Higherlife Foundation Lesotho, Econet Telecom Lesotho’s social investment arm, on Monday this week announced the send off of two exceptional young scholars who have been awarded scholarships to further their studies at prestigious institutions of higher learning in the United States America.
The two scholars, Katleho Mokhele and Matlala Sefale, have been accepted to further their studies at Earlham College in Indiana and St. Lawrence University in New York, respectively. Katleho will be majoring in Psychology and Social Services, with a minor in Education while Matlala will be studying Data and Computer Science. These two have demonstrated remarkable academic excellence.
They have been selected to further their studies in fields that will equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to contribute in the development of Lesotho. Their scholarship is a testament to Higherlife Foundation Lesotho’s ongoing commitment to empowering the youth of Lesotho through education, mentorship, and leadership development.
Speaking at the event, Econet Telecom Lesotho’s chief executive officer, Dennis Plaatjies emphasized the importance of investing in education as a cornerstone for development in Lesotho.
“At Econet, we believe that education is the key to unlocking the potential of our youth and driving sustainable development in our country.Through the support of Higherlife Foundation Lesotho, we are proud to play a role in shaping the future leaders of Lesotho.
“Econet Telecom Lesotho, through Higherlife Foundation Lesotho, has been at the forefront of educational initiatives since 2011, providing scholarships, mentorship, and life skills training to thousands of students across Lesotho. Higherlife Foundation’s mission is to ensure that every young person in Lesotho has access to quality education and the opportunity to achieve their full potential,’’ Plaatjies said.
For his part, the minister of education and training, Ntoi Rapapa thanked Econet Telecom Lesotho’s support and underscored the government of Lesotho’s commitment to supporting educational initiatives that empower the youth and contribute to the nation’s growth.
“These scholarships represent a significant step in our collective efforts to uplift the education sector in Lesotho and provide our youth with the tools they need to contribute towards the country’s development agenda,” Rapapa said.
He added that the two should remember that they will be representing Econet as a brand, their country, districts, villages as well as their families. He urged them to avoid being timid in all aspects and participate in various things.
Apart from that Rapapa advised them to do their work confidently and ask questions where necessary because that country does not require passive people and as a result that may also open opportunities for them.
In her remarks, beneficiary Sefale said she has been a beneficiary of HigherLife Foundation since she was in high school at SoofiaInternational School. She thanked both entities for impacting their lives along with others. She said she wouldn’t be there if it wasn’t for the initiative that aims to send off Basotho children internationally.
As for Mokhele, she said she had also been sponsored by Higherlife Foundation since in highschool at St Stephen’s High. Mokhele said her academic journey wouldn’t have been possible without the foundation.
“Every step I have taken in my academic journey thus far, all credit goes to Higherlife Foundation and all the investment that they have made in my life. In reality the work that you are doing has such a meaningful impact in our lives,particularly in my own.
“I remember when I got the scholarship in 2017, I thought I was going to drop out of school and that I was not going to continue at all. However, this may seem like a lot of work which is sometimes overwhelming but it is so impactful and I have seen that in my life,” Mokhele said.
Since 2011, Econet through the HigherlifeFoundation has invested over M43 million in the education of Basotho. No less than 1,616 Basotho scholars have benefitted from HigherLife Foundation Lesotho’s Capernaum scholarships while 20 have benefited from the Moshoeshoe I scholarship since inception. Additionally, over M100 million has been committed across various facets of HighelifeFoundation interventions in Lesotho
