Stories to tell . . .: Lesotho - Introduction to St. Camillus

July 23, 2014

After our Supervisors & Counterparts 2+ day Healthy Youth workshop, we trainees departed with our new partners for a 4 day visit to our newly assigned sites. The goals of the visit included: continue building our new partnerships, begin the community integration process, further our language skills, and assess what we will need to buy to transform our new houses into homes for the next 2 years.

I had just a few minutes drive to get from our hotel in the camp town of Mohale's Hoek to St. Camilla's which is situated within the compound of St. Patrick's Catholic Church. The short distance though seems miles away from my lovely training village in a rural area of the Berea district.

Paved streets & even sidewalks replaced the rough dirt roads; electrical wires & more substantial homes replaced the simple homes & rondavels (traditional round, thatched huts). Though some of the 18 Healthy Youth trainees will be assigned to rural or remote areas, many of us will move to areas where towns & villages are more populated so that we can work directly with organized (or yet to be organized) youth groups. Do remember though - this a a poor developing country!

The current St. Camillus site has a large house that is subdivided into dormitories, kitchen, common area for the kids & support group meetings, kitchen, & an office. There is also a "private" living space for the occasional Peace Corps Volunteer (PCV). Due to lack of space, the PCV quarters are being temporarily shared with about 6 teens (one room), 6 tiny tots (12mo to 5yrs in another room), & one PCV (that's me!).

St. Camillus was founded in 2002 through an initial partnership of the Holy Cross Convent & Irish Aid. AIDS was ravaging Lesotho & few Basotho knew about the disease & why it was causing such horrific morbidity & mortality. The new partners began work to care for people living with &/or affected by the disease. My new supervisor, Sister Juliana, was the convent cook but insisted she leave her post to work with this effort. Sr. Juliana, to this day at age 65, continues to lead this work tirelessly & with amazing grace & compassion.

Over the years & through her leadership, the program has grown from home-based care to sponsoring numerous workshops & trainings to establishing a major foundation for caring for orphans & vulnerable children. She maintains on-going relationships with NGOs as well as managing the orphanage & income generating activities (IGAs) to fund the broad range of services provided. She has several grant proposals in process for IGAs as there is never enough funds for the needs she sees about her.

A new orphanage is near complete. It is being built on property donated by & adjacent to the offices of the Bishop of the Mohale's Hoek & Mafuteng diocese, a short drive from the current location. The kids will love their new dorms (one for girls & one for boys) with bunk beds & real mattresses, the large open kitchen/dining area, & a fabulous shower room. The caregivers will have their own room & bath adjacent to the dorms! The grounds include currently functioning income generating businesses such vegetable gardens, a fruit orchard, "piggery" (well 3 pigs!), and 200 egg laying hens. Workers include a few paid employees, PLWHIV (people living with HIV/AIDS), & volunteers.

A note about orphanages: the Lesotho government has programs in place to make all attempts necessary to place orphans in homes with family members or foster parents. St. Camillus participates in these efforts for the children placed in their care.

Since my arrival we have been busy! Sr. Juliana is starting a support group for pregnant teens & the first 5 came to a preliminary assessment meeting today where the teens identify their needs & priorities. They will go recruit an additional 5+ teens to make the group functional. Then, Sr. Juliana will involve a variety of social service programs to set up classes & workshops for HIV/AIDS prevention & treatment adherence, nutrition, gardening, child care, etc.

She is also putting the final touches on a couple IGAs; one to add 200 more egg laying chickens & another to start production of an aloe jelly/cream skin product.

When I return mid-August I'll have lots to do to assist her! The projects already mentioned, facilitating the reporting requirements for the government & NGOs, and helping set up the new orphanage, and...

As far as community integration I have met several of the resident nuns; there are 25 in the convent (the majority are quire old & infirm), 2 Bishops (one is retired), 2 parish priests, many caregivers, & lots of kids!

I am not sure how long I will share the space with all the kiddos but I do know I'll be giving this place a serious cleaning. It is live-able but...

All the PCVs will get start-up funds to at least get the basics needed for daily life. I am fortunate to have electricity and running water but there is no kitchen sink. I'll get water from the bathtub tap & continue to boil & filter it for cooking & drinking. I am looking forward to setting up my new home in earnest once the kiddos are comfortably in their new home.

Attached photos:

- Mohale's Hoek, small town view