada, fell in love with a Canadian westerner and has been living in Canada since. It is exciting and so helpful to have a Mosotho on the board who knows both countries well and has many contacts in Lesotho. It really is essential to come and see our work, so we appreciate him taking time from his family visit to spend with us here.

 

Marlene Caicco, our Donor Relations Manager, arrived for her first visit to Lesotho and it is wonderful to have her. She stayed at the Pitseng Centre for the weekend and is experiencing as much as she can of all our programs and people. She will have lots of stories to share. She is writing a blog and posting videos if you want to follow along.

Our second donor trip guests arrived and are enthusiastically meeting staff and beneficiaries. Only two knew each other beforehand. Susan Hendry (Utah) was a US Peace Corp member in Lesotho forty years ago; Deb Ruse (Kingston, ON) is a committed member of the Kingston Grandmother Connection; Jean Ahlgren (Fredericton, NB) and her late husband, John, have been loving supporters for a decade; Hilary Barrett (McDonald Corners, ON) has a long family history in Africa; Katie Hellyer (Toronto, ON) is a member of the Audrey Hellyer Family Foundation Board which has supported us for a decade; Sheryl Selwyn (Chelsea, QC/New Zealand) has been such a faithful support to me and the organization since it began; Margaret Hughes’ (Kingston, ON) late husband’s family has a long history in Lesotho; and Shelagh M’Gonigle (Ottawa, ON) is a former board member and huge advocate for Help Lesotho since the beginning. Each one has a special connection to Lesotho and to us. Each one is delighted to be here and a pleasure to host. We leave for a few days up in the mountains today.

Many times each day I am taken aside by a participant or send a note. Our beneficiaries are bursting to share their growth. Words pale in describing how much these program mean to them. I want to share one of the messages from a deeply wounded young woman who was raped twice and victimized for years:

Today we talked about values. Honesty is the value that I like most in my life. I always bear this saying in mind: “only the truth shall set me free.” People sometimes get the wrong impression based on my behavior and my attitude towards them. After the session, I was able to work on my personality and behaviour, and now I can see a difference in myself. It really feels like there’s a root that is growing inside my body.
Now I am able to communicate. It was hard for me at first but now it feels like I am used to communicating. I was able to share my personal problems with ‘M’e Peg and that was my first time sharing with anyone. And after sharing I felt so relieved – although it happened years ago – but after sharing I was able to grieve again. Now I am able to share this information with others so that they will be able to be true to themselves, be aware of themselves, to think about their thoughts and express their feelings, and to develop trust and the power of knowledge. And they may be able to build their own healthy boundaries. This place has played an important role in my life. I can feel the change and am proud of being me.

What a brave young woman!

Lest the image of gender-based violence seems vague, I am including one photo I took of another young woman. We all work tirelessly to end such abuse.

One of our donors has generous provided the funds to put a roof on both of our computer container labs. We have worried that the flat roof on the metal containers will rust and compromise the valuable computers inside. As is the case here, it has taken a long time but it is indeed happening.

One of our guests last month was so taken with the worn-out state of the cooking implements that our cook, ‘M’e Muntja, was using to provide meals for hundreds of people that she sent the most exciting group of supplies – to ‘M’e’s delight and surprise.

The schools are still closed with the teacher strike and our two Centres are overwhelmed with children playing and students in the libraries – such happy sounds. Little ones are practicing chess, scrabble and monopoly for the Centre competitions. It is a busy place.

We all feel it is an enormous privilege to be here!

My time will come to a close in the next weeks and there is still so much to do. I will send one more letter but know that I am thinking of you … often and with fond gratitude.

Peg Herbert, Founder and Executive Director

Read Letter #4

Dear Friends of Help Lesotho,

Dawn is breaking as I write. The chorus of birds outside in the massive eucalyptus tree are particularly keen to announce the day! I got up especially early today to wash my hair while hot water was available. We got a notice that the power will be out all day. It is rare to get a notice – usually, it just stops! In the last six weeks we have had enough rain to green up the land and build hope for some kind of harvest. Climate change has wreaked havoc with sub-Saharan Africa. There are long periods of drought, killing the expensive seedlings. Rain comes late in the season, if at all, and barely fills the rivers with enough water to service its people. Many villages are without water for months – even the capital city.

I drove to Maseru to meet with UNICEF on a project they are funding and to have a lovely visit with their majesties Queen ‘Masenate and King Letsie III. It is always a pleasure to chat with them about our work and the needs of the Basotho.

Our plans to hold a teacher training conference this coming week have been thwarted by a teachers’ strike. The working conditions for teachers are very difficult. With so many orphans, teachers are now surrogate parents, socializers, health educators about HIV/AIDS, on top of their normal responsibilities. Many live in substandard housing on the site of the schools – often far from their families and amenities. Issues of reliable and fair payment are always an issue here.

I did a 90-minute session for the opening day of the Leaders-in-Training program. I love having time to talk to the youth – that is my favourite thing. On their first day, they are unsure what this is – how can it be that discussions will be open and frank about the topics that trouble their young hearts to the point of depression and often suicidal thoughts? How is it that there is no criticism or judgement? Why did someone not help me before this? If I had known all this as a child, I would have made better choices.

The level of activity here would surprise you. Staff are constantly out in the field – in the far mountains training herd boys, in almost impossible to reach villages training young mothers, organizing GIRL4ce performances to end early and forced child marriage and gender based violence, and going up-and-down between granny huts making sure they are all right and have the support they need. They are the most caring staff you can imagine – thoughtful, positive, and totally committed to their populations. Although we have the two Centres, the majority of our work is out in the villages.

We rotate the villages where we work. One of our strategic decisions was to move into a fourth district, Berea. We have been investigating a particular area, its needs and possibilities. We only work in areas where the local chiefs and councils are supportive and participatory. We will compound our impact by doing many interventions in a more concentrated geographical catchment. To this end, ‘M’e Mampaka and I went to do additional reconnaissance. It is often difficult for me to go places as that raises local expectations that something is going to happen, but I wanted to see it for myself. We went unannounced. In the area under consideration – there is a tarred road the whole way – I was shocked. This would be the first! The valley is more fertile than other areas as the mountains catch the rain there. We drove around and then spent 45 minutes with the local mid-wife and nurse at the clinic. The village has a clinic, a Catholic Mission and church, a high school and a primary school. The closest police are 35 minutes away. There are no jobs. Youth stand in small groups near the road. The nurse tells us that there is a very high incidence of sexual violence, that the men like to fight, that there are so many orphans and an unusually high percentage are HIV positive. We spoke to local women – they are the ones who truly know the issues their community is facing. We heard stories of vulnerability that would make you weep and are actually too delicate for me to write about.

One of those lovely women came to tell us that one of our tires was entirely flat – undoubtedly due to the sharp rocks on one particular road we travelled after turning off the tarred road. Yikes! The truck I drove that day was massive and there was no way I was going to change a tire on it! Long story short – after a significant delay in the hot sun, our driver Ntate Motsamai, came to rescue us. In all the thousands of kilometers I have driven and in the most remote and dangerous mountain roads here, this was my first flat tire! I was so glad we were within cell range!

Last week I picked up our donor trip guests from the airport. This is Jennifer Parr’s eighth visit to Lesotho! She has been such a valuable supporter in so many ways, including chairing our Board for ten years. Susan Richardson is here for the second time and the others are welcomed to Lesotho for their first: Erika Seguin, Susan Shackell, Linda Jamieson, Kathleen Flynn, Johanne Seguin and Nives Mion.

They have all been such good sports – the first day – no electricity or water! Each one is keen to explore every opportunity. They are flexible and compassionate.

I end with a quote from a local woman after seeing the fabulous but realistic GIRL4ce performance to end child early and force marriage and gender-based violence. It is but one indicator of the incredible and imperative impact your donations are making.

“Really I did not know there are such laws that protect our girls from being victimized of child early and forced marriage as it is a norm in our village. Hence I am very glad that every member of our village is here to grasp the information.”

Thank you for reading along.

Be well,

Peg Herbert, Founder and Executive Director

Read Letter #2
Read Letter #4