Help Educate 40 Bright Girls in Lesotho

A few years ago, we told you the story of Joalane who you all supported through her time at Thetsane High School. She worked really hard, got the best results in her final exams and obtained a government scholarship to study Medicine at a medical school in Cuba. Well, here's the good news! Joalane has now completed her studies and graduated as a medical doctor. We at Educare Fund are really excited about this and pleased to share this great news with you.I certainly hope that this news will bring you the same joy and serve to highlight the great work you are doing, changing lives that would otherwise be blighted by poverty.

This is what Joalane said a few weeks ago:

I am so happy to let you knowthat I am now a doctor! I only have to wait for the graduation, legalise and translate the documents, then I'll be on my way back (to Lesotho).

Thank you sooo (her word) much! You are all doing a really great job helping us achieve our dreams!!

Joalane expects to be back home in the next couple of weeks.

Our dream at Educare Fund remains the same; to work with you to reach more and more girls like Joalane, helping them realise their own dreams.

Your kind donations work miracles in lots of ways, inspiring the girls to aim higher. A visit to one of the schools revealed the unique combination of your kind support and the determination that some of the girls demonstrate. At this particular school we met Alice. She is slightly older than the other girls at high school, being almost in her late 20s. On chatting with her, we discovered that it was almost a miracle that she had persevered with school. Her reason was that she was determined to finish high school and pursue her dream of becoming a nurse, no matter what hurdles lay in her way. Alice's father had died about ten years earlier and since he was the breadwinner, Alice was forced to drop out of school as there was no money for fees. Alice's mother who was previously unemployed, later got a job and Alice re-started school. However, the mother's job was too low-paid for her to afford the fees as well as other needs for the family. So, once again Alice was forced to drop out of school. When support from Educare Fund became available, the school called Alice back and encouraged her to apply for it. Alice is now in her final year and has lost none of her enthusiasm for a career in nursing.What impressed us most was her determination and perseverance despite the setbacks. It can't have been easy for her to go back to school after each period of being laid off, let alone then joining classes with kids much younger than herself.

She said:

I've always wanted to be a nurse and nothing will put me off the idea. When the offer of support was made, I jumped at the chance to fulfil my dream. I am working really hard to make sure that I get grades that are good enough for me to get accepted onto a nurse training course. 

A lot of the feedback we get from the girls indicates that a fair proportion of them are looked after by single mothers or grandmothers, even. Some of the girls may have two living parents, but either or both might be unemloyed or in really low-paid jobs. Your donations are a great help to these girls and their families.

I'd like to finish by thanking you for continuing to help us help the young women. It is our hope that their futures will be much brighter, all thanks to you.

Yours sincerely

 Liphethiso Monica Harris