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A speech by Prince Harry at a reception to mark three years of Sentebale
1st July 2009
Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen.
I want to start by saying a huge thank you to everyone for coming along on such a beautiful African evening, to support Sentebale on its third anniversary.
Prince Seeiso and I founded Sentebale in memory of our mothers. They worked tirelessly to help the deprived and the afflicted and - in our own way - we aspire to follow their great example.
I am delighted to say that, three years on, the dedicated staff of Sentebale have so much to be proud of in helping to achieve this.
If I may say so - so do many of you here tonight. It is your generosity, your steadfast support that enables the charity to make the difference that it does. Seeiso and I are so grateful to you.
Lesotho is such a wonderful country, and is incredibly close to my heart. Beautiful as it is, though, its people battle devastating problems.
Unless we help Lesotho in its struggle to nurture and protect its children - and bring them hope for the future - the Basotho – this wonderful people - will be decimated and their society destroyed. It is a stark thing to say, but it is the truth.
This may sound a tall order, especially for a charity so small, but unless we think big, unless we are ambitious, nothing will change.
The poverty and the HIV/AIDS pandemic continue to ravage Lesotho unabated. Sentebale’s work and the principles that lie behind our founding vision – to transform the lives of orphans and vulnerable children – are more important, more critical than ever.
As Patrons, Prince Seeiso and I are incredibly proud of the difference Sentebale has made to so many children in just three short years.
Both of us are absolutely committed to what we are doing in Lesotho for as long as it takes. Sentebale means ‘forget me not’. I, for one, am not about to forget.
Thank you so much for coming this evening. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your support.