By Maleshoane Ratsebe & Itumeleng Lekoatsa
Pictures by Retšelisitsoe Makara
Expressing his commitment to enhancing MISA Lesotho, Mr Kananelo Boloetse, the Chairperson of the Media Institute of Southern Africa in Lesotho (MISA Lesotho), has appealed to members to consider the establishment of a veterans’ structure within the organisation.
This structure, consisting of the institute’s founders and former governors, Mr Boloetse explained, would provide guidance and counsel for MISA Lesotho’s sustainability.
“These are the people who can best advise and support us. They know best about MISA Lesotho because they founded this organisation. Some of them have been governors – serving in the National Governing Council (NGC) before, they, therefore, have solutions to the most challenges MISA Lesotho faces today,” Mr Boloetse said.
Mr Boloetse was addressing an extraordinary general meeting of MISA Lesotho members this past weekend in Polihali, Mokhotlong. The Institute was supported and hosted by the Lesotho Highlights Development Authority (LHDA) at the latter’s Polihali Dam project’s site in the district. Part of the deal was an exciting tour of the project’s site, including the community livelihood programmes under the project within and around the Polihali vicinity.
MISA Lesotho was first established under the name; Media Institute of Lesotho (MILES) Resource Center in the early 1990s. It was established by a group of journalists of that time, some of whom are, today, still alive.
According to the chairperson, these are the people whose experience and knowledge could rescue MISA Lesotho from drowning.
“We need to, therefore, tap into the wisdom of our elders to save MISA Lesotho. It would be stupid of us not to consult with our elders and veterans of the game, who have knowledge and experience. But before we could be able to adequately utilise their talent, we need to have them organised into a formal structure that will be adopted and acknowledged as part and parcel of MISA Lesotho,” Mr Boloetse said.
He added: “In one incident quite recently, one of the media gurus in this country, who also happened to be a co-founder of MISA Lesotho, passed away. Together with his family, we met with challenges regarding his funeral arrangements. It was only after we consulted with a group of these veterans that the funeral preparations went smoothly. The veterans were able to solve the challenges we faced regarding the funeral.”
Mr Boloetse was referring to the funeral of Mr Keketso Lawrence who passed away in December last year after a brief illness.
The chairperson’s remarks were triggered by the perpetual challenges encountered by MISA Lesotho every time there is a funeral of a media practitioner and a member of MISA Lesotho.
He said: “We have a duty to assist the families of our fellow members during difficult times, especially funerals. Repeatedly, we have encountered problems in preparing for the funerals, mainly due to the fact that media practitioners in Lesotho do not earn good salaries deserving of their work. They therefore often do not afford funeral policies, among other needs.”
The chairperson’s remarks were further triggered by the ever-shrinking space of donor funding. He indicated due to the shrinking space in donor funding, “MISA Lesotho, like many other civil society organisations in the country, was facing financial sustainability crisis.”
For its day-to-day programmes, MISA Lesotho relies on financial support from philanthropists and development partners.
