HUMANITARIAN AID REACHES GRIEVING FAMILY IN REMOTE MPHOJOA VILLAGE
Quthing, 28 February 2026 — The Lesotho Red Cross Society (LRCS), working alongside Disaster Management Authority (DMA), and the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) has extended humanitarian support to a family devastated by a landslide in Mphojoa area at Ha Motsapi Village.
The disaster claimed the lives of two young boys, aged 8 and 6, after a huge rock rolled into their home, demolishing the house.
Following a rapid assessment, LRCS, DMA, MSD provided the bereaved household with food packages, cooking utensils, clothing and food for a newborn baby, as well as bedding.
The intervention was particularly urgent as the boys’ mother, who was heavily pregnant at the time of the incident, was also affected.
According to Mr. Maphoma Mosaola, Senior Branch Development Officer for Quthing, the assessment team endured a four-hour walk to reach the remote village, using a South African route due to the absence of road and bridge access after heavy rains washed away the local bridge.
“The heavily pregnant mother was taken to hospital where she gave birth, hence the assistance of newborn clothes and food by the Lesotho Red Cross Society,” he explained.
Mr. Mosaola further noted that the family had no alternative housing at the time and was later relocated to a nearby village with the assistance of the area chief.
Area Chief Mabakoena Motsapi shared harrowing details of the incident, explaining that the younger child was still alive when he was pulled from the demolished house.
Chief Motsapi noted that the child’s survival chances were dashed by the collapse of a nearby footbridge, which delayed urgent rescue efforts.
“Had it not been for the collapsed footbridge, the child’s life would have been saved,” he said.
The chief’s remarks have underscored the devastating impact of infrastructure challenges in rural communities, where collapsed bridges and unsafe structures can turn accidents into tragedies.
Mr. Vuyani Blayi, head of the bereaved family, expressed his anguish, saying he still struggles to comprehend the tragedy. Speaking with deep sorrow, Mr. Blayi said,
“I still cannot believe that I lost two children at the same time. It would have been better if they had fallen sick, because then I would have taken care of them, rather than losing two healthy children at once.”
The burial of the two boys is scheduled for 14 March 2026.
Through this intervention, LRCS reaffirmed its commitment to supporting vulnerable families during emergencies, ensuring that immediate needs are met while communities begin the process of recovery.