Mosepele Foundation Development Forum

Mosepele Foundation Development Forum (MFDF) takes this moment to honour and reflect on the life, leadership, and legacy of our esteemed Programs Director and member of the Senior Management Team Mr Morephe Santi.

Santi served MFDF with exceptional dedication, vision, integrity, and played a key role in shaping the organisation’s strategic direction and strengthening its work in youth development, HIV response, and s*xual and reproductive health programming.
He was a mentor, a leader, and a connector—deeply committed to collaborations, empowerment, and building strong partnerships across youth-led organisations, national stakeholders, and development partners. His leadership extended beyond MFDF, leaving a lasting impact within the broader development and public health space.

We remember him for his passion, guidance, and unwavering commitment to meaningful change. His legacy continues to live on through the work he helped build and many lives he influenced.

As MFDF, we honour his contribution and hold deep gratitude for the time, wisdom, and leadership he shared with us.

MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE

The CLM National Symposium
Venue: The Clan Guest House, Naleli, Maseru
Date: 27 March 2026
Report by: Mapatsi Thato Sekoai

MFDF Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) Leads participated in the Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) National Symposium hosted by Bacha Re Bacha, which implements the CLM programme in Lesotho. Community-Led Monitoring (CLM) is a participatory approach that empowers communities to actively monitor health services, promoting transparency, accountability, and responsiveness to community needs. The participation of MFDF AGYW Leads contributing to more informed and inclusive dialogue was critical and aligns with MFDF’s mandate to advocate for youth-friendly, available, and accessible health services for AGYW.

The meeting opened with remarks from a Ministry of Health (MOH) representative, Mme Letsie, who emphasized the importance of community participation and multi-stakeholder collaboration in strengthening the health system and improving service delivery.

Presentations and discussions during the symposium revealed that while health service availability is relatively high, key gaps remain. Accessibility to health centres continues to be a challenge for some communities, limiting service utilization. Continuous monitoring was identified as essential to maintaining and improving service quality. A major concern raised was that some health facilities do not provide birth control services to AGYW, restricting access to essential SRHR services.

Participants emphasized the need for strengthened advocacy to address disparities in access and service delivery. There was a strong call to ensure that all health facilities provide comprehensive, youth-friendly services and to reinforce the role of communities in monitoring services and holding providers accountable...

Youth Networking Pitso
Advancing Youth Economic Empowerment through Access to Finance for Inclusive and Sustainable Livelihoods

VENUE: Manthabiseng Convention Centre
DATE: 9 January 2026
REPORT BY: Teboho Makholela

The Youth Networking Pitso was convened under the Youth Power Hub initiative by the European Union (EU), UNICEF Lesotho and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to promote youth economic empowerment through improved access to finance in Lesotho. The event provided a national platform for dialogue between young people, government institutions, financial service providers, development partners, and the private sector.
The Pitso aimed to examine barriers and opportunities related to youth access to finance, amplify youth voices, and promote inclusive and innovative financial solutions that support youth entrepreneurship and employment. Particular attention was given to adolescent girls and young women, youth with disabilities, migrants, rural youth, and youth in the diaspora. The event also showcased sustainable livelihood models, including climate-smart, digital, and informal-sector initiatives, and promoted collaboration and accountability

Following opening remarks by UNICEF, IOM, and the EU, a Youth Panel shared lived experiences of accessing finance for business start-ups and growth. Panelists included young entrepreneurs from garment production, vegetable farming in Butha-Buthe, and Mamello School of specialists center.

Panelists highlighted persistent challenges, including stringent collateral requirements, limited start-up capital, lack of youth-specific financial products, and business registration barriers—particularly for rural and informal entrepreneurs. While funding initiatives such as SADP/SAGP were acknowledged, matching contribution requirements were noted as a challenge for youth with limited resources...