The total of 3,183 Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) from 84 high schools drawn from 10 districts of the country benefited from Global Fund grants high school education bursaries in 2009 that specifically target form four and five with the money worth M11,209,665.30 (USD $1,367,206.99)  

The bursary for each student include registration,  tuition, books, stationery and examination fees as well as computer and other special subjects.

The money for form D and E fees is drawn from R2 HIV grant phase II USD $962,699.95 (M7,882,008.00) and Round 7 HIV grant USD 404,507.04 (M3,327,657.30) where the total money used is USD $1,367,206.99 (M11,209,665.30).

The high school education bursary is part of empowering OVC with education and necessary training to ensure a healthy and viable future.  To fulfill this objective the Global Fund provides school fees not only for secondary schooling but also vocational training. 

Meanwhile Global Fund spent USD $ 242,028.09 M1,870,385.00 for payment of educational bursaries for 450 OVC attending 16 different Vocational Schools in the country.

These vocational schools are Bernada home economics, Bethel Business and Commercial Development center, Itjareng Training centre, Lesala Community skills training centre, LOIC, Mohloli oa Bophelo Rehabilitation and Training centre, Molumong skills training centre, St. Elizabeth training Institute, St. Mary’s Home economics school, Bishop Allard Vocational School, Lesotho National Council of Women vocational center, Taung skills training centre, Mohatlane skills training center, Technical Institute of Leloaleng, Technical Institute of Leribe and Thaba Tseka Technical Institute, Matheko and Thaba li ‘mele.         

Among the skills offered in these vocational schools include; plumbing, carpentry and joinery, bricklaying and plastering, automotive, knitting and sewing as well as home economics/science.

Furthermore, through Global Fund support, computers were donated to all vocational schools and teachers trained to introduce computer technology to these children. Similarly, business and entrepreneurial curricula for vocational training were developed and implemented in order to instil an entrepreneurship spirit and skills for the OVCs to enable them to be self reliant by starting their own income generating activities to support their future.

In a bid to support children with disabilities, teachers from special schools were trained on sign language and other skills for visually impaired and procured equipment and teaching aids for visually impaired children to enhance learning especially life-skills programme for children with disability. Meanwhile the life skills materials for visual impaired children will be translated into Braille to give visual impaired children access to the learning materials.

Caption: GFCU staff visiting Thaba li 'mele vocational school to verify equipment procured with GF grants. Lekhane and other students at sewing class.l

During tools verification, GFCU talked to one of student at Thaba li Mele vocational training centre, Mareabatsoe Lekanyane is 24 years old woman. Lekhanyane’s parents died when she was doing form two and she had to drop from her secondary education due to financial constraint.

Later Lekhanyane’s was married and she now has a child.  However, the interest of fathering her studies always remained. When she heard about vocational bursaries, Lekhanyane decided to go back to school to learn sewing. “This is my second and last year, thank you to the department of youth and the Global Fund for supporting our fees. When I complete my studies I would like to start my own income generating project by sewing clothes for the people in my village,” acknowledged Lekhanyane.               

Lesotho believes that children are the future leaders of this country and therefore supporting OVC is a tangible step taken to ensure needy children and those with disabilities have access to secondary and skills education in order to open their doors to the bright future  and access opportunities like any other children.