Our Story
Our History
Help Lesotho was founded in 2004 by Canadian educator, psychologist, and social entrepreneur Dr. Peg Herbert. Her vision was both simple and transformative: to support Basotho communities - particularly children, youth, women, and grandmothers - with the skills, confidence, and psychosocial support needed to build healthy futures in the face of HIV/AIDS, poverty, gender inequity, and limited access to education.
From its earliest days, Help Lesotho has been grounded in the belief that lasting change is driven locally. What began as a grassroots initiative operating from an Ottawa basement has grown into a respected international organization, registered in both Canada and Lesotho, known for its evidence‑based programming, strong governance, and measurable impact.
About Our Founder: Dr. Peg Herbert
Dr. Peg Herbert holds a PhD in Educational Psychology and spent much of her early career working with children, youth, and families facing trauma, marginalization, and systemic barriers. Her professional background includes decades of experience in mental health, education, and community development, with a particular focus on resilience, social‑emotional learning, and leadership development.
In 2004, Dr. Herbert travelled to Lesotho, where she witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on families and communities - particularly the growing number of children being raised by grandmothers and extended family members. Rather than offering short‑term aid, she recognized the need for long‑term, child development-focused solutions that addressed both emotional wellbeing and practical life outcomes.
This insight became the foundation of Help Lesotho’s model: train local people to support people around them, strengthen local systems, and empower people to be part of creating change (whether as donors, partners, or program participants).
“The work has changed lives among our donors too, as they discover the joy of making a huge difference to individuals and communities and who believe as we do that it is possible to make sustainable change in Africa – one day at a time!”
Since her first trip to Lesotho in 2004, Peg Herbert wrote letters to her family, friends and supporters about her experiences and the progress of the organization. These 'Letters from Lesotho' detail the beautiful and painstaking moments of building Help Lesotho into the resilient organization it is today.
Two Decades of Growth and Impact
Over the past 22 years, Help Lesotho has evolved into a leader in psychosocial support and life skills education in Lesotho. Working in close partnership with local leaders, schools, health clinics, and government ministries, the organization has:
- Reached more than 365,000 participants across rural and hard‑to‑reach communities
- Developed and delivered life skills, sexual health, mental health, and leadership programs grounded in global best practices and adapted to local context, using a library of more than 100 modules developed by Dr. Peg Herbert
- Supported grandmothers and caregivers raising vulnerable children affected by HIV/AIDS and labour migration
- Empowered young people to build confidence, agency, and economic resilience
- Fought to protect girls and women from gender-based violence while ensuring boys and men are included in the pursuit of gender equity
- Trained local facilitators and community leaders, many of whom began as program participants
Today, Help Lesotho’s programs are delivered by an entirely Basotho staff, reinforcing community ownership, cultural relevance, and sustainability - an approach strongly associated with long‑term impact and accountability.
Accountability, Evidence, and Continuous Learning
Under Dr. Herbert’s leadership, Help Lesotho embedded monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) into its organizational culture. Programs are continuously refined using:
- Participant feedback and qualitative outcomes
- Quantitative pre/post reporting and long-term tracking
- Independent evaluations and external reviews
This commitment to transparency and effectiveness has earned Help Lesotho a reputation for strong stewardship of donor funds, with a high proportion of resources directed to programming rather than administration.
Help Lesotho is accredited through the Imagine Canada Standards Program, reflecting excellence in governance, financial management, ethical fundraising, and impact measurement - key indicators valued by donors, funders, and charity evaluators such as Charity Intelligence.
In April 2025, Peg was honoured as one of Ottawa’s Femmes Remarquables – Distinguished Women.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Peg Herbert’s leadership and Help Lesotho’s work have been widely recognized in Canada and internationally. Notable honours include:
- Order of Canada – awarded to Dr. Peg Herbert for her outstanding contribution to international development and community empowerment
- Meritorious Service Cross (Canada) – recognizing exceptional service benefiting communities abroad
- Women of Influence Award Ottawa, Distinguished Women of Ottawa Award, Women of Distinction Award: Business, Professional and Public Sector and National Child’s Day Woman of the Village Award
- Consistently strong evaluations for financial transparency, program effectiveness, and governance from independent charity assessors
These recognitions reflect not only Dr. Herbert’s personal commitment, but also the strength of Help Lesotho’s community‑centred, results-driven approach.
Leadership Transition and Enduring Legacy
After 19 years as Executive Director, Dr. Herbert retired in 2023, leaving behind a resilient organization with strong systems, trusted partnerships, and a clear strategic direction. Her legacy lives on through:
- Thousands of program graduates now serving as caregivers, mentors, and leaders
- A skilled local team carrying forward Help Lesotho’s mission
- An organizational culture rooted in compassion, accountability, and measurable impact
As Help Lesotho looks ahead, we remain committed to deepening impact, strengthening mental health and resilience programming, and empowering future generations - driven by community partnership, and inspired by the vision of our founder.