The Princes in Lesotho
Prince Harry visited Lesotho for the first time during his gap year in 2004. He arrived in the capital Maseru on 13th February 2004 as the guest of Lesotho's Prince Seeiso.
During his visit, Prince Seeiso ensured that Prince Harry got to see the whole country and immersed himself in getting to know the Kingdom and its people.
For the first few weeks Prince Harry got stuck into a number of building projects. He helped assemble the foundations of a new health clinic near Mokhotlong, assisted with the completion of a road bridge over the Sangebethu river, planted trees with local school children to aid land conservation and built a cattle post in the hills.
He also dug trenches to divert water away from crop fields at Ha Moeketsane, where he also spent time sowing vegetable seeds for an orphanage's garden.
Prince Seeiso introduced Prince Harry to the social and health problems faced by families in Lesotho by introducing him to various children's homes and community projects.
The Princes saw the extent of the AIDS pandemic first hand as they accompanied a local doctor in the village of Matsieng on his rounds, and during their time visiting villages in the mountains.
Prince Harry spent a week at the Mants'ase Children's Home near Mohale's Hoek.
As well as planting trees at the orphanage, painting and decorating sleeping areas and helping with the erection of the security fence, there was lots of time for play and Prince Harry taught the children to play touch rugby.
There was more time for sport when the Princes joined thousands of local football fans in Maseru at the Lesotho v Botswana international - sadly for Lesotho the 'Crocodiles' lost on penalties after a 0-0 draw.
Other projects the Princes visited and spent time with are the Lesotho Child Counselling Unit, St Bernadette's - Resource Centre for the Blind, ThusoE Tla Tsoa Kae Buthe Buthe, and The Good Shepherd Centre for Teenage Mothers.
Prince Seeiso took Prince Harry deep into the highland areas of Lesotho - much of it only accessible by pony or on foot.
At Prince Seeiso's cattle post they met a group of herd boys who spend months at a time isolated in the most inhospitable parts of the mountains working with livestock. These boys are completely cut off from normal schooling and education about vital issues like AIDs.
With Prince Seeiso as his expert guide, Prince Harry also saw some of Lesotho's popular sights - the Katse Dam, the Sani Pass and the Ts'ehlanyane Nature Reserve.
During his time in Lesotho, Prince Harry made the documentary 'The Forgotten Kingdom: Prince Harry in Lesotho' which raised over £500,000 from the general public for a fund initially administered by the British Red Cross in Lesotho.
All of the projects visited by the two Princes subsequently received grants from the British Red Cross Lesotho Fund and some still work with Sentebale today.
Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso continue to return to Lesotho and visit projects that Senteble support, as well as looking at other areas where they might be able to help.
© Sentebale 2007
