How We Work
Sentebale's work in Lesotho has two main strands to it:
a) Programme Development work where we work with Government and other International NGOs to improve the lives of orphans and vulnerable children, by lobbying for change and by helping to build partnerships to increase our collective effectiveness.
b) Work with local Partners.
- The aim of each of our Partnerships is to increase the range, effectiveness and sustainability of the organisation's impact on the lives of children and young people.
- We base our work on four Strategic Themes which are outlined below.
- Our Partners are grass roots organisations selected as doing, or having the potential to do, exceptional, innovative and cost-effective work in providing services for orphans and vulnerable children in Lesotho.
- Often the emphasis is on identifying outstanding individuals - people who, although their organisations might be at an embryonic stage of development, have the courage, passion and ability to really make a difference.
- Typically our partners have little or no recurrent funding and exist on the voluntary efforts of energetic, entrepreneurial leaders in their communities and occasional grants or assistance in kind from local businesses, individuals, churches, overseas aid organisations or government.
Sentebale invests significant time and money in each selected partner for:
- Long term support of the core costs of providing services for children and young people.
- Funding of capital projects designed to improve those services
- Management training
- Support of management structures
We do not accept grant applications. We award funding based on our own research and reconnaissance by Sentebale staff in Lesotho.
Management Support
- In order to become a Sentebale partner and receive guaranteed operating funds the existing operation must be willing to develop good management and accounting practices. Through our Partnership Management work we are committed to assisting such organisations to build their capacity so their activities can be put on a firm and transparent footing.
- Donors must be able to see not only where their money is going but also what it is achieving. Sentebale helps Partners to develop and administer their management and accounting procedures, and monitors and evaluates all its partners so that it is clear not just how many children are being cared for, but how well those children are doing.
All funding for projects and partnerships is tied to a business plan and linked to monitoring and evaluation systems designed to assess and measure the effectiveness of work carried out.
Strategic Themes
Sentebale's framework for developing partnerships and managing projects to address the main issues for Lesotho's OVC is based on four key strategic themes:
HIV / AIDS: This is a preventable condition and the levels of infection should not be increasing. With treatment, infection and death rates can be reduced, especially amongst children. This is a critical area for us to address and through our projects and partners we aim to make sure that children receive the treatment they need, and educate them about this ultimately preventable disease.
Integrated Community Care: This is the most effective and efficient way to improve and transform the lives of OVC within communities. Through creating partnerships between different service providers and local communities, using existing Basotho structures such as Chiefs and local government, effective care and support will reach the right places. Our approach to achieve this is thoughtful and effective co-ordination of NGOs and local services.
Special Needs: This is the focus of care on the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children, some who have grown up in institutions with little or no resources to give them hope for an independent future. Through helping these existing institutions and working with communities towards the integration of disabled children into mainstream schools and society, their quality of life can be dramatically improved.
Vocational Training: There is a gap in the provision of training in Lesotho for children from the age of 13 upwards and in particular for OVCs. With around over 200,000 children from the age of 13 out of school and with nothing to do, there are major social and economic implications. These children offer a pool of talent for skills and development projects, and if offered the right training, could have positive and hopeful futures. Through increasing the availability of vocational training, Lesotho's children will have a brighter future and the economic and social situation will benefit.
In addition to work under these four themes, Sentebale administers a small number of smaller-scale, one-off grants to special projects, and sometimes provides seed money to innovative local leaders seeking to better the lives of orphans and vulnerable children.
Read on for our Sentebale Strategic Partnership Framework
Go to Our Approach
© Sentebale 2007
