Lesotho rural schools still dealing with aftermath of US funding cuts

This classroom block at Khama-khamane Primary in Mohale’s Hoek, Lesotho remains unfinished a year after the US cut funding for rural school infrastructure. Photos: Sechaba Mokhethi.

Rural Lesotho schools are still struggling a year after the United States abruptly terminated funding for school infrastructure projects.

At Khama-khamane Primary in Mohale’s Hoek district a classroom block stands roofless despite a promise of fresh donor support.

Others have fared better, such as Sephelane Primary in Qacha’s Nek district, where a local community association has completed building classrooms after the funding cuts.

Sehlabathebe-lehae-laka Association chairperson Tšepo Tlali was project manager when the grant for Sephelane was active. He told GroundUp that they had to end the contract with the builder when funding was withdrawn. Tlali then volunteered to complete the construction without pay.

“I had to stop being the project manager and become the builder,” he said.

The association only paid labourers. Its members, including some living abroad, contributed money and volunteered their time.

Most of the building material had already been purchased with the grant, but the community still had to source building sand.

“It took about six months for the community to collect all the sand needed,” Tlali said.

Community members also had to fetch water manually for construction.

“We could not achieve everything we wanted because of the shortage of funds, but we have managed to put the school in a condition where it can now accommodate learners,” said Tlali.

Association chairperson Tšepo Tlali says due to the shortage of funds they could not do everything, but they managed to put the school in a condition where it can now accommodate learners.

Meanwhile at Khama-khamane Primary, principal Cheletsi Lefa said GroundUp’s previous article prompted donors to pledge US$5,000 (about R80,000) to help complete construction.

But the school’s Postbank account could not receive international wire transfers. The school then opened a Standard Lesotho Bank account in December 2025 and submitted the new banking details to Mohale’s Hoek District education manager Maposholi Posholi. But months have passed without Posholi having passed on the information and she has refused to put him in direct contact with the donors, Lefa says.

Posholi denied this. She said she forwarded the new account details to the donors earlier this year, but they never responded. She refused to forward the emails to GroundUp to prove this and said we’d have to come in person to her office in Mohale’s Hoek.

Meanwhile, the learners are being taught in a house in the village.

When GroundUp returned to Sephelane Primary School earlier this month, part of the church hall roof, where learners were being taught, had been blown away.

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