Mission

The Paballong UK Trust is a charity, registered with the Charity Commission of England and Wales, which was established in 2010 so that we could help those in Lesotho, a small country in southern Africa, who suffer from HIV and / or AIDS. Our main purpose is “the relief of poverty in Lesotho, specifically among those who are severely disadvantaged and infected or affected by HIV/Aids”.The Paballong UK Trust operates on a purely voluntary basis and works closely with the Paballong Trust in Lesotho to identify and support activities for which there is a clear demand.  Its procedures are governed by five trustees in compliance with its Operational Manual (2011). To date the Paballong UK Trust has disbursed £10,780 to support a number of activities at the Centre, including replacement solar batteries, contributions towards a solar-powered vaccine fridge and a CD4 machine, as well as housing for a vulnerable family. We have also supported World AIDS Day activities to disseminate information about HIV and AIDS, promote HIV testing and raise awareness about the benefits of available treatments.

Category

Health

Additional Information

Lesotho has the third highest HIV prevalence in the world, with nearly one out of every four people living with HIV and an average life expectancy of just 47 years. The number of children orphaned by AIDS in Lesotho is rapidly increasing: out of all countries with an HIV prevalence greater than 1%, Lesotho has the largest percentage of children who have lost one or both parents. HIV and AIDS care centres have been established around the country and are helping thousands that could not normally get the help they need. The Paballong Care Centre, on the Berea Plateau 28km outside the capital Maseru, is one of them. The Centre has been fully equipped since 2007, and provides free services to patients and support to care-givers in ways that are holistic as well as environmentally-friendly. A farm was also established to provide fresh and nutritious daily meals as well as training on good farming practices.  Paballong has moved on enormously from its original aim: while meeting the needs of HIV and AIDS patients and their care-givers is still the primary purpose of the Centre, substantial efforts have been made to use the Centre in other ways including to improve socio-economic opportunities for local communities. A major success story is that Paballong successfully sourced funds from Sentebale, with match funding from the Aqualia Foundation, to build a day care centre by refurbishing an old barn. The Dr Titi Mohapi Day Care Centre was officially opened on 24th May 2013. Thirty-three orphans and vulnerable children were enrolled in 2013, increasing to 39 in 2014. The second reconstruction project has been that of Paballong’s Youth Centre. Towards the end of 2013 work started on refurbishing an old building on the commercial site, using funds from the German Embassy and Paballong Netherlands. The Youth Centre will be officially opened on 24th October 2014, and will be a place where children aged 6 to 18 can go to get together and enjoy learning and playing together, and thus be less likely to get into trouble.