Mokhotlong April 15 — Sentebale Children’s Foundation will implement a year long project on “Socio Economic Strengthening” in four districts of the country including Mokhotlong.
The Project Social Worker Ms. Lineo Seithati has said in her presentation at a one day stakeholders meeting held in the district on Friday.
She said the project is intended to support adolescent girls and young mothers financially so that they can improve their livelihoods.
She added that the age group ranges between 15 and 24 stating that the programme is aimed at reducing the social and economic vulnerabilities that lead the girls in engaging in risky HIV behaviors by supporting them financially through provision of start up capital for them to do business.
Ms. Seithati mentioned that those who will be identified eligible to benefit from the program will also be provided with mentorship as they are going to be engaged in the enterprise world so as to run sustainable businesses.
She further added that they will be enrolled into vocational schools as well as to provide psychosocial support so that they are able to overcome challenges they face.
Ms. Seithati said Sentebale is going to use NISSA data base to identify those who need help the most.
She said the programme will be implemented based on the results of the Lesotho Population Based HIV Impact Assessment 2020 which showed that HIV prevalence in that age group is 13 percent and higher than the prevalence of males of the same group at 2.4 percent.
The findings show girls engage in risky HIV behaviours as they lack socio economic opportunities, and end up dropping out of school hence the intervention to reduce their vulnerabilities.
She said other districts that the Programme will be piloted at are Botha Bothe, Leribe and Quthing. It began in January this year and expected to phase out in March next year.
She concluded that Sentebale will be collaborating with Ministry of Gender and Social Development to implement the programme.
Sentebale was founded by Prince Harry of the United Kingdom and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006 as a response to the needs of children and young people in Lesotho.
The name Sentebale means “Forget me not” in English language and said to be representing a pledge to remember the most vulnerable children and marginalised groups such as herdboys in the country.
It was chosen as a memorial to the charity work their ( Harry and Seeiso) mothers were engaged in to help vulnerable children.
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