A total of 500 households of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (0VC) as well as 150 chronically ill persons in the Maseru district will benefit from a donation aimed at improving their livelihood, which was presented to the Maseru District Administrator in Maseru on August 14, 2009.

The donation ranges from food packages for OVC and chronically ill persons, 50 kg of maize mill, mattresses, blankets, chronically ill and children’s packs which include match box, candles, bath soaps, washing powder, vaseline, calamine, cotton and savlon. Others are 2 litres of cooking oil, 5kg beans, 5kg peas, 5kg stamp, movite instant food, sugar and salt as well as a bucket and a basin. The beneficiaries will also receive vegetables seeds for establishing home gardens.

The packages were purchased by the National AIDS Commission (NAC) through assistance of Global Fund Round 2 grants to mitigate the impact of HIV among OVC and chronically ill.

The Acting NAC Chief Executive of NAC Mrs ‘ Manneheng Mopeli handed over the commodities on behalf of NAC to the Maseru District Secretary Mr. Moeketsi Masoleng who accepted the donation on behalf of Maseru district councils.

In her remarks Mrs Mopeli indicated that improvement of lives of the vulnerable is critical further urging the DA to ensure that the donation get to the intended beneficiaries as have been identified.

Mr. Masoleng thanked NAC and Global Fund for the donation, which he said would go a long way to improving the lives of the OVC and the chronically ill persons. He promised that through the councils, all identified beneficiaries will be duly reached and assisted.

Similar donations are being handed over in all districts of the country whereby 500 households are set to benefit in each district. The distribution process will be undertaken by district councilors. The councilors are expected to distribute the donation to beneficiaries in their respective councils. Each councilor will have to report back to the DA and District Council Secretaries.