In the small secluded village of Lihlaoeleng in mountainous Thaba-Tseka district, 16-year old Koatho Bure would hardly finish her homework each night under the flickering light of kerosene lantern or wood fire.
This is a frustrating and exhausting routine that takes its toll on the eyes of most children growing up in the remote areas of Lesotho, affecting their focus and ability to succeed in schools.
For the grade nine learner and his family, based at Lihloaeleng in Mantšonyane constituency, modern conveniences like reliable energy are distant dreams and a novelty enjoyed by town and city dwellers.
But now, with the government’s commitment to electrify rural households, Bure and other learners have a glimpse of hope for improved school work due to the use of technological devices.
To them, having electricity means safer, more efficient lighting and the possibility of a refrigerators to preserve food, to cool the sweltering summer days and television to bring the world beyond their villages into their home.
These changes may soon become a reality for Bure and other 540 rural families in Mantšonyane; it is envisaged to usher in a new era of progress and possibilities.
Along with Lihloaeleng, Ha Noha, Ha Cheche, Ha Rankomo, Ha Moutloanyane, Ha ‘Muso, Lekhalong, Thoteng and Khohlong have finally been connected to the power grid, during a recent rural electrification project that started operating in 2021.
Joining these households in the electrification are the local Mantšonyane Police Station, an early childhood care and education (ECCD) centre and two primary schools which have also struggled without electricity for many years.
The schools also received gifts of one laptop, a printing machine, and recharged modems each, to improve children’s education.
Spearheaded by the ministry of energy and Rural Electrification Unit, the project was made possible through M31 million in funding from the government.
The beneficiaries of this project that was handed over to them on 26 July this year are already seeing the benefits that come with this new development, such as easy reading.
The ambitious project has brought unprecedented change to households that once struggled with dim glow of paraffin lamps and fire wood, providing both comfort and practical improvements in education and safety.
“Now that we have electricity, studying at night and doing my homework after completing other house chores would be simple. It was a struggle I had to endure.
“The light from the paraffin lamp, candle or sometimes fire wood was never enough but that was the only lights I had known all my life. My eyes would be painful when I read or wrote homework,” Bure said.
For the Mantšonyane community, electricity is more than just a flickering light bulb – it is a beacon of change, enlightening the path of a bright future.
The long-time dream of rural electrification began with a modest formation of a scheme among the villagers in 2009, starting with just 40 households.
The project was handed over to the community on Friday last week at Lihloaeleng in Mantšonyane constituency.
Ithateng Lihloaeleng Scheme advisory member, Setsebi Setsebi says each member started contributing as little as M50, paid in instalment to make a total of M2000.
Since then, the villagers have been patiently waiting for their households to be electrified, but it took years since the previous governments promised what never materialised.
Setsebi noted that when the current government came into office, they approached the prime minister who is also the Mantšonyane legislator, Sam Matekane, who assured them that their households would be connected with electricity.
Setsebi could hardly hide his excitement: “We are happy that now our dreams of having electricity have finally come true. We started pushing for electricity over 15 years ago.
“The previous administrations have been promising to electrify our households but their promises never materialised until the current member of parliament for this constituency heeded our grievance.
“We are enjoying this life and we are grateful to Ntate Matekane. He came into office and gave us our right. We also appreciate the contractor (Lesehe Construction) for dealing with this project in a very short period of time and providing jobs to local communities in the process,” he enthused.
Learners are not the only ones who are thrilled with the transformation. Parents too believe the presence of electricity will save them money and improve their livelihoods.
A villager of Thoteng, ‘Mabataung Lepolesa says having power will curb the property and livestock theft that they experience daily.
She pointed out that without electricity, communities relied on wood, paraffin and gas which they say are expensive and pose danger to their lives.
Lepolesa says with electricity, their children will now have access to the latest technology like computers at school, helping to improve their education and future prospects.
“This is the very first time we are having electricity in our area. We are happy that we are enjoying the dividends of democracy through this rural electrification project.
“Use and maintenance of electrical gadgets and appliances seemed an unfathomable idea. We had to walk all the way to a small town in Mantšonyane to charge cell phones. It was time consuming and very difficult to travel a long distance just to do this.
“Not only that, electricity is a basic need. Without it, animal and property theft had become increasingly rampant in this area. With electricity, we believe these crimes will be significantly reduced,” she said.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, premier Matekane recognised the significance of this milestone.
Matekane also acknowledged limited reach of electricity stating that 11 percent of the highlands are connected while 70 percent of the lowlands have access to electricity.
He noted that the availability of electricity would not only improve the quality of life for residents but also provide vital support for learners, enabling them to study more effectively.
He indicated that it was through partnership with international organisations, legislators and other stakeholders that the ministry of energy fulfills its mandate of connecting power to every household in the country.
Matekane also highlighted that the government was willing to work towards supporting local contractors in projects such as connecting electricity.
“Our vision is for every household in Lesotho to have access to electricity. We recognise that this is a crucial step towards development and progress and we will continue to invest in infrastructure and support initiatives like this one to bring the benefits of electricity to our people.
“The country has made great strides in rural electrification but there is still a long way to go. With the advent of electricity here, we are at 54 percent connectivity and we will continue to work towards our goal of universal access.
“It is evident that the government is committed to ending electricity poverty and with the projects commissioned across communities, we are getting closer to our goal of ensuring that standards of living are improved using clean, safe and reliable sources of power,” he said.
He further appealed to the community to protect the newly installed electricity infrastructure to avoid incurring unnecessary costs due to damaged material.
“This is a significant step forward for our communities, and we must do all we can to ensure the longevity and sustainability of this project.”
The minister of energy, Professor Nqosa Mahao, emphasised his ministry’s commitment to universal access to electricity by 2030.
He said his ministry’s energy policy aims to increase access to clean and affordable energy, promote energy efficiency and conservation, and enhance the country’s energy security.
Mahao explained that the cost of connecting each household to the grid was M57,400, with the government contributing a subsidy of M55,400, meaning that each household only had to pay M2,000 for the connection. “This responds to SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) No.7 which calls for clean energy. It is also aligned to the National Strategic Development Plan II (NSDP II),” he added.
