Pitseng honors Dr Peg

MASERU – The founder of Help Lesotho Dr Peg Herbert’s legacy has been celebrated at Leribe, Pitseng, after working for 19 years.

Dr Herbet personally witnessed the suffering and bravery of the people of Lesotho at the height of the AIDS pandemic.

As an educational psychologist with over 45 years of experience with vulnerable people, she worked directly with local community members and youth to develop outstanding programs and approaches that have profoundly changed the lives of the people of Lesotho.

“When I first came to Lesotho in 2004, there were no resources in this entire area,” Dr Herbert said.

She said she was broken hearted that children, youth and community at had Guardian Angel, Pointmain, Raphoka Primaries, Pitseng High School and later Khethisa “had no place to go for help, no library”.

She said they needed new strategies to cope with “so many deaths, to learn of HIV prevention and treatment, to reduce gender-based violence, and to learn to believe in themselves”.

On Friday it was the She celebration of 15^th anniversary  since Help Lesotho centre was built entirely by local people including some youth.

She also mentioned that in 2016 they added computers and in 2021 they replaced the play station structure as well as life skills program.

The centre offers after school or weekends programs, library time, sports, arts and crafts, grandmother, young  mother programs and sewing and many more.

Dr Peg also indicated that one of the last things she wanted to do before retiring was to build a junior and senior library, as she had so long imagined a special place where youth and adults could improve their literacy skills, have a quite space to think about their futures and to gather with other fellow learners to discuss what they are learning.

“Dr Peg we will remember you for your drive, commitment, support for staff not only on personal reasons but also on our professional life,” the Help Lesotho country director, ’Mamoletsane Khati, said.

“You have always been a constant source of encouragement and guidance that has helped many of us to have the drive so that we are able to reach out to the learners,” Khati said.

“I’m sure that your desire for better resilient and hopeful beneficiaries is not leaving with you but rather it is going to stay here with us and we will forever make sure that we take that forward.”

On behalf of Khethisa High School principal, Natlane Lengeta said the school is fully sponsored by Help Lesotho.

It  also provides children with uniforms, cosmetics and food.

Lengeta said there are students who are now in different professions, some are medical doctors and engineers.

“All this was achieved through Help Lesotho,” Lengeta said.

Tsepang Mapola