S.C.F. Work In Lesotho

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32030, 3 July 1969, Page 3

S.C.F. Work In Lesotho

The young people of Lesotho, a tiny, independent kingdom in the centre of South Africa, understood that the help they received from the Save The Children Fund was of benefit not only to themselves but to their country’s future, said the Rev. John Osmers at the North Canterbury branch’s annual meeting yesterday.

“There- is a great thirst for education. They know their own future and the future of their country depends on what they can learn now," said Mr Osmers, who is home from Lesotho on furlough. But the average family income in the State of one million people, in an area about the size of Canterbury, was $4O a year and secondary school fees were $BO, he said. “We have the teachers, the books and examinations set down by Cambridge, but how can the children go to school?”

Three of the four years he had been priest in Quthung had been severe drought years. The rain which should have fallen in December, January and February had come in March this year when the planting season was finished. Some farmers had decided to plant but the crops were very stunted and there was not nearly enough food to feed the people. British Aid

Lesotho received s6m a year in aid from Britain (the former colony is now a member of the Commonwealth) and, apart from farming, work in the South African mines was the only source of income.

“Sixty per cent of the men

are away from home for a year or more. For the dangerous, hot work they receive 40 cents a day, or 70 cents if they provide their own food. From that they send back home $4 a month to their families for food, clothing and education,” he said? Great Britain, the United States, Canada and New Zealand were helping to provide food and the people of Lesotho were working on roads, building dams and making community gardens. Each day 92,000 children were getting a meal at school —often their only meal for the day—through the efforts of the S.C.F. School Garden

“I wish you could see them getting stronger and healthier,” he said. “But we cannot live on this food for ever, the time will come when we must feed ourselves.” To this end the schools were setting up gardens with fences, equipment and seed provided by the S.C.F. Par-

ents and children worked in the gardens and eventually they would be able to start gardens at home. “We are growing food for today and for tomorrow,” said Mr Osmers. He read a letter he had received from a “bright boy” of 17 whose father insisted he leave school and work in the mines to provide an. income for the family. He very much wanted to finish school, perhaps gain school certificate, and wrote that he was trying to save enough money to return to school. “I know you hear that if you feed people you are just helping them to stay alive and live in great hardship. But 350 children are now in secondary schools because of your efforts and if we feed and educate our children we will give them strong bodies and hope that we can all live together and plan for a better future.

“We are working for peace today and hope for tomorrow,” said Mr Osmers.