Child sponsorship update from the SOS Children's Village Maseru, Lesotho from Summer 2008
Dear Sponsors and Friends
We want to thank you; your assistance is crucial and your dedication goes far beyond normal expectations. Through your support we are able to provide permanent home to 156 children. 88 children are with the Village and 68 in the youth homes. We are looking forward to having 12 new children as soon as the court order process is completed.
The prevailing HIV/AIDS pandemic in Lesotho is still the biggest factors why children are at risk of losing the care of their family. However; the government of Lesotho with its stakeholders is busy holding workshops to educate people about this disease and advising them to know their status.
In an effort to assist and support HIV/AIDS infected and affected, victims are supplied with medication, food packages etc. Since the supply of ARVs; number of deaths in Lesotho is decreasing as opposed to the past years.
In addition; Lesotho is faced with electricity crisis which is a serious setback at workplaces as it slows down communication and mostly causes chaos to children in the family houses, mostly when they are to bath and go to school.
This year we have got 53 children at High Schools, 12 have applied to different technikons, vocational colleges and universities. One youth managed to pass his matric with second class pass and is to resume his Bsc in the National University of Lesotho. All in all; our children are doing well at school with an average of 70%.
Children's sports
Our children are actively involved in sporting activities. In February; 2008 one sponsor held an under 17 year’s tournament as a way of promoting football, the participants involved neighbouring teams surrounding our Village. Our team managed to occupy second division. Secondly; young under 12 and 15 soccer players joined another tournament and performed very well.
34 youths are reunited with their families and 7 of them are studying in different universities. In particular; one male youth completed his IB in SOS Ghana College and will be studying in America. In addition, another youth boy graduated in his Bachelor of Education in the Kwazulu Natal University and his graduation ceremony will be held in our Village in June this year. The other boy is in his final year at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa doing Computer Science. One youth girl graduated in her catering school and has started a small baking project.
As a way of income generating; in our small Village we have some self sustained projects, such as poultry and a dairy cow out of which we are able to sell milk and eggs within the Village and to the community. These projects do not just bring money but are also meant to equip our youth with farming skills.
Happy childhood
The state of the youth boys (siblings) with the muscular dystrophe desease is deteriorating day by day. The younger one has been on wheel chair since the year 2006 and has stopped attending school. Lately the elder one’s muscles cannot carry him anywhere anyhow, while he is ever losing weight, but keeps singing with the little strength he still has.
Regardless their state, the boys seem happy, while they are blessed with a really loving and caring mother who assists them wholeheartedly. Hopefully a male professional nurse will be engaged soon to help them since they need to be moved from the Village
However; SOS authority in Lesotho is trying its best to assist the boys by taking them to doctors and physiotherapists.
Moreover; one youth girl who was terminally ill was brought back to the Village to be near Medical Centres and be monitored, the result is amazing and she is soon to go back to the community.
As a token of appreciation, on their dedication to the children entrusted to their care, our SOS mothers had a smashing time on mother’s day as they were taken out to one of our local cultural lodge. One mother attended her 4 month training in South Africa at the SOS Training Centre this year.
Since the beginning of this year, SOS has been receiving a lot of donations. In particular; Lewis Furnishers donated furniture and different electricity appliances. Aids Commission donated clothing material, while Ackermans Stores supplied us with a lot of clothes.
From the Mountainous Kingdom of Lesotho, We again feel obliged to pass our sincere heartfelt greetings to you all throughout the rest of the year.
Mr.Robert Ts’euoa
Project Director - SOS Lesotho