by Pusetso Sehlabaka | Mar 10, 2025 | Latest
With the support of The International Federation of the Red Cross Red Crescent (IFRC), Lesotho Red Cross Society is implementing a five-years (October 2024-Ocober 2029) Anticipatory Action for cold waves in Maseru, Mokhotlong, Qacha’s Nek Butha-Buthe, Quthing and Thaba-Tseka.
On Thursday the 06th March 2025, LRCS held an induction workshop to stakeholders; targeting Lesotho Metrological Services (LMS), Disaster Management Authority (DMA), Social Development, Forestry, Agriculture and Local Government at Maseru.
The AA project aims at addressing challenges posed by severe cold events occurring outside the expected winter season and can have detrimental effects on human lives and livelihoods. LRCS aims to address the critical impacts of severe cold, including supporting the provision of early warning messaging targeting public transport taxi associations, herders and community at large.
Provision of unconditional cash to support to families with school aged children and with very low income, who also suffer disproportionately in extreme cold weather due to lack of appropriate school shoes and clothing often resulting in children skipping school and contracting cold induced illness. This intervention will also provide 500 most vulnerable herders who are selected through community targeting and farmers association groups with winter clothing packs.
by Pusetso Sehlabaka | Feb 12, 2025 | Latest
Following the state of emergency that was announced by Lesotho’s Prime Minister as a result of severe heatwaves, the Lesotho Red Cross Society (LRCS) implemented the Emergency Appeal project in five Southern districts (Maseru, Mafeteng, Mohale’s Hoek, Quthing and Qacha’s Nek with the aim of assisting 2500 households whose livelihoods are severely affected by drought.
The project provided the beneficiaries with unrestricted cash transfers of M1500 for 3 months per household, homestead gardening seeds (Rape, beetroot, carrots and spinach), field crops seeds (beans and maize), fruit trees (apple and peaches) among others.
Following the distributions, LRCS with the support of the International Federation of the Red Cross Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) conducted a monitoring visit from the 28th to 30th January 2025 at Maseru, Mafeteng and Quthing with the purpose of tracking and provision of technical support and recommendations going forward.
It was revealed that the beneficiaries did not only use the funds for groceries, they also started some income generating activities such as small business so as to have sustainable income. “I planted the vegetables and I am able to feed my family and sell some to the community,” Mrs Molise. She further indicated that the source of capital was mainly from the second cash transfer received. As she concluded she also stated that she is now able to take her children to school and they no longer go on an empty stomach.
On behalf of the district project managers / Divisional Secretaries Ms. ‘Mabulara Motlomelo emphasised the importance of stakeholder engagement throughout the implementation “We are working hand in hand with other stakeholders in ensuring that the project is successful. We would have not been this far if we were not working together for the betterment of the communities we serve.”
The project manager Ms. Sebongile Hlubi said the main aim of the project was to respond to the state of emergency of food insecurity by improving household food insecurity caused by drought.
“I see ourselves as LRCS together with our partners trying to contribute to various aspects. Talking of food security, we have managed to capacitate beneficiaries with climate smart agricultural practices such as trench, keyhole gardening, banana plots among others, which is already benefiting beneficiaries”. Said Ms. Hlubi.
She further indicated that seeds were distributed to 2500 households although they were delayed. She concluded by indicating that the project is doing very well and hopes throughout the implementation, the implementers will be at a stage to say they really achieved the objective.
by Pusetso Sehlabaka | Sep 16, 2024 | Uncategorised
Lesotho is grappling with a severe food security crisis, made worse by El Niño weather pattern, which is disrupting the critical 2024/25 summer planting and rainy season. Persistent crop failures, dwindling food production, water shortages, and skyrocketing food prices have severely hit the country’s agricultural production with 41% of rural households now forced to spend more than half of their income just to put food on the table.
In 2022 and 2023, back-to-back La Niña events brought heavy rains that badly damaged crops and reduced harvests in Lesotho. The food insecurity crisis was further exacerbated during the 2023/2024 rainfall season, as the El Niño phenomenon further disrupted people’s lives, livelihoods, and investments. This weather pattern shift had ripple effects across many areas, intensifying challenges across various sectors and deepening the socio-economic impact for communities.
Although Lesotho planted more crops during the 2023/24 season compared to previous years, the country still saw below-average harvests, leading to an increased reliance on markets and a subsequent rise in maize prices (a staple food). Dry spells from January to March severely affected a range of crops, especially maize, resulting in substantial losses for poor and very poor households. Driving home the severity of the crisis, the IPC (Integrated Food Security Phase Classification) projected that a staggering 325,000 people (22% of the rural population) would be in IPC Phase 3 (Crisis). As a result, families began purchasing food from local markets earlier than usual, leading to rising food prices and making it even harder for poorer households to make ends meet.
In response, the Government of Lesotho, through the Lesotho Vulnerability Assessment Committee (LVAC), carried out an early assessment to get a clearer picture of the current food situation. The findings revealed that Lesotho is facing severe food shortages, with the crisis expected to worsen as El Niño impacts the critical October 2024 to March 2025 period. This extreme weather event hit during the crucial 2024/25 summer planting and rainy season, severely impacting farming. The country experienced widespread crop failures, reduced production, rising concerns over safety and protection, water shortages, and soaring food prices. The impact was particularly severe in several regions, including the Southern Lowlands, Foothills, Mountains, and the Senqu River Valley.
According to the 2024/25 LVAC report, as of June 2024, half of Lesotho’s ten districts were in crisis (IPC Phase 3) for food security, while the other five were classified as stressed (IPC Phase 2). The entire country is expected to reach crisis level (IPC Phase 3) by October 2024, highlighting the urgent need for action to save lives and protect livelihoods. According to the latest reports, an estimated 699,049 individuals in both urban and rural areas are facing food insecurity, highlighting the widespread food needs across Lesotho.
The Government of Lesotho took action by declaring a state of emergency and appealed to local and international development partners for immediate assistance. In response, a National Drought Response Plan was issued in July 2024, which identified both short-term and long-term humanitarian requirements to alleviate the effects of the drought. The Lesotho Red Cross Society (LRCS) has been on the front lines, working to ensure effective aid distribution and strengthen community resilience.
by Pusetso Sehlabaka | Jun 19, 2024 | Latest
By Ments’ele Mohloboli
With the support of the International Federation of the Red Cross Red Crescent (IFRC), Lesotho Red Cross Society in collaboration with Quthing and Maseru District Administration (DA) and District Disaster Management Team (DDMT) held a three days lessons learned workshop at Quthing from Tuesday the 11th to Thursday the 13th June 2024.
The purpose of this workshop was to;
- Capture lessons learned; systematically document the positive and negative aspects of the project including what went well and what did not, to identify best practices and areas of improvement.
- Enhance team performance; foster a continuous learning process within the team, promote a culture of improvement and encourage team members to reflect on their experiences and share their knowledge.
- Identify areas for change; identify areas where the processes and procedure can be improved and develop strategies for implementing these changes to enhance overall performance.
Mr. Likano Moleleko on behalf of Quthing District Administrator welcomed everyone to the workshop and wished a productive three days ahead, he further showed his over flowing joy to the LRCS for its constant support when it comes to helping vulnerable communities affected by disasters.
In his welcoming remarks, the LRCS President Mr Harekete Nkhets’e thanked the IFRC for its continued support. “This workshop is momentous because of the continuous effects of climate change in the country.” he added,
Furthermore, he emphasized that the workshop precedes an official launch of a new project Friday the 14th June. As such, he hoped that the lessons learned would be applied in the following project.
This intervention was due to the storm surge that affected infrastructure, property, livelihoods, access to health services as well as food security in Maseru and Quthing districts in December 2023. child headed, poor and extremely vulnerable households were prioritised.
During implementation, the project was able to; provide cash transfers for re-roofing, provide WASH education and WASH kits, set up WASH clubs, provide hygiene kits, food parcels, psycho-social support as well as non-food items. However, the project faced numerous challenges such as time delays, unfriendly terrains, network issues and limited resources and time to conduct some activities.
In conclusion, Ms Sebongile Hlubi, Disaster Management Coordinator (DMC) thanked the house for the support they showed throughout the project. She further stated that it is her strong believe that all that has been learned in this workshop will be included and considered in the upcoming intervention.
Lastly, Mr Moleleko in his closing remarks stated “I would like to thank the IFRC in particular for the hard work they portray, their continued support not to forget all organisations present at this workshop and I plead that the lessons learned to be taken into consideration in order to avoid repeated mistakes.”
by Pusetso Sehlabaka | Jun 19, 2024 | Latest
With the support of the International Federation of the Red Cross Red Crescent (IFRC), Lesotho Red Cross Society (LRCS) launched a Disaster Emergency Response on Friday the 14th June 2024 at Maseru.
The purpose of the project is to provide humanitarian assistance to 12 500 individuals (2 500 households) whose livelihoods are affected by drought. The support will be delivered through sustainable interventions including access to clean water, crop production initiatives and multipurpose cash transfers. This initiative is supported by IFRC to a tune of 16 Million and expected to run for a period of 9 months.
When officially opening the launch, the president of the Lesotho Red Cross Society Mr. Hareteke Nkhet’se indicated that today marks a pivotal moment in the collective efforts to address the urgent needs arising from the devastating effects of poor harvesting in Lesotho.
“As we gather here, we are reminded of the core principles and values that underpin the Red Cross Movement, which has been a beacon of hope and humanitarian assistance globally for over a century. As the Red Cross movement, our work is deeply rooted in the communities we serve, and we strive to build resilience and promote sustainable development.” 
He further indicated that today is about launching of the Disaster Emergency Response, a critical initiative that will provide much-needed support to the five districts severely affected by the recent poor harvests. The recent poor harvesting has had a profound impact on communities, particularly in the districts of Maseru, Mafeteng, Mohale’s Hoek, Quthing and Qacha’s nek. Families are struggling to meet their basic needs, and the threat of food insecurity looms large.
“Following the 2023/24 El Nino event that caused widespread drought conditions across Southern Africa, characterized by late onset rains, extended mid-season dry spell and extreme high temperatures, Lesotho Red Cross Society made and assessment in collaboration with its stakeholders and then applied for the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF)from the International Federation of the Red Cross Red Crescent (IFRC) and the amount of 16 Million Maloti was allocated to assist people who had their livelihoods affected by drought.” Said Mrs. Sebongile Hlobi, the project manager.
