“I’ve healed, I’m revealed, I’m so happy”
– Tsoanelo
Help Lesotho’s most intensive annual program, Leaders-in-Training (LIT) equips young adults with the skills needed to transform their lives and become positive and influential leaders in their communities.
During the six-week training, participants learn about various topics, including effective communication and conflict resolution, self-awareness, and decision-making.
All programming is designed to strengthen their resilience and improve their relationships, emotional and mental health, allowing them not only to overcome the difficulties they face daily – including extreme poverty and limited employment opportunities, the devastating effect of HIV/AIDS in their lives, and more – but also to excel and thrive.
LIT Program Outcomes
All LIT attendees complete a post-training evaluation, assessing both the modules offered and their personal development before and after the training. Our graduates are:
%
More Resilient
%
Better Leaders
%
Better Equipped
I am now able to express myself, my thoughts and my emotions.
My communication has improved tremendously, and how I see myself, my confidence, esteem and how resilient I am has changed.
I look forward to the next day, without feeling down
I plan on being an ambassador for change, beginning with young people… encouraging them to be better leaders of now and in future.
I plan on educating adolescents from my community about preventing unintended pregnancies and STIs
The program has equipped me with strong communication skills which have been essential with my interactions with others.
I have learned how to effectively communicate my ideas, thoughts, and opinions in a clear concise manner, both verbally and in writing. These skills have been invaluable in my academic pursuits, interviews, and networking opportunities.
Most Important Things Learned During the Program
- Nearly all participants ‘Agreed’ or ‘Strongly Agreed’ with the following statements:
- I gained useful skills and knowledge in the program
- I am able to apply the skills and knowledge gained in the program in my daily life
- I am able to apply the skills and knowledge gained in the program to make positive changes in my community
- I feel that the skills and knowledge learned in the program will be useful in the future
Pay-it-Foward
LIT participants are taught skills and strategies for community-based advocacy. Participants are encouraged to work in groups to develop ‘pay-it-forward’ initiatives to practice their skills. In doing so, the participants prove to themselves that they have the ability to be leaders for positive change. Beyond the end of the LIT program, the participants are able to apply their newfound confidence and leadership skills to continue taking action for the benefit of others.
Menstrual Hygiene Education and Provision of Supplies
- Many female students in Lesotho miss up to a week of school each month due to a lack of menstrual hygiene products.
- This group of LIT graduates collected hygiene products and donations from their community.
- The supplies were distributed to grade 11 girls to help them attend school consistently, especially before their final exams.
- The group held an educational session for students and teachers to dispel myths and misconceptions about menstruation.
Young Mother Support
- This group identified a need to support young mothers in the community with baby supplies.
- They collected donations of gently used baby clothes, bottles, blankets, diapers, and pacifiers.
- The group assembled four baby-care packages and distributed them to young mothers at a local clinic.
- The young mothers expressed gratitude and committed to pay-it-forward activities.
- This project highlights the positive impact of redistributing resources to those in need.
Pay-it-forward was so important for me. I see how important it is to make change in my community and I’m going to continue.
More about Our Graduates
Our LIT attendees are not just statistics; they are young adults who encounter not only the common issues faced by youth everywhere, but also additional challenges due to their circumstances.
I am passionate about entrepreneurship and innovation in the environmental space. I am also a single mother who is also a breadwinner of 4 family members. I am struggling with anxiety and minor depresssion. I am also passionate about community and youth leadership. There are thousand of girls like me and I hope to give them hope & way one day. Hence I apply to such program to gather those skills.
Lineo
Lineo is a 26 year old Human Resources Management graduate from Butha-Buthe.
Lineo was one of our sponsored students and is currently a Smart Kids volunteer at Help Lesotho. She knows that she is making an impact in the kids lives and this helps her become a strong leader.
Her family experienced a life-altering event in 2020 and she still struggles to deal with the trauma and grief.
“I learned that it’s ok to grief the loss of my loved one’s but I also not grief until I loose myself and my strengths in the process.
I also learned that the little kindnesse can literally change someone’s life for the better.
I also learned that it’s good to have thriving spirit even in times of struggle.”
Tsokolo
Tsokolo experienced significant personal growth through the LIT Program. He gained self-awareness, developed advocacy skills, and improved his confidence.
As a result, he now understands the importance of making active decisions and no longer relies solely on the opinions of his friends or parents.
Tsokolo believes that the program has helped him heal and grow, and he is confident that this will support him in his journey to become a manager or supervisor.
“All the modules were excellent, but I liked mostly when we got to the point of ‘think win’, this has always been a barrier for me to cope in this world. I always underestimated myself, but now I know better.“
