Eyes of Africa News

26/08/2024

05/04/2024

MASERU

Director of Hands of Life Youth Centerofficially donated a bicycle to Bam Group Foundation in the morning hours today in Maseru Lesotho, Tshepo Nkhabu was inspired by the good work done by Informative which includes covering youth and sports stories, he wanted to give courage to the company and inspire more newspapers and media to continue airing quality news. In his speech, Tshepo acknowledged the outstanding reporting skills of the two staff members at Informative - Thandiwe Kubere and Koena Mokobocho whose writing style is the reason the company is receiving the bike. In closing, Tshepo indicated that the bike can be used for many benefits, such as delivering newspapers, shopping, traffic reporting, or exercise, furthermore, he mentioned that it is time for the Bam Group Foundation to consider green energy and reduce local traveling expenses by using bikes. It was at this event that Tshepo asked Informative to be the first newspaper to cover the second edition of the Lesotho Youth Summit.

23/01/2024

CHEERS TO ALL YOUNG CHANGE MAKERS!
This week, we look at how cycling is impacting lives, and how young people are taking a step to solving the social challenges in their communities.
In Lesotho, in the district of Mohale`s Hoek, the Hands of Life Youth Center alumnus, Tokelo Sehlatsana, is changing lives by creating a safe space for youth to gather after school and on holidays, using cycling as a modality to create positive dialogues with the youth.
Tokelo`s organization Red Hoek Cycles, has recently received a shipment of over 120 bicycles sourced from the United States.
Some of the bicycles have already been donated to St Camillus child care center in his community and they will be used to educate children on cycling and bike maintenance.
To ensure a sustainable supply chain of bicycles within the Mohale`s-Hoek community and Lesotho, a portion of the acquired bicycles will be sold and the proceeds from the sales will contribute to financing S.t Camillus Child Center as well as bring the next shipment of bikes.
Behind the wheel of this successful arrangement, is Joel Hellenkamp who lives in Tacoma, D.C, who started a fundraising campaign and the facilitation of the shipment of the bicycles, and accessories.
Tokelo`s journey with Hands of Life Youth Center started in 2015, he was invited by the founder of the organization Mr. Tshepo Nkhabu Cycles who recognized his passion for cycling during the organization` outreach campaign that was held in Mohale`s Hoek town in 2015, and so far, Tokelo has participated in various international exchange programs, including a 6 - weeks child care and mentoring initiative held in Bloemfontein at Onskiderhuis in 2019.
Additionally, Tokelo has engaged in a 2-year camping and bike works program facilitated by Hands of Life from 2019 - 2022, alongside participation in the Cycle4Inclusion and Cycle4SDGs Africa initiatives—both generously funded by the UNDP Lesotho between 2020 and 2023.
Inspired by his experiences and driven by a passion for community development, Tokelo aspires to establish a bike-powered youth center. The center will serve as a hub for his peers to learn, collaborate, and collectively explore solutions to the challenges facing today's youth. Tokelo`s actions remind us to be steady in the journey of leadership and inspire us to work hard and create more leaders who can realize the challenges around them and create sustainable solutions.

21/11/2023

LESOTHO

Empowering Lesotho's Youth: Tshepo Nkhabu's Hands of Life Youth Cycling Organization Leads the Way

Maseru, Lesotho - In a remarkable journey fueled by passion and a love for cycling, Tshepo Nkhabu, a young visionary from Mafeteng, Lesotho, has successfully founded the Hands of Life Youth Cycling organization. This initiative goes beyond the pedals, focusing on imparting life skills, leadership, and HIV prevention messaging to the youth of Lesotho.

Tshepo's journey began in 2012 when he received his first bicycle. He envisioned using cycling as a means to create a safe space for young people to gather, learn, and discuss solutions to their challenges.

Having participated in the Youth Connekt Summits in Rwanda in 2019 and Ghana in 2021, Tshepo found inspiration that would shape the course of his mission. Motivated by the desire to bring the summit experience to Lesotho, he faced numerous challenges but remained undeterred in his pursuit.

The culmination of his efforts materialized in the form of the first Lesotho Youth Summit, held from October 5-7, 2023, at the Victoria Hotel in Maseru. The summit served as a platform for over 500 young minds to engage in meaningful discussions on democracy, leadership, climate change, and the unique challenges facing the youth.

What started as a personal dream for Tshepo soon gained momentum as key organizations rallied behind his cause. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP Lesotho), Metropolitan Lesotho, Department of Youth Lesotho, U.S. Embassy Maseru,, and overseas entities like Having P.U.R.P.O.S.E Inc., joined hands to support the initiative. Among the international supporters was Tshepo's close friend from Wales, Caroline Neuddeg.

The Lesotho Youth Summit featured an array of speakers from both local and international backgrounds, further enriching the exchange of ideas and perspectives. Tshepo's once seemingly impossible dream transformed into a tangible reality.

The impact of Tshepo Nkhabu's Hands of Life Youth Cycling organization and the Lesotho Youth Summit extends beyond the event itself. It serves as a testament to the power of determination and community support in creating positive change for the youth of Lesotho. As Tshepo continues to pedal forward, he remains a shining example of how one individual's passion can ignite a transformative journey for an entire community.

Links www.lesothoyouthsummit.org
www.handsoflifecycling.org

31/10/2023

The Rotary Club of Maluti was part of the congregation that attended the first Lesotho Youth Summit, see the speech by the president in a shared item below.

What an honor to be part of the 2023 Lesotho Youth Summit under the theme "Empowering Youth to Greatness"

In her speech our President Mrs Ade Lekoetje echoed that Sustainable Development calls for the engagement of everyone, particularly youth. All should work together towards the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

She iterated that as the emerging leaders and force for change for a better, more developed and peaceful world, the youth must own the SDGs. She further highlighted that the Rotary focus areas are very much complimentary to the 17 SDGs and the National Strategic Development plan.

Over and above that, under the Rotary International we have Youth service that focus attention on Youth empowerment and Young professionals through Leadership Development programs. These programs are meant to help the Youth to become strong contributors in their communities.

They include:

-Rotary Scholarships
-Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA)
-Rotary Youth Exchange
-New Generations Service Exchange

We invite you to learn more about the many opportunities Rotary offers in order to make a positive impact in communities we live in.

Our meetings are held every Wednesday from 5:30pm, at Avani Maseru.

23/10/2023

News in the Kingdom’s capital:

The Government of Lesotho through the Ministry of Information, Communication, Science and Technology jointly with the Ministry of Gender, Youth, Sports, Culture and Social Development with the support of UNDP Lesotho, has today launched the “STEAM Conference” pitching session for the top 51 innovators.

This event held in Maseru at the Manthabiseng Convention Center is an initiative for youth to showcase their talent and attract investments, business coaching, and mentorship for their innovations.

06/09/2023

𝙇𝙀𝙎𝙊𝙏𝙃𝙊 𝙔𝙊𝙐𝙏𝙃 𝙎𝙐𝙈𝙈𝙄𝙏 05-07 October, 2023
Likhomo Basotho.
LYS e lets`olong la ho ngolisa bacha ba pakeng tsa 18 -35 ka lilemo bakeng sa mmoka o moholo, "Lesotho Youth Summit", o tla ba ka la 5-7 Mphalane 2023 Maseru, mmoka ona e tlaba oa bacha ba 500. Sepheho sa mmoka ke ho fa bacha sethala sa ho tsebana le bacha ba bang (networking), ho matlafatsana ka litsebo tsa nts`etso pele ea mesebetsi e amanang le ntlafatso le kholo ea bacha(youth development & empowerment).Bohle ba tlohang libakeng tse hole ba tla lefelloa maroko le bolulo nakong ea Matsatsi a mararo a Mmoka/Summit. Ho boetse ho tlaba le tlholisano (Pitching) eo bacha ba ka e kenelang nakong ea mmoka, `me limpho li tla fanoa ho bahloli. Ngolisa hona joale ho nka karolo, PENYA link ena ho ngolisa http://64a1968775cac.site123.me/
Tobetsa "APPLY TO ATTEND BUTTON" ke eona ea ngoliso. Morero ona o tsehelitsoe ke Lekala la bacha (Department of Youth) le UNDP Lesotho, Having Purpose Inc. le Informative Newspaper

27/08/2023

Innovation News.
Today’s Cycle4Inclusion reveals Mosae Mosae, a 24-year-old innovative gentleman who lives in Mohale’s Hoek. Mosae’s city bike company can be a response to air pollution in urban areas. City Bikes seeks to address the increasing need for sustainable transportation solutions within CBD areas, offering high-quality bicycles for rent. The company promotes Sustainable mobility options to battle traffic congestion and contributes to a healthier and eco-friendly way to travel within the CBD. This idea also contributes to sustainable development goals such as SDG 3, 13 7, 9, and 10.

25/08/2023

Hands of Life- Cycling Continues to ride bicycles into remote areas of Lesotho to discover more youth talents, today`s discovery reveals Motlatsi Lesaoana from Mohale`s Hoek, a 24 years old young man who has had a chance to study computer science in Lesotho and in Algeria. Motlatsi used his skills to develop a drone that can used to examine land quality, especially land that can be used for agricultural activities.

25/08/2023

Ramohau Khetsi(33), based in Mohale`s Hoek has skills in arts and crafts and has created many art sculptures using clay and paper to create these stunning objects. Ramohau is also a self-taught artist and has been in this field for over 15 years to date.

23/08/2023

Boneswa Banda from Mokhotlong, uses wool to make drawings on fabrics materials.

23/08/2023

Mannyeli Sesioane,(18), Mohale’s Hoek , creates house plans.

23/08/2023

Arabang Semethe (19), Mokhotlong , uses wool to make colourful jerseys.

23/08/2023

Lira Nalana, aged 29 , Mafeteng, uses his self tought designing skills to make tomb stones from pure local rocks.

23/08/2023

Neo Lelotho 19 years from Berea , uses copper wire to create shapes true to nature such as tree structures.

23/08/2023

Khabane Mojaki 17 creates artwork and graffiti… he’s based in Quthing.

23/08/2023

Teboho Luka,aged 34, makes stone cutting machine and a mill.