News & Events

Carnival Night.

2010 started with two week long Camps in January, as the Sentebale 'Mamohato Camps and Network entered its third year of operations. This season 22 local camp staff and 10 clinic staff were trained to look after the children during Camp.

A total of 75 children aged 10 to 17 attended the two Camps; all the children were HIV positive patients on anti retroviral treatment from the Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation - Lesotho, the Bophelong Paediatric Clinic at Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, the Karabong Clinic at Mafeteng Hospital and a new partner, Tsepong clinic at the Motebang Hospital in Leribe.

In a fun, engaging environment, the campers were educated about HIV, how it is transmitted, and the importance of adhering to antiretroviral drugs, sexual and reproductive / healthy relationships, health, hygiene and nutrition. While being encouraged to express themselves and have fun, campers were taught important life skills needed to live emotionally and physically healthy lives.

Since Camp 'Mamohato serves HIV positive children, special sessions are designed to address living healthy lives with the virus. There is a nutrition session in which the children are taught the food groups and how to choose a balanced diet. There is also emphasis placed on the children's antiretroviral drugs and importance of adherence to medication. The doctors distribute medication to campers before breakfast and dinner everyday during camp.

First day at Camp.

All of the other camp activities - games, sport, art, craft and drama - focus on building positive characteristics and behaviour such as team work, leadership, healthy risk taking, self-expression and creativity. Staff members create a safe, encouraging environment meant to increase the children's self-esteem, confidence and assertiveness.

Towards the end of camp, campers are given the opportunity to express themselves in what have become the most popular camp events: cultural night and stage night. This year Carnival Night, a new addition to the evening program, allowed campers to decide what games they wanted to play which was very empowering for them. Campers are also given the opportunity to debrief each evening in their cabin groups through Mountain Meetings.

Staff members witness significant changes in the children throughout the camp. Campers who arrive at camp on the first day as shy, withdrawn, timid children, transform into confident, outgoing, happy children by the end of a session at camp.

This fourth season of Camp 'Mamohato was another great success. In both sessions, campers and counsellors developed strong friendships based on Camp 'Mamohato's three core values: safety, love and respect.

In this way, Camp 'Mamohato once again created an environment where HIV positive children can communicate openly with other children and adults; breaking the silence that surrounds HIV in Lesotho.