Letsema
Co-operative Working - Letsema
Sentebale is one organisation among many operating in Lesotho working to improve the lives of the Basotho children and adults. It is very evident that effective collaboration is key to making the biggest impact and this is why we established the Letsema network.
The Letsema initiative developed from a request to find out “who is doing what where with orphans and vulnerable children in Lesotho”. There are now over 325 organisations on the website and on average over 60 organisations meet on a monthly basis to share information at the Letsema Forum.
Letsema is a word in the language of Lesotho, Sesotho, meaning cooperative working. It is a network of service providers working with orphans and vulnerable children in Lesotho. The initiative is committed to fostering cooperation, collaboration and communication between all funders and service providers in Lesotho through the collection and dissemination of information.
Letsema accomplishes this through four main channels:
- Monthly partnership forums
- Quarterly newsletters
- A printed directory
- An information sharing website
The Letsema website www.letsema.org was launched in July 2007 and maps essential details of who does what, where in Lesotho. The website hosts an interactive map of Lesotho showing the locations of organisations, projects, hospitals, clinics, airfields and secondary schools. The purpose of the map is to show who is doing what work and where, while also mapping important services and facilities. With a focus on OVC care, stakeholders' locations are mapped and their project details are listed.
Letsema is designed to include all aid providers in Lesotho, from the major international grant-makers to the smaller NGOs, and from local service providers to government. Sentebale and UNICEF have collaborated to fund the work of Letsema.
Feedback:
“I want to tell you how I feel about Letsema. Encouraged. I feel encouraged because I now know we are not alone in the work we are doing to help children.”
Elizabeth Dabengwa, Ha Mantilatilane Child Rescue Centre
How can I get involved?
If you are a Lesotho service provider please help us to help you. We need as much detailed information about activity on the ground as you can provide. You can submit your organisations information through the website or email us with your details.
To share information and to find out more about the meetings and the Letsema network please contact us:
info@sentbale.org.ls
+266 2232 4673
Please go to www.letsema.org for more information about this project.
© Sentebale 2011