Starlight Oasis of Hope Hospice
In October our partner , Starlight Oasis of Hope Hospice (SOHH) took two significant steps forward in its programme to make palliative care more widely available in Lesotho.
On 30th October Her Majesty Queen Masenate Mohato Seeiso turned the first sod of earth at the site of the planned Day Centre for people with life limiting illness at Maqhaka a few kilometers outside Maseru. She operated a large mechanical digger for the first time in her life. Her Majesty stressed the importance of the service SOHH plans to support. At the event attended by local dignitaries including local chiefs, and the Country representative for the World Health organisation the founder Mme Tebello Malichaba Lepheane and the Chair of the Board, Paul Myres (also Vice president of Dolen Cymru Lesotho) gave speeches and received a cheque for 1.9 Maluti (about £85,000) from the Deputy Chief Exec of Lesotho Standard Bank. This was raised at a fundraising event at the end of 2023.
The following week SOHH provided its first face to face training event to twenty two health professionals in Maseru with the support of the Ministry of Health. This was delivered by trainers from UK charity , Palliative Care Works (PCW) with Mme Tebello. There were five teams of 3 or 4 from five hospitals and two social workers from Mohlomi Mental Health Hospital. Despite unfamiliarity with the very interactive and reflective mode of teaching , there was enthusiastic attendance, engagement and strong action plans produced on the last day to raise awareness, create change in mindsets and boost confidence in their places of work. SOHH and PCW have set up an online session for those who attended just before Christmas to see how they are getting on. Further training will be provided in February for two further groups of 24 including some tutors from health training colleges
SOHH continued to meet with government officials to maintain the necessary co-operation and with potential corporate sponsors. A further successful fundraising event took place on 6th December at the Maseru golf club supported by a number of organisations based in Lesotho.
