Momo in Lesotho: Peace Corps Adventure
Founded as a kingdom in the 1820s, Lesotho was a British protectorate for almost 100 years before regaining independence in 1966
English and Sesotho (suh-sew-tew) are the official languages of the country.
The country measures out at about 11,000 square miles; roughly the size of Maryland
In 2014, the adult literacy rate (age 15 and up) for Lesotho was 76.6 %. This is a decline from 86.3 % in 2000.
More than 40% of the population live below the poverty line
Lesotho’s adult prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS is the second highest percentage in the world at 25%. It has disproportionately affected rural, working-age populations.
About 75% of the population in Lesotho live in rural areas.
Lesotho is a high-altitude country, 2161 meters above sea level. It is also famously known as “The Kingdom in the Sky”.
My Peace Corps journey in Lesotho:
Peace Corps has been in partnership with the Lesotho Government since 1967
All Peace Corps programs are a duration of 27 months (3 months of pre-service training followed by 2years of work)
With a cohort of 25 people I will travel from Newark, New Jersey to Johannesburg, South Africa on September 24, 2024. From Johannesburg, we flew to the capital of Lesotho, Maseru.
For the first three months, all trainees participate in Pre-Service Training (PST) where we learn the language, receive job training, and learn about the culture and history of Lesotho.
After completing PST, trainees are officially sworn as Peace Corps volunteers and receive our permanent site placements where we will live for the remainder of the 27 months
Our cohort is equally split into Health and Education volunteers
The program I will participate in is titled: HIV/Aids and Adolescent Health
Here is a more in depth description from the peace corps website about Lesotho, the programs available, and the living conditions in country: https://www.peacecorps.gov/lesotho/
