Catholic Relief Services–CRS

Core Activities:

Catholic Relief Services are the official international relief and development agency of the US Catholic community. CRS works in over 30 countries throughout Africa by working in the areas of food security, peace building, HIV/AIDS, civil society building, Emergency Response and health among others. In Lesotho, as in many other countries, it works through local partners – principally the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace and Caritas.

Activities in Lesotho:

• Trainings on home gardens (Keyhole, trench, and conservation farming techniques) to community member.
• Provision of starter seeds, garden tools, and frost covers to community members.
• Dietary diversity and nutrition trainings to community members.
• Development of Community Fundraising Mechanisms (CFMs).
• Development of Savings and Internal Lending Committees (SILC) for community members.
• Resource Exchanges for secondary school students.
• Distribution of school uniforms and shoes to primary school students.
• Awareness raising with community leaders on the importance of education for children.
• Gender awareness training–rights of women and girls.
• Life Skills Camps
• Men’s Pitsos (gatherings) for OVC awareness.
• Development of youth discussion clubs.
• Psychosocial care and support training for teachers, resource facilitators and education volunteers.
• Conflict resolution trainings for community leaders, teachers, CBOs, resource facilitators and education volunteers.
• Child protection trainings for community leaders, teachers, CBOs, resource facilitators and education volunteers.
• Development of Matsema groups–social cohesion formation.

Future Plans:

Expand to all 10 LFDS health clinic areas

Funding:

-National AIDS Commission
-Irish Aid
-CRS
-Private Donations

This organisation’s info updated on: Tue, Oct 6, 2009. Please disregard the date below.