LHDA Strengthens Public Health and Education through Major Donations across Polihali and Phase II Programmes

The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA) has reinforced its commitment to community well‑being with two landmark donation events—one at its Polihali branch and another under the LHWP Phase II Public Health Action Plan (PHAP). Together, these initiatives supplied invaluable resources to both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education and Training, targeting critical challenges such as malnutrition, teenage pregnancy, school dropouts and limited access to health information in project‑affected areas.

Polihali Operations Branch Manager Mr Gerard Mokone led a handover of hygiene kits, nutritional supplements, sanitary products, school materials and five electric wheelchairs to the two ministries. Mokone underscored LHDA’s people‑centered approach: “Development is not just about infrastructure but about improving lives. By partnering with Health and Education, we can tackle interconnected issues—when a girl drops out due to early pregnancy or a child struggles to learn because of hunger, it affects the whole community.”

These donations will bolster rural outreach programmes, support girls’ health and attendance, and provide mobility for individuals with disabilities. Representatives from both ministries praised LHDA’s proactive collaboration, noting that supplies like menstrual hygiene products and stationery are proven to reduce absenteeism and improve student performance, while nutritional and hygiene items enhance maternal and child health outcomes.

Building on Polihali’s momentum, LHDA’s LHWP II PHAP handover included 90 000 Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials and 427 pairs of hiking boots for Village Health Workers (VHWs), alongside laptops and weighing scales destined for eleven high schools in the School Health Programme. The IEC resources—covering nutrition, reproductive health, hygiene and disease prevention—were co‑created with the Ministry of Health’s Health Education Department and partners such as Lesotho Planned Parenthood Association, Baylor and SolidarMed. Cultural and language experts validated the content for clarity and relevance.

The Director of Primary Health Care welcomed these materials as a direct response to the national call for greater investment in disease prevention. “Empowering communities with knowledge is the foundation of resilient health systems,” he said, noting that the boots will enable VHWs to safely reach remote families.

On the education side, the Chief Education Officer for Secondary Education commended the laptops and weighing scales for aligning with the School Health and Nutrition Policy, which prioritises psychosocial support, reproductive health education and nutrition monitoring. “These tools will help our schools provide holistic care, ensuring students are healthy, supported and ready to learn,” she remarked.

These dual efforts form part of LHDA’s broader Social Development Programme. By delivering targeted interventions at Polihali and through LHWP II, LHDA demonstrates how public‑private cooperation can address social challenges—improving health outcomes, reducing school dropouts, and fostering long‑term resilience in the communities surrounding the water project.