Letshego’s Chief Executive Officer, Malehlohonolo Van Tonder hands over the donations to Pulane Children’s Home Manager Hlompho Letseka
CHRISTMAS came early this week for Pulane Children’s Village in Quthing who received a donation of goods valued at M23 500 from financial services provider, Letshego.
The goods included sleeping mattress, large cooking pots, chalk boards and other classroom stationery.
Letshego is a Botswana company that started operating in Lesotho in 2012.
Letshego Chief Executive Officer, Malehlohonolo Van Tonder said it was her company’s mission to uplift the lives of societies they operated in.
“The company has grown to five branches in the country through Basotho’s support and to show our gratitude, we have vowed help the vulnerable through our Community Social Responsibility office,” Van Tonder said during the hand-over ceremony.
“So far we have helped two children’s homes in Maseru, one in Leribe and today we are here to put smiles on your faces.
“Our presence proves that we have no boundaries when it comes to helping Basotho but reach wherever there is need no matter how difficult it is,” she added before handing over the goods to the centre manager Hlompho Letseka.
The children expressed their gratitude through song and dance, with the highlight being the performance of the traditional Liphotha dance.
The children’s village board member Mojela Solopo thanked Letshego for the timely donation, saying it was all the more handy because they seldom received any assistance.
“Your visit is very important to us because we seldom get help. The only help we get is from PEP stores and other companies from Durban in South Africa,” he said.
A representative of the District Administration office, ‘Mabasia Lepota, praised Letshego for the positive contribution to the children’s lives.
“We may think of Letshego as a company which burdens us with debts but then we would not be able to overcome unexpected financial problems or reach our goals without them.
“Letshego is one of a few companies that help the children to live happy normal lives. Not everybody manages to have three meals each day so I hope the children will value the help they are getting. And I urge the children to continue working hard to ensure they grow up to become important people who will also come back and help those who would be in need,” she said.
Situated in the remote village of Pulane, a 2-hour drive from the district’s town (Upper Moyeni), the village was established in 2008 by the English-born Jill Kensey. It is a serene atmosphere full of trees with a river running through. The farm rears pigs, rabbits, horses and donkeys.
The facility has 17 caretakers who live with 84 children (44 boys and 40 girls) between the ages of 1 and 18, with 11 of them in high schools in Quthing while others attend community primary schools in the area.
The village also boasts a pre-school facility for the infants aged 1 to 5.
