Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA)

Flashback to last week Friday when we hosted His Excellency, Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, at Katse Dam on his two-day visit to Lesotho. Truly a special day for the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, and for the country as a whole. It was a great way to close off a year filled with significant project milestones achieved, and strides made in our socio-economic development and livelihoods improvement programs.

Reflecting on a Year of Progress and Collaboration As 2024 draws to a close, we’re proud to celebrate the transformative milestones of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP). From launching our Ten-Year Strategy to advancing infrastructure like the Polihali Dam and Senqu Bridge, we’ve made strides toward creating sustainable livelihoods and strengthening regional integration. With the support of communities, partners, and stakeholders across Lesotho and South Africa, LHDA has achieved remarkable progress in: ✅ Expanding road networks for better connectivity. ✅ Empowering communities through income-generating activities and skills accreditation. ✅ Protecting ecosystems with innovative conservation efforts. As we look forward to 2025, we remain committed to building a brighter, sustainable future for all. Let’s keep the momentum going! #LHDA #WaterSecurity #Sustainability #Collaboration

Today is an extremely important day not just for the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, but for Lesotho as a whole. We were honoured to welcome the Secretary General of the United Nations, His Excellency Antonio Guterres to the Katse Dam. Accompanied by the Honorable Minister of Natural Resources, Mr. Mohlomi Moleko, and the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Lejone Mpotjoane; the SG received a full briefing on the LHWP from the LHDA Chairman of the Board of Directors, whilst touring the Katse Dam. The LHWP is a hallmark of regional transboundary partnership, and it is an honour to receive the nod of support from the United Nations, which is the standard for development focused global partnership. The LHDA remains commited to contributing meaningfully to multiple Sustainable Development Goals, and implementing initiatives that move Lesotho and the region towards a renewable energy driven economy.

Today, LHDA together with the Lesotho Highlands Water Commission (LHWC) took part in a stakeholder engagement session hosted by Seinoli Legal Center, to commemorate World Human Rights Day. The session contained valuable insights on global development frameworks and a national call to action to strengthen the legal and implementation frameworks around development in Lesotho, to drive a true, human-centered, and human rights focused development agenda. The Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) stands as a cornerstone of Lesotho’s socio-economic progress, driven by water. It contains within it all the facets of the potential of our water, as well as the full complexity of societal and environmental considerations of transboundary, large scale infrastructure development projects. The LHWP is not just about water or infrastructure—it is about people, their livelihoods, and their rights. As custodians of this project, the LHDA has embraced its responsibility to navigate these complexities, ensuring the benefits of the project extend equitably to all Basotho, especially those in project-affected communities

In line with our commitment to community skills development and improving food security, LHDA is hosting a food preservation training for over 50 members from seven nutrition clubs in the Seate Council. The training, held at the Lehlohla Resource Centre from Monday to Friday, December 6, 2024, is a collaborative effort between LHDA's Health and Nutrition Office and the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security. Participants are learning essential food preservation techniques, including drying, pickling, fermentation, and jam-making. These skills are designed to ensure year-round food availability, even when certain foods are out of season, especially given a short cropping period in Mokhotlong. “We have partnered with the LHDA because we share a common mandate: to promote dietary diversity in our communities,” says Mme Tubeho Kumi-Ntsebane, the Area Technical Officer for Nutrition at the Lehlohla Resource Centre. “While we have made significant progress in combating malnutrition, challenges remain, particularly in addressing deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals. This training empowers club members to secure a diverse food supply throughout the year.” For participants like Mme ’Matiisetso Rakaibe from Masalla, the initiative is a lifeline. “Establishing these clubs and attending LHDA’s training sessions provides the support we need to meet our households’ dietary needs. My hope is to move from subsistence to commercial food production in the future,” she shared. This is part of the broader LHDA Livelihoods Restoration Programme, which aims to empower local communities, enhance their standard of living, and promote sustainable development. By equipping communities with practical skills, LHDA reinforces its dedication to fostering resilience and food security in the project area.

Commemorating World AIDS Day 🌟 On this World AIDS Day, LHDA joins the global community in reflecting on the strides made in combating HIV/AIDS and the work still ahead of us. We are committed to building a healthier society by: ✔️ Promoting awareness and prevention programs. ✔️ Supporting access to care and treatment. ✔️ Eliminating stigma and discrimination. Let’s take today as a reminder to work collaboratively toward an inclusive future where everyone can thrive. Together, we can make a difference. 🌍❤️ #WorldAIDSDay #HealthForAll #EndHIV #LHDA

It has been a busy weekend for our teams at the Maletsunyane Braai Festival and at the Mokhotlong Marathon! We are thrilled by these partnerships, and remain committed to continue supporting initiatives that celebrate Lesotho’s uniqueness and beauty. More importantly, ones that create opportunity for growth, sustainable livelihoods and income generation for Basotho. Looking forward to growng these alliances into the future!

We are proud to sponsor the 2024 Mokhotlong Marathon, a major event expected to attract hundreds of athletes to Mokhotlong, the hub of Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP). Scheduled for 1 December 2024, the marathon will feature aerobics, cycling and race categories of 42.2km, 21.1km, 10km, and 5km, starting in Sani and finishing in Thabang. This vibrant event is also part of the bicentennial celebrations, offering an opportunity for Basotho from across the country to unite in celebrating their cultural heritage and honouring the nation’s founding fathers. The marathon is anticipated to significantly boost economic activity in Mokhotlong through increased demand for accommodation, food, beverages, and locally crafted goods that will benefit local businesses and generate income for the informal sector. High altitude sporting activities are a hidden treasure and opportunity for Lesotho economically and for tourism purposes. This initiative highlights the Project's commitment to fostering and activating community development in its areas of operation, and underscores the LHWP's alignment with global and national calls to embrace healthy lifestyles. Through this partnership, we reaffirm our commitment to collaborating with local stakeholders to ensure the economic vitality of Project communities while promoting health and cultural pride.

Exciting Progress on the Polihali Transfer Tunnel! While we wait patiently to announce your Top 10 shortlisted names for the TBM Naming Competition this week, here is an exciting update on the TBM at site! The reassembly of the Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) which will excavate the Polihali Transfer Tunnel from the Katse side, is making great strides. This is the first of two TBM's that will work on the tunnel. After a successful Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) in China, the TBM was carefully dismantled and shipped to Durban, South Africa, and transported overland to Lesotho aboard a convoy of over 90 abnormal and super abnormal size, load carrier trucks. Reassembly of the TBM began on 27 October at the Polihali Transfer Tunnel construction site and is expected to take approximately two months. Once the TBM’s main body is fully assembled and backups are connected, it will be positioned in the Katse TBM access adit, where it will start its journey, tunnelling through rock towards the future Polihali Reservoir. Completing the TBM reassembly ahead of the start of tunnelling is a significant step in advancing the Polihali Transfer Tunnel project, a critical component of the entire Phase II programmme. Stay tuned for more updates in the coming days and weeks!