THE Alliance Insurance Company yesterday donated 3 000 bags of fortified maize-meal worth M300 000 to malnourished children in Lesotho. The handover event was held at Alliance Garden in the presence of Auditor General ’Mathabo Makenete, Baylor Foundation Lesotho, the Ministry of Health and Rotary Club of Ladybrand.
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The Chief Financial Officer of Alliance Insurance, Mohapinyane Taole, said it is the vision of King Letsie III to lead the continent and the world in the fight against malnutrition.
“His Majesty Letsie III is the renowned UN nutrition champion,” Taole said.
He said the King has in the past called on the government and development partners to come together to fight against malnutrition.
Taole said 34.5 percent of children in Lesotho are affected by malnutrition, which is higher than the average of 30.4 percent worldwide.
Health Ministry’s director of Food and Nutrition Coordinating Office, ’Masekonyela Sebotsa, said Lesotho struggles with chronic malnutrition, particularly among children under the age of five, with stunting rates of 34.5 percent.
“Micronutrient deficiencies also remain a challenge affecting more than half of the children under five,” Sebotsa said.
“The evidence shows that one of the most direct and primary causes of this devastating situation is inadequate food intake and lack of dietary diversity,” she said.
She added that this is a matter of great concern because the growing burden hinders the country’s potential for social and economic development, which is estimated to cost the country M1.9 billion annually, equivalent to 7.13 percent of the national GDP.
“The Food and Nutrition Coordinating Office will ensure that the relevant government departments work together with Baylor to support those beneficiaries,” she said, referring to receivers of the donation.
She said the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition will take over dietary diversity, assisting families to produce their own vegetables and fruits.
She said the Ministry of Education will ensure that children get proper meals at schools and also ensure that they enrol them to benefit from the social safety nets where necessary.
“I wish to thank the Alliance Group Investment Holding Company for this great initiative and Baylor for the continued partnership.”
Lineo Thahane from Baylor College of Medicine Children’s Foundation said as a lower middle income country, Lesotho is significantly affected by poverty.
Thahane said Lesotho is experiencing a triple burden of malnutrition, high levels of stunting because of micronutrient deficiency, and overweight across all age groups.
She also said the World Food Programme estimates that from May 2025, 24.1 percent of Basotho will be extremely poor.
“Baylor Foundation Lesotho is a local non-government organisation and it operates in seven clinical sites throughout the country,” she said.
Thahane said 2 481 boys and girls between the ages of four to 14 years are served at Baylor, and 245 are currently affected by mild malnutrition, 437 are affected by moderate malnutrition, and 66 are affected by severe acute malnutrition.
“800 are in need of assistance as a preventive measure.”
The Auditor General ’Mathabo Makenete said she is “extremely proud to partner with Alliance”.
“I am humbled that Alliance came up with the project of feeding children to ensure that we make His Majesty a champion of UN Nutrition outside and inside of the country,” Makenete said.
Alice Samuel
