Africa-Press – Lesotho. Mantšonyane herd boys sang praises to Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) services that they accessed last Thursday through the facilitation of Help Lesotho, supported by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
This event was in effort to promote SRHR service delivery to adolescent boys and youth, and started with an awareness march. The health services provided entailed: HIV testing, Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) screening, Covid-19 vaccination, Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) and distribution of condoms.
In her remarks, Help Lesotho Country Director ‘Mamoletsane Khati said Help Lesotho is aimed at capacitating the youth through ensuring that they access health services among other key issues.
She expressed joy over Help Lesotho for “helping Basotho” to access health services as the name of the organization connotes. Khati urged the herd boys to take advantage of the health services availed to them and thus thanked UNFPA and health service providers who helped in capacitating the remote community.
She noted that Help Lesotho advocates for the human rights of herd boys and every human being. Mantšonyane Child Gender Protection Unit Police Constable ‘Matli Makosholo revealed that the Police had been facilitating public gatherings to capacitate the herd boys together with the communities but Covid-19 hindered their progress.
Constable Makosholo preached to the herd boys that it is a violation of the law to hire out a minor (children below 18) to leave school and tend to animals, “those found guilty of it, will be accused,” he cautioned.
He also made them aware that to elope with any girl is illegal, saying when they want to marry they should communicate with parents for appropriate preparations. He further warned them about joining gangster groups.
Amongst challenges tabled by herd boys, they said health services are not easily accessible and they are urging those responsible to at least provide them with a male health facility where they will be attended by male health workers. This, they said, will answer to their reluctance of going to health facilities.
The Health Workers also tabled the challenges observed while working with heard boys, highlighting that; the herd boys are hesitant to go to health facilities and usually wait until they are critically ill and are transported on a wheelbarrows, that heard boys who stay in cattle posts are only available during winter holidays as it is the only time they come home to be safe from the cruel winter weather conditions.
The health workers also urged the farmers to allocate time for personal care and health check-ups. One of the Herd Boys Katleho Mokapane (21) from Ha Long expressed gratitude to Help Lesotho for decentralizing health services, saying they have always been neglected.
Mokapane said due to the nature of their work, they have no time to go to health facilities as they are only accessible during the day. He urged for health providers to at least once in a while provide them with services in the evening when they are back from herding animals.
Mantšonyane Area Chief Pshoatlella Mojela expressed hope that this SRHR Provision Outreach may happen often, especially when it is convenient to the herd boys.
He said one of the challenges herd boys encounter include their employees making them pay back their animals when they have died in their watch. Chief Mojela urged the employers to bear with their employees.
He concluded that clothing and gumboots are other important needs for herd boys as they work during harsh weather conditions and called for those who have means to help in this regard.
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