Young entrepreneurs rise to the Covid-19 challenge in Lesotho

Since the beginning of this year, countries around the world have been facing unbearable health and social emergencies due to the global Covid-19 pandemic. In the most vulnerable countries, millions of people do not have access to critical life-saving supplies and basic primary health facilities for hand sanitation. The Water and Sanitation policy of 2007 states that “all Basotho are entitled to have access to a sustainable supply of potable water and to the provision of basic sanitation services at an affordable cost.”

Standing by the policy rise was commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme to make 65 hand wash stations for the Ministry of Health and Maseru City Council to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in Lesotho.  The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) had learnt about the excellent work that had been done by our in loco alumni in making and distributing hand-wash stations earlier in the year when an NGO called Sepheo had commissioned rise to make and install 10 emergency hand-wash stations in the Motimposo communities in Maseru, Lesotho.

Ten in loco alumni who started their own company called xyz collaborative constructed and distributed 65 hand wash stations. Fifteen for Maseru City Council for both taxi and bus stop areas and 50 for the Ministry of Health which would be installed in clinics and hospitals all over the country.

This project was completed in just 5 months and the UNDP hosted a hand over ceremony in Maseru, Lesotho to recognise and appreciate the work of rise, and to introduce the use of these hand wash stations to the community.

Subsequently, UNICEF Lesotho commissioned rise to build another 40 hand wash stations for health clinics and facilities in all 10 districts of Lesotho to some of the most remote and hard to reach areas of the Mountain Kingdom.