Red cross in M500k donations to fight Corona

Staff Reporter

The Lesotho Red Cross (LRCS)will officially hand over a tippy tank constructed at the Qacha’sNek district on April 26,2020.

The handing over ceremony will be officiated by the Minister of Police ‘Mamoipone Senauoane, in the presence of the Commissioner of Police Holomo Molibeli, LRCS President Silas Mosuhli.

The Communications Manager of the Society Tokoloho Khutšoane indicated that the aim of the project is to ensure that public places that attract many people have the hand washing facilities so as to avoid the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and to assist orphanages that were hard hit by the pandemic.

“The tippy tanks construction is funded by the Coca Cola Foundation to the tune of M546,000. In addition, ten orphanages housing approximately 404 children will receive food items from the same project in due course. At least 100 homeless people and children received food during the hard lockdowns in the Maseru and Leribe Districts,” she said.

She stated that, Standard Lesotho Bank also donated M80, 000 to LRCS which was used to construct eight tippy taps and their tanks at the Lesotho Correctional Service institutions in Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru and Mohale’s Hoek last month.

“Donation of M217 000 was used for the construction of 34 tippy tanks, soap dispensers and sinks which were installed in all the taxi ranks in the ten districts, four health centres of Lesotho Red Cross (Kena, Kolojane, Mapholaneng and Thaba Bosiu), schools. The Society also held COVID-19 Awareness campaign under the theme “Safety Tips and Precautions” in six districts Maseru, Mafeteng, Mokhotlong, Leribe, Quthing and Qacha’s Nek,” she said.

Khutšoane indicated that the Society held three- day Psychosocial support, psychological First Aid, play therapy, psychological wellbeing and child protection from all forms of abuse referral systems-workshop at the Institute of Development Management (IDM) which was aimed at soothing hearts of children who were victims of Gender-Based violence which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 lock-down.

“LRCS has also provided about 10 000 masks which were provided to students, shepherds, traditional healers and street vendors. 8000 calendars with both Gender-based violence, and COVID-19 Protocols.  4000 Social distancing stickers were placed in crowded areas which include shops and health centres,” she said. Lesotho Red Cross Society is a humanitarian non-profit making organization rendering humanitarian assistance to the most vulnerable communities in the country.