2024 has seen an exciting development in the sport of Table Tennis and it’s role in the Wales-Lesotho Link. Last month, Amelia Senekane, the founder and Director of Dolen’s partner Heal Our Land Organisation (HOLO) visited Wales for the first time. During this visit she was able to re-connect with a past International Learning Opportunities (ILO) volunteer Mike Board and meet the CEO of Table Tennis Wales. Looking ahead there are some collaborative opportunities and connections to be made to see the below dreams become a reality.
So how did this connection come to fruition…..keep reading to hear how the most exciting partnership opportunities can develop when you least expect it!
Mike Board, Welsh Government:
“My table tennis journey started back in 2022 when I came across an advertisement to for the International Learning Opportunities Programme, a chance to travel and work in Africa. I applied, was accepted and before I knew it was sat in Heathrow airport waiting for my flight to Lesotho where I was to spend the next 3 months. I knew very little about Lesotho, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect and whether I would cope given I’d never left Europe before.
It’s funny now to think back to how nervous and worried I was as I can honestly say that I had nothing to worry about and my time in Lesotho was one of the best experiences of my life. During my time in Lesotho I was inspired and motivated by the Basotho in general due to their work ethic and positive outlook but quite early on I was lucky enough to meet a lady named Amelia Semekane, the founder of Heal Our Land Organisation (HOLO). Through HOLO Amelia was changing the lives of the most vulnerable people within her community and I was able to see the impact of her work first hand when visiting HOLO and neighbouring schools with Amelia. I knew at that moment that I wanted to do more to help but I wasn’t quite sure how I would do this.
I’ve always enjoyed watching and playing sport so through my work in Lesotho I became good friends with Litsitso Motseremeli, who in turn introduced me to Chabeli Mohatlane, President of Lesotho Table Tennis Association (LTTA). Everyday after work Chabeli allowed Litsitso and I to play table tennis on the table in the back of his surgery and I became good friends with Chabeli through our love of table tennis. After speaking at length with Chabeli I began to understand the difficulties the country faced in growing the sport due to lack of access to table tennis tables and equipment which gave me the idea of donating a table. This then grew into a plan to personally donate 10 tables, one for each of the ten regions of Lesotho and establish 10 new table tennis clubs to aid growth of the sport. During a meeting with the UK’s High Commissioner to Lesotho and Amelia it was decided that HOLO would be the first recipient of a table and on 8th October 2023 the table was delivered and presented to HOLO in a handing over ceremony with British High Commissioner and other community leaders present. I have identified the next region to receive a table as plans move on to delivering the other 9 tables over the next few years with the ultimate aim of there being 10 self-sustainable table tennis clubs that are well established and accessible to all regardless of gender, disability or level of income. We’ve made a great start with Amelia and HOLO which is now affiliated with Lesotho Table Tennis Association but now with us establishing links with Table Tennis Wales I hope to be able to help Amelia and HOLO grow the club even further so that more of the community can experience the benefits that sport can bring.”
Amelia Senekane, Heal Our Land Organisation:
“Heal Our Land Organisation (HOLO) is a non-government organization registered in October 2019 working within Matsieng community to promote and protect education, human dignity, gender equality and public health through training, advocacy and social mobilization and empowerment strategies in Lesotho.
Matsieng is the traditional capital of the Royal Family and traces its origins back to Letsie I, the senior son of Moshoeshoe I, who is regarded as the Founder of the Basotho nation. Since the mid-1800s, Matsieng has housed the Royal Family and the current King has a country home here.
The Founder and Director, Amelia Senekane established HOLO in 2019 during a time when Matsieng was experiencing high rates of gang-related deaths and killings, resulting in children, youth and women suffering immense trauma and loss, and being killed as well. Boys and young men were becoming involved in gang activities due to lack of education and opportunities, driving more killings. Losing parents and families The Founder and Director, Amelia Senekane established HOLO in 2019 during a time when Matsieng was experiencing high rates of gang-related deaths and killings, resulting in children, youth and women suffering immense trauma and loss, and being killed as well.This caused many learners to drop out of school.
One of the milestones of HOLO is the creation of the Motivational and Educational Club (MEC) in 2021, a club of young people and children within schools (Primary schools and High Schools, 219 learners registered in 2024 though the number differs per Saturday for various reasons).
HOLO takes a holistic approach to keeping children safe from gang violence, drug abuse, peer pressure, early marriage and early school dropout. HOLO addresses the above problems by working with vulnerable children every month through Motivational and Educational Club, which provides expert Psychosocial counselling, Life Skills training, Specialist Reading and Literacy Education, as well as broad academic support and Table Tennis Sport for children and youths in Matsieng and its neighbourhood in partnership with Dolen Cymru Lesotho.”
To know more about HOLO please follow us on our social media platforms.
Email: healourlandorganisation@gmail.com
Facebook: Facebook
Twitter(X): @HOLO_Lesotho
Instagram: @healourlandorganisation
Tiktok: @healourlandorganisation
Donate to HOLO here dolencymruwaleslesotholink.beaconforms.com/form/71dc64c8
