Lehlohonolo Motšoari
Telecommunications company, Econet Telecom Lesotho (ETL) has demonstrated its firm support for the Lesotho Defense Force (LDF)’s revolutionary and visionary youth development programme by injecting M150,000 into the initiative known as the youth boot camp.
The financial support was extended through ETL’s financial services arm, Sasai Econet Financial Services (SEFS) during an event held at the Ratjomose Barracks on Tuesday.
Lehlohonolo Matee, the Acting General Manager of SEFS, indicated that Econet had committed to working hand-in-hand with LDF in the long run in improving the welfare of Basotho through its programmes that aim to enhance the future of this country.
“We have long been committed to investing in the future generations through scholarship funding amongst others; where we help the less privileged youths fulfill their potential and we can confirm that we have sent students to as far as Harvard University in the United States of America,” Matee said.
“We hope to see Lesotho improved through these boot campers, and this is why we felt obliged to support the mission of LDF of enhancing the future of Lesotho; with men and women of dignity who love their country,” he added.
In welcoming the financial assistance from Econet, the LDF Commander, Lieutenant General Mojalefa Letsoela said they established the youth program to tackle youth challenges by fostering discipline, instilling patriotism, and equipping the youth (who command a high number in population statistics) with essential life skills.
Introduced in 2021, the programme is currently hosting 391 youths for a month-long training. Letsoela said the funds were great support for improving their infrastructure to cater to the unique needs of the children, as they began the initiative without a budget.
He said they have already identified a place to build new infrastructure for the initiative.
“We started it as a trail that went as planned, even though it was challenging thus we need an infrastructure that is ideally designed to cater to the needs of these boot campers,” Letsoela said.
He further indicated that the first contingent was particularly challenging, as they were trying to contain a situation that was getting out of hand.
“We dream high in producing the future leaders of this country including the LDF commanders and police commissioners amongst others, who will be aware that Lesotho is a sovereign state and also understand its rich history which its forefathers bled for,” he said.
