LESOTHO
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The Facts

Getting there
The majority of visitors to Lesotho
arrive by road from South Africa.
There are daily services from and
to Johannesburg International
Airport operated by SA Airlink.
South African Airways, British
Airways and Virgin Atlantic operate
daily services to Johannesburg
from London Heathrow.


Accommodation
Guest house
Visa requirements:
Visas are not required for entry into
Lesotho by British passport
holders, visitor visas for USA and
others can be obtained at the
airport (if you are not from the USA
or UK check with Lesotho
consulate in your countries capitol)
however, all passports must be
valid for 6-12 months before &
beyond the intended length of the
stay.

Money
The unit of currency is the Loti,
which is divided into 100 Lisente,
or the South African Rand. The
notes are issued in Loti
denominations of 10, 20, 50, 100
or 200. International Credit Cards
are widely accepted in main
centers, as are US Dollars or
South African Rand

Health
Health Requirements:
A Yellow Fever certificate is
required but only if arriving from
infected areas. Immunization is
however recommended against
hepatitis A, polio, tetanus and
typhoid.

Getting around
Participants must arrange their
own International flights, but will be
met and transported throughout
the duration of the build.

Climate
The hot, humid and wet season is
between November and April. It is
cooler and drier the rest of the year.
Best time to visit:
May to October.  Although it is has
been known to get very cold and
even snow in June-July…



Country Facts
Population: 10,307,333
Climate: tropical; modified by
altitude; rainy season (Oct to April)
Main industries: copper mining
and processing, construction,
foodstuffs, beverages, chemicals,
agriculture, tourism
Languages: English (official),
Bemba, Kaonde, Lozi, Lunda,
Luvale, Nyanja, Tonga, and about
70 other indigenous languages
Literacy: 81%
Life expectancy: 35 years old
No. of adults and children living
with HIV/ AIDS rate (as of 2001):
1,200,000
No. of AIDS orphans (0-14) (as of
2001): 570,000
% below poverty line: 86%
Zambia, a landlocked country in
south-central Africa, is about one-
tenth larger than Texas. It is
surrounded by Angola, Zaire,
Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique,
Zimbabwe, Botswana, and
Namibia. The country is mostly a
plateau that rises to 8,000 ft (2,434

“The Kingdom in the Sky” and for
good reason – it is home to the
majestic Drakensberg and Maloti
Mountain ranges with several
peaks surpassing 10,000 feet. In
fact, the lowest elevation in the
country is still above 3,000 feet
making it the world’s highest
“minimum elevation” of any nation
on earth! We like to say that every
road in Lesotho is a scenic route,
and its true – no matter which
direction you head from the capital
city of Maseru, splendor continues
to unfold with each passing curve.
Nestled in the palm of South Africa,
Lesotho shares strong economic
ties with its neighbor but is proud
of its unique political, cultural and
social identity.

High altitude and autonomy,
however, bring distinctive
challenges to Habitat’s work in
Lesotho. During the winter months
(May through August), snow often
covers much of the mountain
ranges and makes working
outdoors difficult. Since only one
half of 1% of Lesotho is forested
(only Libya has less), obtaining
coal, kerosene or straw for heating
becomes the top priority for both
urban and rural families living in
stone or brick houses with no
insulation. And having strong
economic ties with South Africa
does not mean to infer that the
Lesotho economy is expanding.
Challenges in the textile and
agriculture sectors, and the high
prevalence rate of HIV/Aids makes
it difficult for families afford safe
and decent shelter. These
dilemmas encourage many
families to migrate to larger cities
in search of stable employment.
In many instances, arriving in the
capital with little money and even
less formal training, it becomes
problematic in trying to find work
and housing. Families end up
living in overcrowded, unsafe and
unhealthy conditions. As many as
fifteen families may share one
latrine and children play near open
sewage. Women are particularly
vulnerable since they have no
inheritance rights, and little hope of
ever having a place to call their
own. The Ministry of Local
Government reports that more than
45,000 units of decent, affordable
housing are needed to resolve the
current crisis in the capital district
alone!

Habitat for Humanity Lesotho
Habitat for Humanity Lesotho
(HFHL) launched its program in
2001 and is primarily building
houses in Khubelo, on the
outskirts of the urban capital,
Maseru. The block and brick
homes utilize a corrugated iron
roof and consist of two to three
rooms, or 28 and 43 sq. meters
respectively. All houses have a
detached latrine.

Since snow accumulates for
several weeks at a time in rural
areas, Habitat has partnered with
World Vision in reaching out to one
of these remote locations –
Mohales Hoek – where HFHL is
providing technical support for the
construction of 150 homes for low
income families in need of safe
and decent housing at affordable
prices.

Program Highlights
HIV/Aids is rampant in Lesotho
where over 40% of females aged
between 25 – 39 are infected.
UNICEF estimates there are over
100,000 Aids orphans living in
Lesotho and this number is
expected to increase significantly
in the years to come. Since 2005,
HFHL has been providing shelter
for children and youths in this
category while a partner agency,
SOS Children’s Village, attends to
the health, education and food
security needs. There are currently
plans underway to expand this
project.

HFHL works in close partnership
with other groups committed to
reducing poverty housing,
including the Ministry of Local
Government. The MoLG has
assisted HFHL in locating land for
housing at reduced costs and has
expressed interest in becoming
more active in advocacy on behalf
of women and children for secure
tenure and inheritance rights. In
cooperation with UN Habitat and
the Maseru City Council, HFHL is
an integral part of the National
Urban Support Team dedicated to
eradicating informal settlements by
the year 2020. HFHL also
participates in the World Habitat
Day sponsored by UN Habitat and
the MoLG.
Proposed Schedule:
Day 1 Optional (pre-build) Depart home for Cape Town South Africa
Day 2 Arrive Cape Town
Day 3-8 Cape Town Experience click here
Day  8 Folks not participating in pre-build depart for Lesotho
Day 9 Cape Town Depart for Lesotho - everyone arrives in Lesotho
Day 10 Orientation
Day 11-16 Build Lesotho
Day 17 R&R Lesotho cultural experience
Day 18-22 build
Day 23 - Closing Celebration
Day 24-27 Post-build safari in Kruger National Park
LESOTHO (Text from Sandawana-Africa / www.sandawana-africa.com)







Stunning scenery, invigorating mountain air and endless blue skies"
With all its land lying at altitudes of more than 1,000 metres, Lesotho is aptly
described as "The Kingdom in the Sky". Indeed the country boasts the highest
mountain in Southern Africa, Thaba-Ntlenyana, which towers to 3,482m. The size of
Belgium, Lesotho also has the unusual distinction of being entirely surrounded by
another country, the Republic of South Africa.
[folks] come here not for the bush and big game, but for stunning scenery,
invigorating mountain air and endless blue skies.

Travel Highlights:
In spite of new mountain roads, some areas of the country are
still off the beaten track so pony trekking
is a popular way to explore the country.
The traditional lifestyle of the Basotho people
can still be observed in the Lesotho Highlands.
Building of the Katse Dam and the flooding of
the Malibamatso Valley has created watersports
and angling opportunities.

Lesotho's capital, Maseru, has a number of colonial buildings, dating back to the
start of the century. The Basotho Hat building, which houses a handicraft shop and a
restaurant, is an important landmark. Here it is not unusual to see blanketed
Basotho horsemen, with their distinctive conical hats, weaving through the heavy
traffic or craftsmen manufacturing their goods in the front of modern office
buildings.
Anir Experience - Habitat for Humanity house in Lesotho, Southern Africa
Pre-build Cape Town South Africa
Build Lesotho
Post-build Safari Kruger South Africa
Date for this build has
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