Our staff is collaborating with our partners in Lesotho, the Lesotho Ministry of Education and Training and US Peace Corps, Lesotho, to bring you updates on the libraries and communities we serve and how they have been affected by the novel coronavirus.
Spreading Literacy During COVID-19: Despite the pandemic, our team will continue to work hard to put books into the hands of students who need them most. One of our supporters, Monica Letsoha, partnered with the Lesotho Department of Information and Broadcasting to read over the air each Saturday, showcasing no matter how much social distancing there is reading is always necessary and welcome.
Updates on our work in Lesotho: Schools are now able to receive ALP-donated books after lockdowns due to COVID-19. Our 2020 Lesotho container deadline is still pending. To stay updated on our active container deadlines, subscribe to our newsletter.
Despite the pending container status, our work in Lesotho isn’t done. Our Best Practices Summit this year is a perfect example of that, where we came together to set up four libraries, connected with the people who make our work sustainable and participated in community-driven workshops and panels. View more of our Best Practices Summit.
An update from our African Partner Monica Letsoha at Botho University, Lesotho:
How has COVID-19 affected your work?
COVID 19 has affected my work too much because since march after Lesotho Summit schools were closed due to lockdown. the schools were closed before the books can be collected from the warehouse to respective schools.This has affected my work so much because the books have been at warehouse more that three months, it when the lockdown was liften since the schools are closed it cost me to regularly go to ware house, check the schools who have not pick the books, call the principals, to collect the books, some numbers were not available,have to ask other people numbers that’s cost in terms of money and time.Also I have to consistently go to warehouse and check.if it was not COVID I will be doing monitoring and evaluation by visiting schools and check how library is operating and if the books have been used.
How has COVID-19 affected how you communicate with school facilities and school libraries, and/or how are you continuing your work on the ground during this time?
It has affected the communication because some people went back to their residential areas which is rural and have no network. Communication have been difficult unlike when the schools are opened, communication was easy then
What are ways we can encourage children to read even when schools are closed?
I am reading to the children over the radio.
List of COVID-19 Resources – Lesotho
- Government of Lesotho
- The World Bank, Lesotho COVID-19 Emergency Preparedness and Response Project
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Lesotho Traveler View