Africa-Press – Lesotho. Lipeleng villagers worry over young nursing mothers, who are reported to leave their infants and toddlers for greener pastures and never come back, while some come on their sick bed.
This is a small village situated right at the bottom of Mount Mokotjomela at Mount Moorosi. ‘Masamuele Mokhothu (57), who is taking care of 5 children, said 3 of the boys were first
left by their father, Retšelisitsoe Lebatla three years ago to go look for a job in Queenstown, South Africa (SA) but never came back. After a year of their
father’s absence, their mother, ‘Marethabile Lebatla also left without telling anyone where she was going. “It has been two years since their mother left them all by themselves, three years since their
father also left and I took them in. Rumor has it that their mother is in Cape Town. The eldest is 8 years and attends school while others are 5 and 3 years
respectively and are not yet attending school,” disclosed Mokhothu. “These children have no shoes at all and wear wrecked clothes that come from villagers.
I am a widow and not working at all. I cannot afford to buy them clothes, even the food we eat comes through the mercy of God as I’m not yet getting pension grant
nor any assistance from the government or any organization,” sobbed Mokhothu. The woman also stays with her grandson whose 23 year old mother left home without telling anybody her whereabouts.
She said her other baby girl came with her daughter when she came back from an abusive marriage. ‘Mapholo Mafa (73) stays with her 7 grandchildren, 5 boys and 2 girls.
Two of them lost their mother to HIV, though she had left home in search of work and never came back, only to return sick. She said she died three days later.
The other two still have their mother but she has since gone to look for a job in SA and has never been home in years. ‘Maseitlheko Letsie (50) lives with her 7 year old grandson whose mother is also staying and
working in SA and comes home once a year during Christmas holidays. Maseitlheko takes care of all the needs of her grandson as the mother got married in SA and
has other children there. She makes a living by brewing and selling traditional beer. Mount Moorosi Chief ‘Maretšelisitsoe ‘Maseribana, affirmed that early and unintended
pregnancies are still a challenge in their area. She said boys and girls roam the streets at night, bars sell beer to students and under aged children,
landlords also refuse to register and demand tenants Chiefs letters of residence and that Maseribana High School pregnancy rate is very high. She recommends that sports be held to help keep adolescents busy.
In the meantime, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) National Programme Analyst, ‘Maseretse Ratia, in her update on the situation of HIV and Sexual and
Reproductive Health among Adolescents and young people in Lesotho, according to a survey they conducted, showed that pregnancies at secondary schools are at
23% and child marriage at 15%, which are the highest in Quthing as compared to
all other districts of Lesotho. This findings indicate that over 60% of young people do not have comprehensive knowledge about HIV, Young sexually active women are twice more likely to know their HIV
statuses than men. And that age disparate sexual relationships are higher among teenage girls. This survey further indicates that girls who are likely to fall pregnant are mostly
learners from deep far rural areas, learners from poor family backgrounds and girls who are regarded as most humble, well behaved in school, innocent and shy.
It goes on to show that characteristics of men and boys who cause early and unintended pregnancies are taxi drivers including their helpers, elderly men commonly
referred to as “blessers”, herd boys, illegal miners and teachers. UNFPA and Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association (LPPA) had earlier, through #BecauseWeCan Project, organized Journalists tour to Quthing, Mount Moorosi and Dilli-Dilli areas to document Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) challenges faced by these communities, particularly young people.
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