IOM Lesotho Office NEWSLETTER NO.1 2021
Covid-19 Sensitisation Campaign in Quthing
The campaign was organised in collaboration with National COVID-19 Secretariat (NACOSEC) and District COVID-19 Secretariat (DISCOSEC) led by Quthing District Administrator and was conducted in partnership with Migrant Workers Association (MWA).
Approximately 1,000 persons (50% women, 40% men and 10 % children) were sensitized through the campaign at the taxi rank, in villages and small towns. IEC materials containing Covid-19 messages including maintaining good hygiene, social distancing, wearing masks in public, avoiding large gatherings and cutting down on unnecessary travels as well as cloth masks were distributed. The campaign is also expected to cover the Qacha’s Nek and Mohale’s Hoek Districts.
During the Campaign at Quthing taxi rank. ©IOM 2021/Tsepo Molefi In an effort towards fight against COVID-19 pandemic and continuous need to sensitize populations on the riskof COVID-19 and educate the public, including both migrants and local communities on the key COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures, IOM Lesotho supported the Quthing District’s initiative on COVID-19 risk communication in the form of mobile van campaign on February 19 2021 at Quthing District. Distribution of IEC materials and masks during the Campaign at Quthing villages. ©IOM 2021/Tsepo Molefi
NewsletterNO.1 2021 1 In her remarks, Head of Office IOM Lesotho, Ms. Eriko Nishimura said; “COVID-19 is real and does not discriminate. It requires a collaborative fight, not focusing on the difference – returnees, local community, migrants (foreigner) etc, but a need to be united and fight against it together”.
Speaking on behalf of NACOSEC, Head of Risk Communication, Mr. Baroane Phenethi, congratulated Quthing District Administrator for his demonstration of leadership during COVID-19 crisis. He said that COVID-19 prevention is the key as the arrival ofthe vaccine would not necessarily ensure that everyone will be vaccinated all at once. He further shared that up to now, 59,408 people had been tested, 10,455 tested positive, and 285 had lost their lives.
In his address, District Administrator of Quthing, Mr. Head of Office IOM Lesotho, Ms. Eriko Nishimura presenting her speech during Motete Mokonyane thanked IOM for its support to the campaign. ©IOM 2021/Tsepo Molefi the district with various intervention including counter This activity was part of the project titled ‘Humanitarian trafficking, reintegration support, and now COVID-19 response to vulnerable and stranded migrants in Southern Sensitization. “Your recognition of the problems facing African region’ funded by the UK-Aid. our people of Quthing is truly appreciated. We thank you for this continuous partnership,” he said.
IOM Lesotho equip vulnerable returnees and youth with skills
Beneficiaries getting manufacturing skills training at CCEBS, preparing and bottling of aloe vera body lotion. ©IOM 2021/Tsepo Molefi
IOM Lesotho has been working closely with Ministry of members, as well as other extreme vulnerable youth Social Development (MoSD), District COVID-19 Secretariat in Mohales Hoek, Quthing and Qacha’s Nek districts (DISCOSEC) and District Disaster Management Team to provide skills training so that they can restore their (DDMT) to identify vulnerable returnees and their family livelihood.
NewsletterNO.1 2021 2 Different products manufactured by beneficiaries ©IOM 2021/Tsepo Molefi
A total of thirty (30) youths from Mohale’s Hoek and She quoted a famous proverb which says, “Give a man Qacha’s Nek districts have graduated at College of fish, you will feed him for a day, teach a man how to fish Cooperative, Entrepreneurship and Business Studies and you will feed him for a lifetime.” (CCEBS) in Mafeteng district for skills training, on 27 January and 22 February 2021. The trainees have acquired skills to manufacture hand sanitizers, body lotion, petroleum jelly, dried soup, beverage, dish washer and other items. The products are organic and made from locally available materials such as rose hip and aloe vera.
In his remarks, Director of CCEBS Mr. Khothalang Ramoorosi explained the importance of becoming producer and become entrepreneurs rather than waiting to be employed by somebody. He encouraged the students to be creative and bold as they became entrepreneurs. One of beneficiaries. ©IOM 2021/Tsepo Molefi Speaking at the occasion Head of Office IOM Lesotho, Ms A representative of graduates thanked IOM for the Eriko Nishimura said, “IOM’s one of the key mandates support which she said has truly impacted on their lives. is to ensure vulnerable migrants could be exposed to She said that they considered this training to be an honor life changing opportunities.” She further expressed her and a great privilege. She reflected on how some of them sincere appreciation to the UK Aid as donor and CCEBS as had previously crossed the border to South Africa often a committed partner. through unofficial channels in search of work. She finally said that this effort had brought them together and that because their group is from Qachas Nek, they were intent on forming a society that would help them market and sell their products.
United Kingdom High Commission representative, Ms. Lineo Tsikoane. ©IOM 2021/Tsepo Molefi On behalf of the United Kingdom High Commission in Lesotho, Ms. Lineo Tsikoane thanked IOM for the efforts to improve the lives of Basotho. When talking to the students, she said, “We hope you will be exemplary and IOM distributed dignity buckets to beneficiaries after receiving their that this training has truly improved your lives.” certificates. ©IOM 2021/Tsepo Molefi
NewsletterNO.1 2021 3 The skills training was supported by UK-Aid under the which IOM has been implementing as part of the project titled “Humanitarian response to vulnerable COVID-19 response and stranded migrants in Southern Africa region’’
NewsletterNO.1 2021 4 One of the beneficiaries shared her life story “I really thank God for this opportunity I got to be one of the selected people who received the skills training. This is going to change my life from where it was. For the past three (3) years, I have been earning my living by collecting wood for other people who can provide me with some little money to meet my daily need. I would sometime wash their clothes even under extreme weather conditions just to get something to earn my daily living, and some people would sometimes stigmatise me.
Having this opportunity to enrol in this training would enable me to create my own employment opportunity other than waiting to be employed by somebody else. At this point, would like thank donor UKaid, IOM and CCEBS for availing this opportunity to us, THANK YOU!”
IOM Handed over Crisis Shelter for Victims of Trafficking to the Ministry of Home Affairs
Minister of Home Affairs, Hon. Motlalentoa Letsosa and Head of Office IOM Lesotho, Ms. Eriko Nishimura cutting ribbon ©IOM 2021/Tsepo Molefi
On 12 February 2021, Under the project titled ‘’Counter BDS representative visited the shelter where the ribbon Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants through cutting took place to mark the handing over. The journey Victims of Trafficking (VoT) Crisis Shelter rehabilitation continued the Ministry of Home Affairs offices where the and building immigration department’s capacities in virtual press conference was held. Lesotho’’ funded by the Government of Japan and its people, IOM has rehabilitated the shelter to be used as In her speech, Ms. Eriko thanked the Government the permanent shelter to provide safety and security, and of Japan for its support, “At this juncture, I would rehabilitate VoTs in Lesotho. The rehabilitated shelter for like to express our sincere appreciation to our VoTs was handed over by IOM to the Ministry of Home donor, Government of Japan and its people, to have Affairs (MoHA). provided financial support to IOM which enabled us to support the rehabilitation of facility.” she said. During the ceremony, IOM, Ministry of Home Affairs and
Newsletter NO.1 2021 5 Minister of Home Affairs, Hon. Motlalentoa Letsosa signing Deed of Hon. Motlalentoa Letsosa, Ms. Eriko Nishimura and Hon. Maimane Donation. ©IOM 2021/Tsepo Molefi Maphathe ©IOM 2021/Tsepo Molefi Trafficked persons are often victims of abuse such as rape, IOM for implementing the rehabilitation of the facility. He torture, debt bondage, unlawful confinement, and threats said as a key ministry to tackle this human trafficking, as against their family or other persons close to them as a Minister, he had made tireless efforts towards counter well as other forms of physical, sexual and psychological trafficking for over the past 6 months, and the Cabinet violence. The demand for cheap labour, sexual services has established sub-committee to effectively tackle with and certain criminal activities are among the root causes human trafficking, which finally let to the approval of of trafficking while a lack of opportunity, resources and proposed amendment to the Anti Trafficking in Persons social standing are other contributing factors. law by the Cabinet.
Minister of Home Affairs, Hon. Motlalentoa Letsosa also To finalise the official handing over, Deed of Donation passed his special thanks to the Government of Japan was signed between IOM and Ministry of Home and its people for the generous gesture of funding and Affairs. IOM Provides Migration Data Literacy Training for Government Officials Lack of disaggregated, reliable, timely and comparable migration data for evidence-based policy making is a challenge that is facing a lot of IOM Southern African member states, Lesotho is not an exception. Under-utilization of data is also one factor that contributes to formulation of policies that are not backed by evidence. Lesotho has started addressing this challenge with support from IOM Development Fund (IDF). Government officials during Migration Data Literacy Training. ©IOM 2021/Tsepo Molefi To enhance evidence-based policy making and to promote demand of data by technocrats the coordination role of the Bureau of Statistics for timely who influence policy, IOM organized a three-day training data. The training was intended to build capacity of data on data literacy from 24 to 26 February 2021 for the producing ministries and institutions on the supply side National Consultative Committee on Migration (NCC) and of data and the NCC on the demand side for utilization of the Migration Data Working Group (MDWG). The working data in policy formulation. group forms a necessary institutional structure to support
NewsletterNO.1 2021 6 Lesotho Diaspora Engagement Project Wraps up Implementation Activities for Project Closure
The policy was developed with contributions from all stakeholders including a segment of diaspora in the Republic of South Africa. At this meeting, the committee also deliberated on the transition from project guided activities to full ownership of all diaspora engagement activities to the Government of Lesotho.
Beyond the project life span, a fully furnished Diaspora Directorate equipped with Information Technology equipment that include internet modems, laptops and portable hard drives should be staffed to coordinate diaspora engagement. A Basotho Diaspora Network of dedicated diaspora is in the process of registering an association to enable them to engage with their Diaspora technical committee. ©IOM 2021/Tsepo Molefi country in an organized manner. The ‘Enhancing Coordination and Strengthening Institutional Capacity to Effectively Engage with Basotho Diaspora’ project This group received a six days capacity building training has completed its final milestone and the Technical Working supported by IOM to equip them with the skills and Group met for its last meeting on 18 February 2021 to reflect knowledge they require to run a successful association. on the achievements of the project and lessons learned to Planning of handover ceremony of office furniture, inform future programming and sustainability beyond the laptops, printer and other equipment has been project. The meeting was attended by representative of resumed. Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE), Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA), Ministry of Finance (MoF), Ministry During deliberations of the meeting, Technical Working of Foreign Affairs and International Relations (MoFAIR), Group (TWG) members identified steps to be taken Lesotho National Development Corporation (LNDC), Botho to maintain the momentum of the committee’s University and the Lesotho Council of Higher Education. involvement in the project. One member applauded the commitment and dedication that the TWG showed The project reinvigorated past unsuccessful attempts by throughout project implementation. In her words she the government to engage the diaspora. Amongst the said, “This is one of the few success stories I have been major achievements of the project, worth to mention is the a part of, and I applaud the TWG for their efforts and involvement of Basotho medical diaspora who reached out commitment to this project”. to support their country to respond to COVID-19 pandemic. At the onset COVID-19 pandemic, IOM in collaboration with A number of good suggestions for sustainability of what medical professional diaspora facilitated access of in-country has been achieved came up and the most important health professionals to a telemedicine application to enable was to encourage the Government of Lesotho to quickly them to get advice on diagnosis of patients through online deploy Attachés in Lesotho missions abroad who are consultations with Basotho medical specialists in South capable of dealing with labour, trade and investment Africa. issues to support the Directorate.
Through this project, the Government of Lesotho was able The ‘Enhancing Coordination and Strengthening to develop and adopt its first National Diaspora Policy. Institutional Capacity to Effectively Engage with Basotho Three hundred copies of the policy have been printed to be Diaspora’ project was jointly implemented by IOM and distributed across the board, including Lesotho’s missions MoFAIR, and funded by IOM Development Fund (IDF). abroad.
NewsletterNO.1 2021 7 “MIGRATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL”
• Advocating for evidence-based policy to enhance migration management • Promoting migration and development including engaging diaspora for economic growth • Strengthening border security and immigration management to combat trafficking in Persons (TIP) • Promoting access to health services for migrants • Enhancing Migration Data Collection and Analysis for Evidence Based Policy Making
Partnerships for the goals
Peace, justice
and strong institutions
No poverty Life on land Zero hunger
Good health and well-being Life Below Water Quality SUSTAINABLE education
DEVELOPMENT Gender Climate action equality
Clean water G ALS and sanitation Responsible consumption Affordable and and production clean energy
and economicDecent work innovation and infrastructure
Sustainable Industry, cities and growth communities
Reduced
inequalities
IOM thanks the following donors:
IOM thanks the following implementing partners:
CONTACTS: For more information, please contact IOM Lesotho Assistant Communication Officer - [email protected]