Our mission project
As a church we have undertaken to support the Semonkong and Pulane Children's Centres in Lesotho, Southern Africa. The centres care for children orphaned or affected by AIDS, which infects one third of the population of this land locked kingdom.
The centres were started by a Methodist missionary,
Jill Kinsey. Earlier this year the centre at Semonkong was visited by Prince Harry who, with Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, has set up a charity, Sentebale, which provides some funding towards the running costs of both centres. All the other costs of the two centres have to be met by fundraising, which is led by Jill herself and is managed mainly by her family and friends.
Semonkong Children's Centre opened in September 2006. Currently there are 84 orphans / vulnerable children living in. In addition, a shepherds' school is held 4 evenings a week where 78 shepherd boys learn to read, write, count and speak English. The Semonkong Centre is run by Jill's daughter Tara Banaan, and her husband Patrick.
Pulane Children's Centre, run by Jill, opened Oct 2008. Currently 60 orphans / vulnerable children are living in. The Pulane shepherd school has 28 students learning to read, write, count and speak English.
As well as caring for the children who live in the two centres, children in surrounding villages, many of whom are cared for by grandparents, are supplied with food parcels each month.
At Pulane a new girls' house has just been completed. Jill has set us a challenge to find a TV programme - think 'Anneka Rice' and 'Groundforce' ! - that could go into Lesotho and build a boys' house more quickly than the local labour force. If you have any ideas, please get in touch!
