Humanitarian organizations help drought-hit people in Lesotho

A worsening drought in Lesotho has prompted some humanitarian organisations to intervene by assisting a growing number of people who are facing starvation.

The World Food Programme (WFP) is partnering with the Lesotho government to feed 250, 000 children in primary schools and 50, 000 in early childhood centres, WFP representative and country director in Lesotho, Mary Njoroge said.

The children are given porridge, beans, fish and papa (thick porridge), she said.

Lesotho, which is experiencing one of its worst droughts, has had two successive poor harvests.

Njoroge said the food given to children is encouraging them to go to school.

Some children were going to school on empty stomachs resulting in some dropping from school, she said.

She expressed fear that maternal deaths, which are currently at 1,143 deaths per 100, 000 live births might increase.

The WFP said there have been water bone diseases like typhoid, dysentery, cholera and heat rash.

The government of China is a partner in these projects, with a 500,000 U.S. dollar contribution, she said.

This contribution has benefited 15,000 people, Njoroge said.

With outside asistance, local people have been mobilized to build contour terracing and rehabilitated gullies, and grow trees and vegetables.

Sixty-year-old Tsoelinyene Tsoelinyene, a foreman at the site, told Xinhua that the villages have benefited from the projects.

He said, "The projects benefit us a lot and we can now plant vegetables. People and our livestock are also getting some water from these tanks."

Dr Tesfaye Shiferaw, the UNICEF representative in Lesotho, said the situation requires immediate aid to help over 500, 000 people in need of food.

"We are also helping the country with assessment of the situation and response mechanism.

Lesotho Prime Minister Pakalitha Msilili has declared a state of emergency and appealed to the International community for immediate assistance.

Matseliso Senghi, acting principal of Silioe primary school, said his school has benefited from the WFP programme.

The WFP feeding programme is encouraging some children to come to school.

The principal said some learners stay with their grand parents who cannot provide food, some can no longer participate in school activities and some cannot concentrate while being taught because of hunger.

There have been growing calls from humanitarian organisations for immediate assistance to avert malnutrition, hunger and deaths. Endit