Seabata Mahao
The St. Bernadette Resource Centre for the Blind recently received M600,000 in financial support from Vodacom Lesotho Foundation and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
The resource center found in Maseru, offers sanctuary, support and primary education for young people with visual impairment.
The funds from the two donors will be used to support the institution’s operations, including purchasing of books, assistive devices, utilities and other needs.
Each organisation contributed M300,000 in line with their partnership signed in 2022.
This was not the first time Vodacom Foundation assists the centre, as it donated M650,000 to the centre in June 2022.
The official handover of this year’s donation took place at the centre’s premises last week Tuesday.
Speaking during the event, Vodacom Foundation’s chairman, John Matlosa, said his organisation is committed to honouring its social contract with Basotho through critical interventions.
He said they achieve this by collaborating with liked mined partners, such as UNICEF in this case.
“The Foundation’s support is in line with its five pillars in social impact projects in areas namely education, health, gender, youth entrepreneurship and public safety,†Matlosa said.
Speaking on behalf of UNICEF Lesotho, Kimanzi Muthengi said the aid agency is supporting the government in advancing the rights of children and adolescents with disabilities through multi-sectoral disability and inclusion programming.
“Such children face multiple challenges including access to quality education, water, sanitation, nutrition, and protection. This limits their functionality and ability to participate in household and community life, and learning at school.
“We call upon players from the private sector to join hands and support the ministry of education and training in realising its mandate of providing education that accommodates all children including those living with disabilities,†Muthengi explained.
