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400 OVC benefit from vocational training
bursaries |
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The Global Fund
Round 2 phase II grant supported 400 Orphans and
Vulnerable Children (OVC) in Lesotho for 2008 to
various vocational schools in the country with
the money worth M886,469.00 . Out of 400
supported children 147 lost both parents, 99
lost one parent and 154 children are coming from
needy families.
The Global Fund grants only support OVC in form
D and E as well as vocational training because
the Government is already supporting primary
education which is free, provides bursaries for
secondary education and other higher
institutions.
These 400 supported children are attending local
vocational schools which are Bishop Allard
vocation school, Bernada Home economics school,
Technical School of Leribe, Technical Institute
of Leloaleng, Taung Skills training center,
Itjareng Training center and St. Elizabeth
Training Institute.
Others vocational schools are Mohloli oa Bophelo
Rehabilitation center, St. Mary’s Home Economic
school, Thabana-li-mele youth center, Matheko
youth Training center, Molumong Skills Training,
LOIC, Mohatlane skills centre, Bethel Business
and Community Development center as well as
Lesala Community training center.
Visiting Thabana-li-mele in rural Maseru on
February 3, 2009 where the Global Fund grant
supported 21 OVC in 2008 with the fees worth
M17,787, the Acting Principal Mrs. Mammope
Matope said the school provides courses on
sewing, knitting, carpentry and building for
girls and boys.
“Most children admitted in the center are
vulnerable children who are equipped with skills
to be able to generate income for survival,” she
added.
The center takes one in-take after two years due
to shortage of student accommodation as most
children are coming from far places. For 2009,
the school enrolled 35 students who are all
vulnerable children.
In Leribe district, GFCU visited Technical
School of Leribe and talked to the children
benefited from the Global Fund grant support.
Mosiuoa Kolane (23) is among student benefiting
from Global Fund grant support for OVC fees. His
father died before he completed his primary
education while his mother is unemployed and is
currently chronically ill suffering from cancer.
Due to this situation, Mosiuoa was unable to pay
for his high school fees. The Government through
National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS)
paid for Mosiuoa fees from Form A to Form E
where he was attending Mabathoana high School in
the capital Maseru.
Upon completion of his high school, Mosiuoa
failed English and therefore he got third class.
His lower marks would not allow him to enroll to
University and therefore Mosiuoa decided to look
for admission at Vocational school. He got
admission at Technical School of Leribe (TSL)
where he was interested in plumbing course
however NMDS would not pay his fees unless he
repaid half of his high school fees that they
paid for him.
He was not able to pay even a few amount of it
but he wanted to go to school. He completed his
high school in 2003, but he had to stay home
looking for means of paying his vocational
training. He is a member of Thakaneng Youth
Resource center in Maseru. Therefore in 2007,
the center promised to pay only half of his fees
for only first year and he will take care of the
rest.
“I could not refuse the offer even though I did
not know how I would pay the rest of the fees,
where the full amount of the fees was M15,000,”
he said. Mosiuoa accepted the help of the center
without being certain of where the rest of the
fees would come from. While he was already at
TSL he heard about Global Fund grant assistant
to Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC).
Mosiuoa talked to his tutor and his case made
him qualified as vulnerable child to be assisted
by the Global Fund grant. His name was included
in the list and since then Global Fund grant
pays for his fees and all necessities needed for
his education which include stationery and all
other educational supplies needed for his
practicals.
“I thank you so much. Upon completion of my
vocational studies in Plumbing I would like to
further my studies at Lerotholi Polythechnic
focusing on building engineering,” he said
happily.
“My dream is to have my own company specialized
as a building contractor. Without this
assistance my dreams could be shuttered,” he
added.
Mosiuoa is not alone assisted by Global fund
grant another student that GFCU talked to at TSL
is Nthabiseng Letsikhoana, 23 years. She is
coming from Thaba Tseka and currently studying
construction at TSL. She also has a dream of
creating her own job to support her family and
provide job opportunity for others people in her
village. |
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