Staff Reporter
THE Rotary Club of Maseru on Thursday delivered donations worth M5000 to an underprivileged family in Khubetsoana.
The six-member Shae family received goods among them baby essentials, groceries, winter wear for the whole family and school uniforms for its three school-going age boys.
The boys aged six, eight and nine had not been attending school because of lack of uniforms as both parents are unemployed and are struggling to provide for them and their one-month-old sister.
The plight of the family inspired the Rotary Club of Maseru president, Yande Sikazwe-Mothae to mobilise resources to assist the family.
“No child must be denied the opportunity of education on account of uniforms,” Ms Sikazwe-Mothae said.
“Now that the children have complete uniforms, the parents must ensure that they are in school.”
Ms Sikazwe-Mothae added that during the just ended month of April, the club was celebrating maternal and child health, hence her team it was befitting to assist the Khubetsoana family. Among other things, they dispatched a nurse who examined and ensured that the baby is in good health.
“We identified a vulnerable family with a new-born baby… Mothers risk their lives while giving birth while millions of children die annually from treatable preventable diseases. At least seven million children under five years die every year due to malnutrition, poor health care and inadequate sanitation among others.
“To help reduce this rate, we provide immunisations and antibiotics to babies. This improves access to essential medical services and supports trained health care providers for mothers and their children.”
While the groceries are a short-term measure, the Rotary club also sought the intervention of the Social Development Ministry, the United Nations Children Education Fund (UNICEF) and the Lesotho Red Cross Society (LRCS) to assist the family in the long-term.
Thapelo Shae, the father of the four children, expressed gratitude to the club for assisting his family.
“Thank you for your assistance. This is very helpful to us. We appreciate the effort you put. May you continue to do the good work you are doing,” Mr Shae said.
The Rotary Club of Maseru was commissioned in 1977 as part Rotary International and the Rotary District 9370. The club brings together business and professional leaders of integrity for common good by creating a platform to encourage adherence to high ethical standards in all vocations, and to help build goodwill and peace in communities, the country and the world at large.