Decade of thirst and shame ends
As Metsi a Lesotho brings water, dignity to Mohale’s Hoek schools
‘MATHATO SEBOKA
MOHALE’S HOEK – For ten long years, communities in Mohale’s Hoek district endured a daily struggle for something most take for granted – fresh water.
This painful era, marked by hardship and compromised dignity, has finally ended thanks to the transformative Metsi a Lesotho initiative.
Funded by the European Union (EU), UNICEF, and other partners, Metsi a Lesotho provides vital Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) services to vulnerable communities. The impact is profoundly felt in local schools, where students and teachers vividly recall the challenges of the past.
Libuseng Nyakane, Principal of Seberetlane Primary School, shared the school’s decade-long ordeal without clean water or usable toilets. Initially, donated toilets were rendered unusable by vandalism.
“Villagers stole the roofing and doors, leading the structures to collapse. Since then, we had no toilets,” Nyakane explained.
The consequences were severe. Students and staff were forced to use surrounding forests and gullies. “Some students complained of being chased by community members when they went into the forest, even being told to collect their faeces with bare hands,” Nyakane recounted with anguish.
The lack of water compounded the crisis, especially for menstruating girls.
“Female students and teachers missed school during their periods because there was no water to wash. We dug a hole in the gully near the school to dispose of sanitary pads,” Nyakane said.
Students also missed lessons to fetch drinking water from distant communities. The school roll plummeted from around 500 students to just 155, with only five teachers remaining.
Nyakane also highlighted persistent issues accessing the government’s Utility Grant, introduced after free primary education began in 2000 to support rural schools with operational costs. “We received the grant in 2010 and again in 2018, but nothing since. My follow-ups receive only promises,” she stated.
Now, the transformation is tangible. “It feels like a dream come true – seeing toilets built and water flowing from taps. This will make life infinitely easier for our students and teachers,” Nyakane said, expressing profound relief.
St Sebastian High School also faced significant WASH challenges before Metsi a Lesotho. While three standpipes provided limited water, boys had no latrines and practiced open defecation. Girls used unsafe, dilapidated VIP latrines.
There were no handwashing facilities, and the school relied on cultivated vegetables and parent-donated maize and beans for meals.
The programme brought comprehensive solutions, a new standpipe, bringing the total to four – located at the kitchen, girls’ boarding area, boys’ boarding area, and teachers’ residence. Three cubicle boys’ latrines with a urinal, three cubicle girls’ latrines, a two sex-separated cubicle latrines for teachers and a dedicated handwashing facility to promote hygiene have been built.
Principal, Monaheng ‘Musi, expressed deep gratitude at these developments, saying “St Sebastian High School now provides inclusive, safe, and accessible WASH services for learners and teachers.
Eliminating open defecation, improving latrine-to-pupil ratios, and adding hygiene facilities create a healthier, more conducive learning environment. The impact extends far beyond our school walls to the wider community.”
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Education Dr Ntoi Rapapa, speaking on behalf of the Minister of Natural Resources Mohlomi Moleko said that the occasion “marked a significant milestone in our journey toward universal access to clean water and dignified sanitation for every Mosotho. It brings us closer to a Lesotho where every child can drink clean water, every clinic can offer safe care, and every school can be a placed of health and dignity.”
“Metsi a Lesotho is not just about infrastructure – it is about restoring the basic rights of Basotho. I extend gratitude to the EU Delegation, UNICEF and all our partners for walking this path with us. Today is proof of what can be achieved when we work together, guided by the needs of our communities.”
EU Ambassador to Lesotho, Paola Amadei expressed pride at witnessing the first tangible results of Metsi a Lesotho in the completion of the first infrastructure project at St Sebastian High School.
She recalled that “one year ago, the Kingdom of Lesotho and the European Union launched this joint initiative with the goal of rehabilitating or constructing, over the next five years, water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities for 250 communities – including 125 schools and 15 clinics – in rural areas across all ten districts of the country.”
Thanks to Metsi a Lesotho, the pain of the past decade is finally receding in Mohale’s Hoek, replaced by dignity, health, and hope for the future.
Launched in May 2024, Metsi a Lesotho aims to ensure communities in the country have access to clean water and sanitation services, while preserving water and land resources for present and future generations. Investing in a healthier, more sustainable future for everyone.
The programme is designed to provide safe, sustainable, and WASH services to rural communities, schools, and healthcare centres across the breadth of the country.
Supported by the European Union, UNICEF and other partners, Metsi a Lesotho extends beyond the construction of infrastructure. The programme is dedicated to empowering local communities, strengthening institutional systems, and fostering investments in a sustainable and resilient future for Lesotho.
The initiative covers the ten districts of Lesotho over five years, starting with Mohale’s Hoek, Thaba-Tseka and Maseru. Work is ongoing or already completed in the first 50 sites.
