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Prince Harry visits the Lesotho Child Counselling Unit

13th July 2008

Prince Harry today visited a project supported by Sentebale which looks after abused children in Lesotho. 

The Prince founded Sentebale with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006, after visiting the country in his gap year. 

He wanted to help look after vulnerable children, especially those orphaned by AIDS.

On this visit Prince Harry is visiting Lesotho with 26 soldiers from his regiment, the Household Cavalry (Blues and Royals), as part of an army expedition to rebuild a school for severely disabled children which is being partly funded by Sentebale.

Today, Prince Harry visited the new headquarters of a home for abused children which will become a national referral centre for their assessment and treatment.

Sentebale, which means forget-me-not in the local language, has contributed a third of the new building's £100,000 construction costs, with the remainder coming from a local bank.

Standing inside the centre built in the village of Ha Takalimane in northern Lesotho, Prince Harry said with pride: "As you can see, it's a fantastic building, especially compared to what they were last in.

"We're all very happy and it's got a fantastic board as well to make sure this place runs well.

"The vulnerable kids of Lesotho who need the help, need the shelter, will always be welcome here."

The centre was started by Lydia Muso, a former paediatric hospital worker who was driven by a need to help orphans and physically and sexually abused children, so began taking them into her own home in 2001.

When her house was destroyed by a fire she struggled to construct a proper replacement. 

Sentebale, Prince Harry’s charity, stepped in to help with funding and found a project manager.

Prince Harry said:  "This place is a shelter for children. They come in, they have their problems of whatever kind and they're looked after, then they are reunited with their families as soon as possible.

During his visit today Prince Harry joined eight children, who moved into their new home on 4th July, in the centre's central courtyard for some playtime fun.

Harper Brown, Sentebale's Country Director, gave his assessment of the extent of child abuse in Lesotho.

He said: "The biggest problem is the hidden abuse - we have no idea of its extent. What we see is just the tip of the iceberg."

The Director, who has a number of his staff on the centre's board, said non-governmental organisations were working with the home's management team and the Lesotho authorities to regularise the assessment of children and set up a national referral system.

Mr Brown said: "Our role is enabling in terms of funding and support. We put in about 60 per cent of the running costs - assessment and treatment element. But we are still looking for funding for the prevention and follow-up."

He added that with the support of Sentebale it was hoped the centre's board would eventually set up initiatives to raise all its own funds.

Praising the centre's founder who was fundraising in America, Mr Brown said: "It was her vision, she was just committed to helping children who were abused both physically and sexually.

"For the last six to seven years she was looking after children in her own house."

The centre assesses and treats mostly girls who have an average age of 12 to 13.

They are usually orphans who have lost their parents to AIDS which has infected about 30 per cent of Lesotho's adult population.

Up to 40 youngsters can be housed in the single-storey complex which has a traditional Lesotho thatched roof and provides dormitories for girls and boys, a playroom used for counselling to put the youngsters at ease, office space and a dining hall.

Click here to visit the Sentebale website.

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