Let there be light

Rose Moremoholo

THABA-BOSIU

THE Lesotho Electricity Company (LEC) has donated M80 000 into the Queen’s National Trust Fund which benefited at least five orphanages yesterday at Ha-Makhoathi.

The donation by LEC was what the company had promised to donate in the Queen ’Masenate’s National Trust Fund at her annual gala dinner celebration.

It is at this event that business men and individuals are invited to spend time with the queen while raising funds for the disadvantaged children in the country.

LEC was part of the exquisite party where it pledged M80 000 for the trust fund.

The beneficiaries of LEC’s generosity are God’s Love Centre in Sekamaneng, St. Leo in Ha-Makhoathi, St. Paul School for the Deaf in Leribe, Kananelo School for the Deaf in Berea and Phelisanong Centre for the Disabled in Pitseng.

Each of the beneficiaries will be donated with M16 000 worth of electricity units.

On behalf of the receiving orphanages, ’Mathabang Sefala who is the overseer of the St. Paul School for the Deaf said nothing has made them happier than the gift they received today.

“We are very much appreciative of the Queens National Trust Fund that takes care of so many children and even as we are many today we are remembered in the donations given to orphanages,” Sefala said.

Sefala said the gift of electricity units is more significant in its importance to the home that she is overseeing because all the children are blind and they use hands and facial expressions to communicate.

“We need light all day long, even at night lights need to be on so that they can keep on communicating without barrier of darkness,” Sefala said.

“This electricity will be very important in carrying out our daily chores for the orphanage to run,” she said.

Unlike many orphanages that are in the country, St. Leo Orphanage does not have an erected building or home for the children it looks after but cooks breakfast and supper for 82 children chosen by the chief.

Theresia Thabeli, the founder and carer of this orphanage, said “all I do is care for the children from their homes, they come to the school on Monday, Wednesday and Friday”.

Thabeli started cooking for orphaned primary school children in 2008 when she realised that most of the children would come to school hungry of which many were orphans infected with HIV.

“I would see their mouths pale waiting for the 10:30a.m. bell to ring so that they go and eat and some would not even take their medication as they should because of not being able to eat on time and even after school suffer in hunger,” Thabeli said.

Thabeli then communicated the feeling of pain and hurt of seeing these kids suffer to the principal of the school who “understood my stress and supported me”.

Thabeli had to teach and cook for her children, as he calls them on the days she had to.

In 2012 and 2013 Pick ’n Pay got into an agreement with the school to give it food when they need it.

“They often give us vegetables, food that is near expiry date, tinned stuff that has dents. The only trouble I have is I have to pay from my own pocket transportation cost of the food,” Thabeli said.

A member of the Queen’s National Trust Fund, ’Mabataung Mokhathali, said the trust fund has two departments where the first is a trust fund that help children in education and care while the other is called “hlokomela bana” where every need and challenge of a child is met ranging from food, counselling, clothes and rescue those that are abused.

Mokhathali said both these departments work together.

“The queen realised that the donation by LEC was sent into the first trust fund and she transferred the gift to the Hlokomela Bana department,” Mokhathali said.

Ben Masoabi, talking on behalf of the Director LEC, said they are happy together with those that are receiving the gift.

“LEC is a national electricity company that works for the people and it is aware of the needs of the nation it serves and those that are in need,” Masoabi said.

Masoabi said in their annual budget as a company they have money set aside for corporate social responsibility activities as a form of giving back to the community that supports it.

“This may look like little money but giving the little you have is better than not giving at all. We therefore are glad that we are demonstrating the care we have for our people and as Christians we know that the hand that gives is that gets blessed,” Masoabi said.