News & Events

Sentebale has collaborated with the Association of Hole in the Wall Camps from America to organise Camp 'Mamohato, a week long camp for children who are HIV positive and are receiving treatment.

Named after the late Queen 'Mamohato, who had a strong vision of looking after the children of Lesotho, the aim of the camp was to empower children with communication and life skills and help them to deal and live with their HIV status.

From January 14th to the 18th, thirty two children from the Maseru district attended Camp 'Mamohato in Morija. The children aged 12 to 18 were referred from ARV treatment centres the Baylor Clinic and Bophelong Paediatric Clinic at Queen Elizabeth II Hospital.

Hole in the Wall Camps are the world's largest family of camps for children with serious illnesses and life threatening conditions. Started in 1988 by the actor Paul Newman, the camps have looked after more than 114,000 children; this is their first visit to Lesotho.

In collaboration with Sentebale, this camp was set up to provide much needed education about living with HIV for children in Lesotho and to offer them a safe, loving and respectful environment.

The children spent the week playing games and sport, learning about arts, crafts, drama, first aid and life skills. Staff at the camps had received five days of intensive training from Hole in the Wall Consultants, and doctors, nurses and social workers from the clinics were actively involved in the camp alongside their patients.

The camp activities taught the children about HIV and its transmission, and the importance of anti-retro viral drugs in treating it. Amid the games and fun, the children were taught how to live emotionally and physically healthy lives. It was also a great opportunity for them to make friends with others in the same situation to themselves.

Sister 'Mathabiso Klaas has been a nurse for 19 years and has worked at Bophelong Clinic since it was established in August 2005. 13 of the children at the camp are her patients. She could see the positive effect of the camp on the children, both physically and with their communication skills:

'The camp has taught the children to be more expressive and confident. The children have gained a wealth of knowledge pertaining to HIV and the importance of commitment to treatment'.

The Sister could see the benefits of physical exercise and three nutritionally balanced meals a day on the children while at the camps. During the camp each child took their ARVs (and in some cases TB medication also) under supervision. Doctors from the Baylor Clinic, who work regularly with the children, noticed the dramatic difference in them and how they have become 'children not just living with HIV, but kids with HIV living happy, productive, fun, long healthy lives',

All of those involved in the camps saw a positive change in the children. As one of the children said; 'The camp has shown us that we can now be more comfortable with each other. We have realised that we have long lives to live and that we can share what we've learned with other children that we meet'.

Camps like these could not be more needed in Lesotho where the HIV/AIDS pandemic continues to spread; yet there is little education for the children and the stigma of the diseases means that people are reluctant to admit their status and get treatment.

To continue the positive work of Camp 'Mamohato, Sentebale plans to establish a youth network where children from the camp continue to meet and communicate on a regular basis. Camp reunions and fun days have the potential to transform HIV education through child-to-child communication, as the relationships from the camp are continued and the children are educated and supported through their illness.