Africa-Press – Lesotho. Global Hope Mobilization (GLOHOMO) donated Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) of medicated bar soaps, sanitizers, masks, infrared thermometers and tanks worth
M3 million to 10 high schools. GLOHOMO Country Coordinator Zwelithini Matsoso said the support is for Lesotho’s COVID-19 response but most importantly for safeguarding young people’s health
and lives, their educators, parents and communities. He thanked the government of Lesotho for a very decisive action, leadership and response since COVID-19
emerged. Matsoso stated that if it was not because of such, they could have probably lost many young people by now. He added that if they lose young people, they lose the most significant
dividends from whom the country could harvest creativity, innovation and even future business or government leadership would perish. He said the handover is their latest piece of support as they have worked together
with schools on challenges such as water, sanitation and hygiene, where during this exercise they noted other serious gaps that needed intervention. He said
going forward, they will work closely with line ministries so as to ensure that the support packages they are handing over are quickly distributed to their
intended beneficiaries. MIET Futurelife-Now Lesotho Country Manager Rantsane Kuleile said Futurelife-Now is a regional Southern African Development Community (SADC)
lead programme that is currently piloted in Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Lesotho with the aim to scale-up to all SADC countries. He said the programme is piloted in ten schools in each of the SADC Member states
and in Lesotho beneficiaries are; Fobane High School (H. S), Maliba-Matšo H. S, Mampota H. S, Matholeng H. S, Matsepe H. S, Motsekuoa H. S, Semonkong H.
S, St. Savours H. S, St. Barnabas H. S and Thetsane H. S. MIET Africa is SADC’s technical support partner assisting the Region and the four pilot member states with
implementation. Kuleile further said Futurelife-Now responds to the challenges facing young people in the SADC region with a particular focus on their health
and wellbeing. He said with the current COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in closure of schools, there has been a significant impact on beneficiaries and all children in
Lesotho. He further added that Futurelife-Now serves vulnerable populations that are at high risk of contracting COVID-19. The Ministry of Education and Training (MoET) Deputy Minister Hon.
‘Mamookho Phiri said the pandemic has set them back on some of the achievements they had made as a ministry.
She said teachers and school leaders around the world struggled with little forewarning to pivot to some form of remote learning. “Parents and families around the globe who had relied on schools as an anchor around which
they organized their daily schedule faced the shock of life without schools,” she said. Phiri further said so far data providers, being the World Health Organization (WHO)
suggests that children under the age of 18 represents about 8.5% of reported COVID-19 cases with relatively few deaths and usually mild disease compared to
other age groups. She said the ministry has announced re-opening of schools in phases for external classes and the decision was based on careful consideration.
She indicated that the ministry has received support through the Futurelife-Now with additional funding from Swiss Agency for Development and Corporation (SDC) for COVID-19 assistance.
She said MIET Africa in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and GLOHOMO are implementing an intervention that will address two components critical for
combating the pandemic and they are to strengthen the health system through the provision of emergency COVID-19 support and equipment. She said through this
support and partnership which aims to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, they are implementing an emergency response project so that Lesotho can effectively respond to COVID-19.
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