What is the Smart Kids program?
The initiative was born out of the amplified need to support kids with education and mental health support in 2021, during the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, when children attended school only on a weekly basis. For example, they would go to school just once a week, and teachers assigned a significant amount of homework for them to complete at home.
The project was established to assist these children, many of whom live in child-headed families or with grandparents and guardians who are often not educated, making it difficult for them to provide support. In essence, this literacy project aims to help children with their schoolwork while also offering social-emotional support.
The need is ever-present and the impact has been far greater than we would have imagined!
Stories from Our Smart Kids Volunteers
Finding Healing Through Helping Others
My name is Boitumelo and I’m 25 years old. Growing up, I faced a life-altering experience when I lost my parents at a young age. This challenging time shaped my perspective and motivated me to make a difference in my community.
As I navigated my way through adolescence, I realized the importance of support and guidance. That’s why I chose to volunteer with Help Lesotho, an organization that aligns with my values and passion for helping others. Working with children in my community has been a transformative experience for me.
Through my work with Help Lesotho, I’ve had the opportunity to tutor and mentor children after school. Seeing them grow and learn has been incredibly rewarding. One moment that stood out to me was when a child I was working with finally grasped a concept they’d been struggling with. Their smile and sense of accomplishment were contagious, and it reminded me of the impact I can have on their lives.
Volunteering with Help Lesotho has helped me heal and find purpose. I’ve gained a sense of fulfillment and joy in helping others, and I’ve developed empathy and understanding for the challenges that children in my community face. This experience has taught me the value of giving back and has helped me grow as a person.
I’m grateful for the opportunity to make a positive impact in my community, and I hope that my story can inspire others to do the same. By sharing my experience, I want to emphasize the importance of volunteering and giving back. It’s a reminder that we all have the power to make a difference in the lives of others.
This program changed my life
I am Matumo, 34 years old, from Qoqolosing Leribe. I have three years working as volunteer in my village. I was helping the children by doing their assignments, gave them work to do by using booklets, and enjoying to play some games. When I first met these children, they were bored because no one who kept them busy, other kids played in the danger places.
This program changed my life because I have communication skills, I listen when they are talking, I am a teacher in my village. The parents trust me by sending their kids to the tutoring session every day. It changed children’s lives because they were learning how to read and write.
Today in my village it is nice because the kids know a good place where they can enjoy, doing school work and where they can share their problems.
