Small Gifts, Great Impact: Bringing Warmth and Hygiene to Lesotho’s Children Under Five through World Vision’s Gift-in-Kind Programme

By: Reentseng Phephetho, Communications and Digital Officer, Lesotho

A gift is an expression of love, compassion, and hope. Whether big or small, it carries the heart of the giver and the promise of change for the one who receives it. Somewhere in the world, someone’s need is so great that the simplest gift can mean the difference between life and death. When you stop to think of it: What would you gift vulnerable children under the age of five in rural Lesotho where winters are long and freezing, where fragile bodies shiver through the night, and where mothers struggle to clothe and protect their little ones? 

For many families across Lesotho, this is their daily reality. Mothers do not have enough money to buy new or warm clothes for their children. Disposable nappies are far beyond their reach, forcing them to rely on a few washable ones that can be reused. But even these often remain unwashed because soap is unaffordable. On the rare occasions when nappies and clothes are washed, children are sometimes dressed in them while still damp or left with nothing to wear at all while waiting for the few items they own to dry. This is the harsh reality of poverty, where even the most basic needs for children; warmth, hygiene, and dignity are out of reach. 

The consequences are heartbreaking. Lesotho’s under-five mortality rate stands at 72 deaths per 1,000 live births (World Bank, 2022); one of the highest in Southern Africa. Cold conditions in the highlands are a significant contributor, particularly for children under five who are extremely vulnerable to pneumonia and other respiratory infections. Hypothermia worsens outcomes for children born into homes without heating. According to UNICEF’s 2023 report on child survival, neonatal deaths; those occurring within the first month of life account for nearly half of all under-five deaths, with many linked to inadequate warmth and care for newborns.

Vulnerability in Tuke Village 

In Tuke Village, a rural part of the Berea district, these statistics are lived realities. Families here endure some of the harshest conditions, especially during the long, freezing winters. Here, mothers speak of long nights spent worrying how to keep their children warm when all they have are a few light clothes. Some share how their babies cry through the night from the cold, while others describe the helplessness of sending their little ones out to play in winter winds without proper jerseys or hats. 

“Sometimes I make my child wear clothes multiple times before I can wash them because I run out of soap and cannot buy it,” - 'Makatleho

For many, soap remains out of reach, leaving them with no choice but to reuse washable nappies and clothing far longer than is safe or sanitary. These are some of the daily struggles that rob mothers of peace and place children’s health in constant jeopardy.

“Sometimes I make my child wear clothes multiple times before I can wash them because I run out of soap and cannot buy it,” shared ‘Makatleho, a 35-year mother. Her words echo the silent struggles of countless mothers, torn between the will to protect their children and the harsh limits of poverty.

A Timely Gift of Hope

Against this backdrop, World Vision Lesotho, through its Gift-in-Kind (GIK) Programme, became a lifeline of hope for mothers in Tuke Village. During the peak of winter, 65 lactating mothers received warm clothing packages and bars of soap; practical yet lifesaving gifts. Each package contained backpacks, baby jerseys, socks, scarves, and wool hats designed to protect children from the biting cold while also restoring dignity through improved hygiene.

“I am so happy for my son; he looks so beautiful in his wollen hat, and I am so grateful that he will be warm throughout the winter,”-Tsepo

Generously donated by World Vision USA, these they represent a turning point for families who had been struggling to keep their little ones safe. “I am so happy for my son; he looks so beautiful in these clothes, and I am so grateful that he will be warm throughout the winter,” said Tsepang, who received the package on behalf of his wife. He gently placed a wool hat on his baby boy, Seeiso, and smiled with visible relief.

“I am thankful because these gifts are all I needed.- 'Mamotsie

For ‘Mamotsie, another mother in the village, the gifts could not have come at a better time. She had begun to resign herself to the painful thought that her child might never experience the fullness of life, despite all her efforts to provide. The constant struggle had left her feeling defeated; until this moment. “I am thankful because these gifts are all I needed. I will be able to keep my baby warm and have soap to wash his clothes and do my chores,” she said, her face lighting up with joy and renewed hope.

Strengthening Communities, One Gift at a Time

For the World Vision Lesotho staff who live and work alongside these communities, the distribution of these Gift-In-Kind was a moment of fulfillment. Clark, a Community Development Facilitator in Koeneng Area Programme, reflected: “I am fulfilled to finally hand over these packages. I witness these struggles daily, and I thank World Vision US for making our humanitarian mission to help those who are vulnerable come true. I also got to witness the undeniable joy these gifts have brought to the mothers.”

His words capture the essence of what the GIK Programme represents: not just the delivery of goods, but the restoration of hope and dignity to children, families and communities.

"I thank World Vision US for making our humanitarian mission to help those who are vulnerable come true" - Clark

Small Gifts, Great Impact

A woolen hat, a tiny pair of socks, or a bar of soap might seem small in the eyes of many; but for a child in Tuke, they mean a chance at life. They mean fewer cold nights, fewer illnesses, and fewer tears of despair from mothers who feel powerless. This is what the Gift-in-Kind Programme is about: dignity, care, and hope delivered through the simple but profound act of giving.

Wrapped in these gifts are the prayers of strangers, the compassion of donors, and the promise that no child should be left to suffer alone. With warm clothes to protect against the bitter cold and soap to support hygiene, these gifts will make a lasting difference in the lives of vulnerable children in Lesotho.

As the children of Tuke face this cold season, they will do so clothed in warmth, comfort, and the assurance that they are not forgotten. And in every wool hat pulled snug, every jersey buttoned up, and every child wrapped in safety, one truth shines through: small gifts can create great impact.

Through these simple acts of kindness, World Vision Lesotho is helping pave the way toward its vision: for every child, life in all its fullness.