Lesotho Child Counselling Unit

Mazenod / Lesotho

Why the Child Counselling Unit matters

When Article 25 collaborated with Sentebale, the Prince’s Foundation to provide a new home for the Lesotho Child Counselling Unit (LCCU), the country was blighted by AIDS. The average life expectancy was less than 40 years and an alarming number of children were orphaned.

The building project had been halted due to poor construction and irresponsible project management. A fire had ravaged the building that previously housed the children, making this project an urgent necessity. Article 25 was appointed to take on the design and construction management of the LCCU in March 2007. After 12 months of intermittent construction, which entailed demolition of some parts of the poorly constructed pre-existent building and two devastating fires, the building was completed in April 2008.

When Article 25 initially visited the existing building, it was a shell of concrete blocks that had been abandoned mid-project. Article 25 and Sentebale worked together to transform the structure into a high-quality finished building. The centre provides an important and much-needed environment of care for abused and maltreated children in Lesotho.

The Impact

Today the Unit provides trauma-therapy and legal advocacy to children and families dealing with abuse. They conduct community training to promote awareness of trafficking and the importance of prevention and treatment.

PROJECT TYPE: Child Counselling Unit
PROJECT PARTNERS: Sentebale, The Prince’s Foundation
STATUS: Completed