Our local staff deliver 22 life skills and psychosocial support programs for vulnerable and at-risk children, youth, young mothers, herd boys, teachers and grandmothers.
The goal of all programs is to support participants as they build their resilience and improve their well-being. Programs also respond to some of the most pressing issues in Lesotho, namely gender-based violence, HIV/AIDS, unemployment and poverty.
Programs are delivered in rural villages, partner schools, and at Help Lesotho’s two community leadership centres. Programs range from drop-in opportunities at the centres to year-long support programs, to community advocacy through youth-led entertainers to high school sponsorship.
Help Lesotho has developed a library of more than 100 locally-relevant participatory training modules that are used in our programs.
Psychosocial Support
The goal of our psychosocial support approach is to enable vulnerable populations to cope, make healthy decisions, form positive relationships and become socially responsible citizens with restored hope for the future. ultimately, it is about mental health. Any action or interaction that contributes to an individual’s resilience is psychosocial support.
Our Programs
Grandmother Program
In this year-long program, grandmothers caring for orphaned grandchildren attend monthly training days to restore their self-esteem, access education and build a support network amongst themselves.
Young Mother Program
High rates of teenage pregnancy and early marriage leave many young girls desperate for support. This year-long program brings rural young mothers together to learn about child development, healthy relationships and entrepreneurship.
Herd Boy Program
Herd boys (aka shepherds) live isolated lives in the mountains of Lesotho. This 6-month program reconnects young men to their communities and empowers them as leaders for protecting girls and women.
Child Sponsorship
International sponsors cover education costs so vulnerable students can attend high school. We sponsor 150 students annually and more than 700 students have graduated!
Schools Helping Schools
We work with a small number of partner schools in Lesotho to enhance the education environment and provide resources to vulnerable students.
Leaders-in-Training (LIT)
Our most intensive program, LIT welcomes 60 youth annually for a six week course designed to build resilience and promote personal and professional development.
Leadership Centres
Help Lesotho’s two community leadership centres host more than 20,000 visits each year. Drop-in programs include sports, puzzles and games, sewing, art, theatre and tutoring. Each centre has an Afro-focused library, computer lab and playground.
Computer and Life Skills
Groups of students, young adults and professionals attend two-month long courses split between introductory computer skills and participatory life skills modules.
GIRL4ce
Since 2016, GIRL4ce has been performing at schools, in rural communities and on the radio to raise awareness about gender-based violence. As a youth-led edu-tainment group, GIRL4ce uses its platform to deliver direct messaging about community responsibility.
Pearl Program
100 grade seven girls participate in the Pearl Program each year in an effort to prepare them to resist peer pressure and be strong peer leaders when they attend high school. The program is largely funded by Pearls4Girls jewelry sales. To read about the impact the program has had on girls through high school, click here.
Guys4Good
Similar to the Pearl Program, Guys4Good targets grade seven boys to equip them as strong role models for respecting girls and women, working hard to achieve goals, and expressing emotions in healthy ways.
Youth Employment Training
Young adults participate in workshops to get and keep a job or develop entrepreneurial skills to help their small businesses. With so few role models, youth struggle to access professional support and guidance.
What our participants say
“The program changed the way of living and thinking – it made me aware of the important role I am playing in the family and community.”
Nkhono Matseliso
Grandmother Program
“The skills and knowledge I have gained have changed my life. I now have self esteem and I can make my own decisions regardless what others think about me.”
Tsebiso
Leaders-in-Training
“As usual, Help Lesotho made us feel at home, I always feel safe being here.”
Phalla
Youth Employment Training
“Learning these skills has equipped me for tertiary schooling. I am one stepping stone closer to my dream of being an accountant.”
Tanki
Computer and Life Skills
CHANGE4ce (change-force) is a training program created and managed by Help Lesotho to build the capacity of organizations and influencers who work with vulnerable populations. As a social enterprise, CHANGE4ce uses a fee-for-service model designed to maximize social impact.
The CHANGE4ce approach equips facilitators and social impact program delivery staff and volunteers with the foundation, skills and strategies to build resilience, improve self-management and foster social responsibility among vulnerable populations.