US Ambassador Harrington reiterates support to strengthen resilience in Lesotho communities
United States Ambassador to Lesotho Matthew Harrington visited the St. Dennis community in Leribe, the southern part of Lesotho where World Vision’s Emergency Food Security Project is ongoing. The Ambassador Harrington, accompanied by Nicholas Ahadjie, World Vision’s Country Programme Director for Lesotho, witnessed a food distribution activity.
The people in St. Dennis were actively engaged in land reclamation initiatives long before the project came and the food security project motivated them to continue the advocacy work they have already started in the community.
Ambassador Harrington said, “I am impressed to see you doing such hard work and we are very pleased to be able to respond to Lesotho’s Prime Minister Pakalitha Mosisili‘s call on the international community to assist in the needs of communities affected by the drought. I also want to congratulate Word Vision for the good work that they are doing in the communities.”
He added, “Our response is two-fold, to help communities respond to the immediate need for food and to help people build resilience during times of drought.”
The United States Embassy and World Vision are partners in assisting communities in the worst drought-affected districts. The assistance includes immediate access to food, targeting the elderly and child-headed households, conditional access for community members through food-for-work in the districts of Maseru rural, Mafeteng, Mohales’hoek, Quthing and Leribe.
“I wondered how I will feed my four grandchildren during the drought. Thanks to the food we got from World Vision, it sustained us while we wait for our crops’ harvest. The recent rains gave us hope”, said Malibuseng, 42-year old grandma who is among the beneficiaries of the food security project.
The United States Government through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funds the Emergency Food Security Project in Lesotho. The project runs for seven months and supports Food for Assets (FFA) activities, health and nutrition initiatives for 93, 492 beneficiaries that include supplementary feeding especially children under 5 years, as well as pregnant and lactating mothers in selected districts.
“World Vision is looking at local resources to help you continue the work even after the project ends. We are also exploring how the Gifts-in-Kind from the United States can help with your needs”, Country Director Ahadjie told the people who joined the ceremony during the visit.
