Lesotho: Kopano ke Matla Toantsong ea Bofuma
(Unity is strength in the fight against poverty)

Our vision
The vision of the network is to work toward the transformation of Lesotho into a nation where people have access to their fundamental human needs.

Our mission
The mission of the network is to have a program of action, which is aimed at sensitizing people through organizations about the challenges of poverty, ascertaining root causes of poverty, examining the allocation of resources in Lesotho and participating in poverty reduction initiatives.

The Lesotho Joining Hands Network invites churches, ecumenical institutions, non-governmental and community-based organizations to participate as members and partners.

Participants in a workshop during KKMTBL general assembly. Photo by Bob Franklyn

Analysis of root causes of poverty in Lesotho

• Lack of knowledge of agricultural alternatives
• HIV/AIDS
• Failings of the educational system in Lesotho
• Theft of livestock
• Lack of cooperation and partnership - Basotho concept of matsema

Agriculture solutions

• Training of community trainers in alternative methods
• Promote use of unutilized arable land as only one-tenth of land is useful for agriculture
• Influence government to consider agricultural coping mechanisms in poverty reduction policies

Current focus of Network activities and campaigns is food sovereignty and HIV/AIDS

• Indigenous seed selection and multiplication.
• Researching the impact of GMOs (genetically modified organisms) on agricultural methods and its influence on poverty, locally and globally.
• Developing programs for food storage (community granaries)