Letsema Newsletter Edition No. 4

Welcome to the fourth edition of the Letsema Newsletter. Letsema isa network of organisations that work with Orphans and VulnerableChildren (OVC) in Lesotho. This initiative has developed in responseto the ever growing number of OVC in our country. Many of thesechildren are at risk of abuse and exploitation. The Letsema initiativeseeks to bring together all service providers and donors to enable co-operation and a collective response to this enormous problem.

Many organisations are working with OVC and the Letsema networkbelieve that through collaboration we can achieve our joint goal: tohelp improve the lives of orphans and vulnerable children in Lesotho.Issue No 4 July 2009

Letsema

WORKING CO-OPERATIVELY

THE LESOTHO

PROGRAMME

Lesotho Child Grant Programme...

“Though the Lesotho Child Grants Programme

is still in the early stages, we believe it will

make a difference in the lives of children.”

'M'e ChisepoDirector of Social Welfare

Can you believe the Child Helpline is already a year old? One of

the biggest tasks still facing Child Helpline Lesotho (CHL) is

getting the word out. Through a media campaign to increase

public awareness through posters, armbands, radio and television

time slots, newspaper articles and visits to churches and schools,

CHL is committed to spreading the word about the Helpline.

Operated by Lesotho Save the Children, Econet/Telecom Lesotho

has been sponsoring the Helpline since January 2009. One of the

biggest challenges for Child Helpline Lesotho is that Vodacom

prepaid users CANNOT access the Child Helpline. The response is,

“The number you have dialed does NOT exist.”

To help combat the issue of competition and to make the helpline

accessible to everyone, Child Helpline Lesotho is lobbying the

Lesotho Communication Authority (LCA) to establish a public

service number for the Child Helpline. The number used

internationally as a Child Helpline is 116. So a child can be in

South Africa or Mozambique and call 116 for help.

Econet/Telecom Lesotho and Vodacom are being lobbied as well

to support the public service number. Hopefully, any child in

Lesotho regardless of their service provider will soon be able to

call 116 for help.

Child Helpline Lesotho receives many calls. When the Child

Helpline provides assistance to a caller, a case is opened. From

April to December 2008, there were

111 cases, and from January through

March 2009 there were 125 cases,

peaking in March with 69 cases.

Many children make test calls to see if the

line works, and other children want to talk or ask a question. But

the largest number of calls is when callers are silent, hang up or

have dialed the wrong number.

After cases are opened, Child Helpline Lesotho offers several

options for help. If immediate help is needed, the police are called.

Otherwise, counseling is provided over the phone or children are

referred to service providers located near them, such as the

District Child Protection Teams, CGPU, DSW, the Master of the

High Court, teachers and counselors. The service providers are

contacted and asked to help the child. The Child Helpline follows

up with the service provider and the child about the outcome of the

services provided and the well being of the child. If the service

provider does not have the resources to follow up with the child,

the Child Helpline provides the resources to ensure the child

receives follow-up care. There is also face-to-face counseling at

Child Helpline Lesotho and play therapy through the Lesotho Save

the Children.

Another major challenge over the past year is to inform service

providers of the purpose and services of the Child Helpline. CHL

must make sure the service providers understand the role of CHL

and help with CHL's reporting and ensuring cases are resolved.

Future plans for Child Helpline Lesotho include continued public

outreach to service providers and spreading the word about the

Helpline to children around the country. To this end, Child Helpline

Lesotho is opening a regional office in Quthing. The tentative date

for the launch is set for the 7th of August in Upper Moyeni.

'M'e Motselisi Shale, Programme Manager at Lesotho Save the

Children, wants people to be “aware that Child Helpline Lesotho is

there to serve and support every person who is working to protect

the rights of children in Lesotho, especially the OVC and child

survivors of abuse.” So please spread the word about 8002

2345 to the children in your area.

Call 8002 2345: Child Helpline Lesotho...

Child GrantProgrammeLaunchin MatelileApril 2009

Spotlight on

Touch Roots Africa

Touch Roots Africa was established to fill the gap in capacity building that

occurred when Save the Children UK left Lesotho. With only five employees,

Touch Roots Africa finds itself very busy with trainings and mentoring

community based organisations. TRA focuses on the areas of child

protection, child participation, psycho-social support (PSS), advocacy,

organisational development and monitoring and evaluation. TRA's trainings

in organisational development includes governance, reporting, strategic

planning, how to hold meetings, record-keeping and proposal writing.

TRA has been involved in integrating a community based OVC care model

which brings together issues of child protection, child participation, psycho-

social support, food security and HIV and AIDS. They are working at the

community level to train community-based organisations, support groups,

chiefs, community councilors and area service providers in PSS and child

protection. Other organisations provide care in the other areas.

Touch Roots Africa believes that training is not enough and mentoring is

essential. Typically organisations are trained together, and then later TRA

brings five or so partners together for a mentoring session to share best

practices and discuss plans to implement information from the trainings.

During a recent mentoring session, a “debrief” was conducted. One of the

biggest issues TRA's partner organisations deal with is burnout. Many of the

care givers and service providers have their own emotional issues to deal

with, and it can become difficult to provide psycho-social support for the

children around them. The “debrief” is similar to a group counseling session.

The partners are able to deal with their burnout and other issues they are

facing. TRA hopes to add a “debrief” at the end of each mentoring session

or conduct a separate “debrief” session with their partners. The TRA staff

finds the mentoring to be especially meaningful to the partners they are

training.

Touch Roots Africa also holds Kids' Clubs and Kids' Camps. During the

Winter of 2009, they will be focused on the Roma Valley in cooperation with

the National University of Lesotho. The kids attending the Kids' Clubs are

trained in leadership skills, managing groups, child protection, preventing and

reporting abuse, identifying an abused child and rights and responsibilities of

children. This year, TRA's focus will be facilitating more activities and games

they can use in their groups. TRA also reaches out to communities to find

existing childrens' groups.

Touch Roots Africa is also piloting a Child Grant Programme in Butha-Buthe

and Leribe. Mobilisation and preparation for grant payments began in

August 2008. The first grants were dispersed in March 2009 and are

geared toward child-headed households. Support groups in Butha Buthe,

Pitseng, Hlotse and Tajane help identify the children for the child grants,

which are distributed through bank accounts. Each child opens a bank

account and the money is deposited on a quarterly basis. The grants funded

by NAC are for 150 children in Butha Buthe, Pitseng and Hlotse. In Tajane,

the grants are for 27 children and are funded by the Stephen Lewis

Foundation.

25th June, 30th July, 27th August, 24th September, 29th October: Everyone is welcome to attend the

monthly Letsema Forum Meetings to be held at UN House, Maseru

10/09/09, 10/12/09: Quarterly National OVC Coordinating Committee (NOCC) meetings

7th August in Upper Moyeni, Quthing Child Helpline Lesotho launch of the Quthing regional office

We are searching for all service providers around the country who are working with orphans

and vulnerable children. If you know of a service provider, including international NGOs, CBOs, local NGOs, FBOs or other

small service providers throughout the districts, please give us their contacts so we can add their information to the

directory. If you have not updated your organisation's information, please do so. The deadline is close.

Changes to are coming soon. Changes include an OVC Library and a Notice Board. If you have dates of events you want to

add to the notice board, please email us.

Contact us and tell us about the resources and research you have on OVC to add to the Letsema on-line library; better to share than duplicate our efforts!

We are also asking for photographs of projects from your organisation. We are adding a photo gallery to the web site, and we want to include your photos. Please

email them to us or call us, and we can copy them from you.

Contact us if you have issues or ideas that you would like to see raised at the Letsema meetings.

Call Khosana Thamae, Letsema Development Officer, 2232 4673 or email

Call Becky Banton, Letsema Support Officer, 2232 4673 or email

Dates for your diary:

LETSEMA OVC DIRECTORY:

LETSEMA WEBSITE:

LETSEMA FORUM:

Contact Details:

www.letsema.org

[email protected].

[email protected]

On May 16th Help Lesotho held an HIV and AIDS and Gender Equity

Awareness Club Competition at Pitseng High School in Leribe district. The

event brought together over 300 club members for the day. Each club

performed a 30 minute drama on an HIV and AIDS related topic, recited 5

poems on Gender Equity, and debated on topics related to HIV and AIDS and

Gender Equity.

“ ”Highlighting Projects

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Re motlotlo ho u amohela khatisong ea bone (4) ea Letsema. Letsemake boikopanyo ba mekhatlo e sebeletsang bana ba Likhutsana le bafumanehileng (OVC) Lesotho. Sena se susumelitsoe ke palo e ntsenge eketseha ea Likhutsana ka hara Naha. Boholo ba Bana bana bakotsing ea ho sebelisoa hampe le ho sotloa. Letsema e ikemiselitseho tlisa 'moho bathusi/bafani le ba fananang ka litšebeletso hosebetsa 'moho toantšong ea bothata bona.

Mekhatlo e mengata e sebeletsang bana ba Likhutsana le batlokotsing (Ovc) khokahanyo ea Letsema e lumela hore tšoaranong kamatsoho ho ka fihleloa katleho: ea ho thusa ho ntlafatsa bophelo baLikhutsana le Bana ba tlokotsing Lesotho.

THE LESOTHO

PROGRAMME

Lenane la Khaketso ea Bana Lesotho...

“Leha morero oa ho amohelisa Bana Lesotho

o sa le qalong, re lumela hore o tla

etsa phapano e bonahalang bophelong ba Bana”.

'M'e ChisepoDirector of Social Welfare

Na u ka lumela hore Mohala oa tlokotsi Baneng Lesotho o se o na le

selemo o thehiloe? Mosebetsi o ka sehloohong o tobaneng le Mohala

oa tlokotsi Baneng Lesotho (CHL) ke ho fumana mokhoa o hlakileng

oa pharalatso. Ka ho fana ka lipampiri/lits'oants'o, lipetja, lenaneo la

se-ea-le-moea le telefishine, likoranteng, ketelo ea likereke le likolo,

ho ntse ho hlokeha ts'ebetso e ngata kanetsong ea litaba tsa Mohala

oa tlokotsi Baneng Lesotho.

Mohala ona o kalosong ea Lesotho Save the Children, o fanoe le ho

ts'ehetsoa ke Econet/Telecom Lesotho, esale ho tloha ka

Pherekhong 2009. Ka lebaka la ts'ubuhlellano,ho na le khatello e

kholo Mohaleng oa tlokotsi Baneng Lesotho. Ts'ubuhlellano e baka

hore e be bana ba bang ha ba khone ho kena. Baneng ba khonang ho

kena ba bang ba fumana karabo e reng: “nomoro eo u e letselitseng

ha e sebelisoe/fumanehe”.

E le ho fokotsa taba ea ts'ubuhlellano, le ho eketsa phumaneho ea

Mohala oa tlokotsi Baneng Lesotho ke batho bohle, bosebeletsi ba

Mohala ona bo ntse bo qeka Lesotho Communication Authority (LCA)

ho kenya nomoro ea lits'ebeletso tsa sechaba bakeng sa Mohala oa

tlokotsi Baneng. Nomoro e sebelisoang ke Machaba e le ea tlokotsi

baneng ke 116. Ka hoo ngoana a ka letsa leha a le naheng ea Afrika-

Boroa, kapa Mozambique a letsetse 116 ho fumana thuso.

Econet/Telecom Lesotho le Vodacom le tsona li ntse li qekoa ho etsa

116 e le ona Mohala oa tlokotsi Baneng Lesotho. Ka hoo ho na le

ts'epo hore haufinyane ngoana ofe kapa ofe ho sa tsotelloe hore na o

sebelisa mohala ofe a tle a fumane thuso.

Mohala oa tlokotsi Baneng Lesotho o

letsetsoa haholo. Sena batho ba se etsa e le

ho ikholisa hore mohala oa sebetsa, bana le

bona ba letsa khafetsa. Bana ba letsa ho

botsa lipotso le ho fana ka maikutlo. Ka

nako e 'ngoe b'a letsa ha ba bue ba thola

feela kapa ba bolele hore ba letselitse hosele. Leha ho le joalo mohala

o reretsoe hore ho letse bana ba nang le bothata. Mehala ena e kenang

e bitsoa litletlebo/litlaleho. Ho tloha ka 'Mesa ho fihlela ka Tšitoe,

2008 ho ne ho se ho entsoe litletlebo tse 111 mohaleng ona.

Pherekhong ho isa Tlhakubele, 2009 ho ne ho se ho ena le litletlebo

tse butsoeng tse 125 tsa phahama haholo ka Tlhakubele ho fihla ho

69 ka khoeli eo.

Ka mora hore ho letsoe mehala ho fetisoe litletlebo, Mohala oa tlokotsi

Baneng Lesotho o thusa ka mekhoa e fapakaneng. Haeba thuso e

hlokahala hang hang, ho bitsoa Mapolesa. Tlhabollo e be e etsoe ka

mohala kapa ho atametsoe thuso/ts'ebeletso haufi le bana. Bathusi

ba letsetsoa mohala ba kopuoe ho fana ka thuso ho bana. Mohala oa

tlokotsi Baneng Lesotho o etsa tatello ho Bathusi le ho bana ba botsoe

ka thuso eo ba e etselitsoeng. Haeba Bathusi ba hloka lisebelisoa ho

etsa tatello, Mohala oa tlokotsi e fana ka thuso e joalo e le ho

nolofaletsa mokhoa oa hore bana ba fumane thuso. Ho na le tlhabollo

ea mahlo-mahlong Mohala oa tlokotsi Baneng Lesotho, 'me e thusa

ho silila Bana tlasa morero oa Lesotho Save the Children.

Phephetso e kholo selemong se fetileng e bile ho hlokomelisa ba

fanang ka thuso sepheo le litšebeletso tse fumanoeng Mohaleng oa

tlokotsi Baneng Lesotho. Mohala oa tlokotsi Baneng Lesotho o

tlameha ho bona hore bathusi joaloka ba tlhokomelo ea bana

literekeng, CGPU, DSW, Ofisi ea tsamaiso le kabo ea mafa, litichere le

bahlabolli ho utloisisa boikarabello ba ho thusa Bana, ho tlaleha le ho

koala litletlebo.

Morero o ntseng o tsoela-pele ke ho fana ka tsebo le ho e pharalatsa

ka hara Naha. Mohala oa tlokotsi baneng Lesotho o tla bula Liofisi

seterekeng sa Quthing. Ho hakanyetsoa ka la 7 khoeling ea Phato,

2009 Upper Moyeni.

'M'e Motšelisi Shale, Mookameli oa morero Mokhatlong oa Lesotho

Save the Children, o hloka hore Batho ba e le hloko hore Mohala oa

tlokotsi Baneng Lesotho o thehetsoe ho thusa Motho e mong le e

mong ea sireletsang litokelo tsa bana Lesotho, haholo Bana ba

Likhutsana le ba tlokotsing ea ho sebelisoa hampe. Ka hona thusa ho

tsebahatsa ka mohala ona: 8002 2345 ho Bana ba phelang

tikolohong eo u leng ho eona.

Letsetsa 8002 2345Mohala oa Tlokotsi Baneng Lesotho

Child GrantProgrammeLaunchin MatelileApril 2009

Khatiso ea 4 Phupu 2009

Letsema

WORKING CO-OPERATIVELY

KOPANELO NEHELETSANO TSEBELISANO-'MOHO• •

Le amohetsoe ho chakela likopano tse tšoareloang UN House, Maseru ka la 25 Phuptjane, 30 Phupu, 27 Phato, 24

Loetse le 29 Mphalane.

Kopano ea kotara ea komiti ea lehokela (NOCC) ka 11 Phuptjane, 2009, 10 Loetse, 2009, 10 Tsitoe, 2009.

Khakolo ea Mohala oa tlokotsi Baneng Lesotho ka la 7 Phato, 2009 Upper Moyeni Quthing.

Re morerong oa ho batlana le bohle ba

hlokomelang Bana ba Likhutsana le ba tlokotsing. Haeba u tseba ea ntseng a etsa mosebetsi o joalo, ekaba mokhatlo ea

Machaba kapa o ikemetseng, CBOS, mekhatlo e ikemetseng ea Lesotho mona, FBOS kapa e menyenyane e fanang ka lithuso/tšebeletso literekeng, re kopa u re fe

linomoro tsa bona e le ho tlatsetsa ho tseo re nang le tsona. Haeba ha u e-so hlahlobe litaba tsa mokhatlo oa hao khokahanong ea letsema, etsa joalo hobane metsotso

e se e jele babeli.

e fetohetse ho e tla phatlalatsoa haufi.

Liphetoho tsena li kenyeletsa pokello ea libuka le letlapa la litsebiso ka Likhutsana le Bana ba tlokotsing. Haeba u na le matsatsi a li etsahala ao u batlang hore a hlahe

letlapeng la litsebiso re etsetse e-mail.

Hokahana le rona ho re bolella lisebelisoa le lipatlisiso tseo u nang le tsona ka Bana ba Likhutsana le ba tlokotsing e le ho eketsa ho tseo Letsema e nang le tsona

polokellong ea libuka, ho molemo ho arolelana ho e-na le ho hlahisa ntho tse tšoanang tse ngata.

Re boetse re kopa lifoto tsa mesebetsi eo mekhatlo ea lona e e etsang. Re eketsa pokellong ea rona le websiteng ka ho tšoana, re batla ho kenyeletsa tsa lona. Re kopa

hore le li romele ka e-mail kapa le re letsetse, re tla tla itatela tsona.

kopanang le rona haeba le na le maikutlo kapa litaba tseo le batlang hore li hlahe liphuthehong tsa rona.

Khosana Thamae, Letsema Development Officer, 2232 4673 kapa e-mail

Becky Banton, Letsema Support Officer, 2232 4673 kapa e-mail

Letsatsi, nako bakeng sa bukana ea hao:

LETHATHAMO LA LETSEMA LA BANA BA LIKHUTSANA LE BA TLOKOTSING:

WEBSITE EA LETSEMA:

KOPANO EA LETSEMA:

www.letsema.org

Letsetsa: [email protected].

[email protected]

Touch Roots Africa (TRA) e thehetsoe ho koala sekheo sa ho thusa batho, se

bonahetseng ha mokhatlo oa Save the Children UK o tloha Lesotho. Ka lebaka la ho

ba le basebeletsi ba bahlano TRA e iphumana e sebetsa ka thata ho koetliseng le ho

holisa/hlokomela mekhatlo ea metseng. TRA e sebetsana le lintlha tse tharo tse

latelang: ts'ireletso le ho kenyeletsoa ha bana liqetong, tataiso le tšehetso ea batho

maikutlong (PSS), ho buella litaba-tabelo tsa batho, nt'setso-pele ea mokhatlo,

boitiso le boitlhahlobo. TRA e etsa likoetliso holima nts'etso-pele ea mokhatlo e

kenyeletsang tsamaiso, ho tlaleha, ho etsa moralo, mokhoa oa ho tšoara liphutheho,

ho boloka lirekoto le ho ngola meralo.

TRA e sebeletsa ho kopanya mekhatlo ea Sechaba malebana le tlhokomelo ea bana

ba Likhutsana le ba tlokotsing, ho bokella le ho sebetsana le mathata a tobaneng le

ngoana, ho kenyeletsa bana mererong le liqetong, tataiso le tšehetso ea batho

maikutlong, HIV le AIDS, le tlhahiso ea lijo. Ba sebetsa le Sechaba mererong ea ho

koetlisa mekhatlo, lihlopha tsa tšehetso, Marena, makhotla a ntlafatso le ba fanang

ka ts'ebeletso ea PSS, ts'ireletso ea Bana, hape e sebetsa le mekhatlo e meng e

fanang ka tlhokomelo mekhahlelong e meng.

Koetliso ha ea lekana ho ho fihlela sepheo, ka hoo, TRA e lumela hore bosupa-tsela

le bona bo bohlokoa. Mekhatlo e koetlisoa 'moho, hamorao TRA e tlisa mekhatlo e

mehlano hammoho ho arolelana litsebo, puisano le ho rera 'moho e le ho phethahatsa

seo ba se fumananeng koetlisong. Morao tjena ho ts'oaroa “puisano e

khutšoanyane” ho arolelana tseo ba li fumaneng mekhahlelong ea bosupa-tsela

Taba-kholo ea TRA le metsoalle ea eona (partners) ke ho sebetsana le tlhasimollo.

Boholo ba bahlokomeli le ba fanang ka lits'ebeletso baneng ba shebane le mathata a

itseng, ao ba sebetsanang le ona, 'me ho ba boima ho fana ka tataiso le tšehetso ea

maikutlo baneng ba ba potileng ha bas a hlasimoloha. 'Puisano” e tšoana hantle le ho

hlabolla. Metsoalle ea TRA ena le bokhoni ba ho rarolla le ho toba mathata a mang ao

ba thulalang le ona. TRA e tšepa hore e tla tlatsetsa ka “puisano” qetellong ea

mekhahlelo ea bosupa-tsela ba eona kapa e lokisetse “puisano” ka thoko le

metsoalle ea eona. Basebeletsi ba TRA ba fumana bosupa-tsela bo ena le moelelo

ho bao ba ba koetlisang.

TRA e boetse e ts'oarela mekhatlo ea bana likampo. Mariheng a selemo sena sa

2009, ba tla shebana haholo le bana tikolohong ea Roma, ba sebetsa 'moho le

Sekolo se seholo sa Sechaba (NUL). Mekhatlo ea bana e rupelloa litsebo tsa boeta-

pele, tsamaiso ea lihlopha, ts'ireletso ea bana, mekhoa ea ho tlaleha le ho thibela

tlhekefetso, tsela eo ngoana ea hlekefelitsoeng a ka bonahalang ka eona, le litokelo

le boikarabelo ba bana. Selemong sena TRA e tla rupella lihlopha mesebetsi le lipapali

tseo ba ka li etsang lihlopheng tsa bona. TRA e nanabetsa mosebetsi oa eona

metseng ho batla lihlopha tse fumanehang moo tsa bana.

TRA e se e qalile lenane la ho amohelisa bana Botha-Bothe le Leribe. Taba ena e

qalile ka litokisetso le ho rerisa sechaba ho tloha ka Phato, 2008. Kamoheliso ena

ea chelete e qaliloe ho fanoa ka Tlhakubele, 2009 ho bana bao e leng lihlooho tsa

malapa. Mekhatlo ea tšehetso Botha-Bothe, Pitseng, Hlotse le Tajane ke eona e

thusang khethong ea bana ba ka amohelisoang letloleng lena le thusang bana.

Chelete ena e fumanoa bankeng, ngoana ka mong o buleloa bukana bankeng, 'me

chelete e kenngoa kotara e 'ngoe le e 'ngoe. Chelete e fanoa ke lekhotla la AIDS

bakeng sa bana ba 150 Botha-Bothe, Pitseng le Hlotse. Tajane teng letlole ke la

bana ba 27 bona ba fuoa ke morero o bitsoang Stephen Lewis Foundation.

Ka Moqebelo oa la 16 Mots'eanong 2009 Mokhatlo oa Thusa Lesotho (Help Lesotho) o

ile oa ts'oara tlholisano bakeng sa lihlopha tsa Tlhokomeliso ka litaba tsa HIV/AIDS le

tsa Tekano tsa tikoloho ea Pitseng. Tlholisano e ne e ts'oaretsoe sekolong se

phahameng sa Pitseng. Seterekeng sa Leribe. Tlholisanong ho bile teng litho tse ka

bang 300 tsa lihlopha tsa likolo tse 'ne tsa tikoloho eo. Seholpha ka seng se ne se

hlophisitse papali ea kalaneng e neng e fuoa metsotso e 30, ka litaba tsa HIV/AIDS,

thothokiso tse 5 ka litaba tsa Tekano le puisano/khanyetsano ka sehlooho ho tsa

HIV/AIDS le Tekano.

“ ”Tse Hlahellang Liporojekeng

Tlhahiso leseling

ka Mokhatlo oa

Touch Roots Africa

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