Lesotho

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3.2.4 Volunteers for the SDGs. The Government recognizes volunteers as critical partners for the implementation of the 17 SDGs. This is seen as a strategy to promote broader national ownership, a human rightsbased approach, gender equality, participation, inclusion and sustainability. Over 100 young Basotho volunteered and offered services during the VNR 2019, including mobilization, advocacy, and participating in consultation workshops. The GoL’s recognition of the value addition of volunteer action dates back to 2009 as demonstrated through the development and implementation of the National Volunteer Corps for young graduates’ project. This project enabled the country to retain new graduates from universities and vocational training institutions. Additionally, the intervention has impacted YESly on employment opportunities, sustainable livelihood, household security, natural resource and environmental management.

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With about 38 percent of the population of Lesotho between the ages of 15 and 34 years, policies and programmes targeting youth are crucial as national strategies to ensure that no one is left behind in development planning and implementation. In 2015, a volunteer programme that is aimed at enhancing youth engagement in development frameworks enabled young people’s involvement especially in the hard to reach rural communities. Furthermore, the programme enabled the country to leverage volunteer involving structures and networks to improve their collective contribution, inputs and coordination on the implementation of various SDGs. From 2015, through formal and non-formal structures, volunteers have been mobilized and are active across different development sectors and are contributing to various SDG related programmes. For example, 64 UN Volunteers have supported SDG related programmes in rural areas while community based volunteers, are the pillars for preventative health, hygiene, water and sanitation and food security interventions, which are critical sectors linked to SDGs 1, 2, 3 and 6. 

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4.5.9 Volunteers for the SDGs The Government recognizes volunteers as critical partners for the implementation of the 17 SDGs. This is seen as a strategy to promote broader national ownership, a human rightsbased approach, gender equality, participation, inclusion and sustainability. Over 100 young Basotho volunteered and offered services during the VNR 2019, including mobilization, advocacy, and participating in consultation workshops. The GoL’s recognition of the value addition of volunteer action dates back to 2009 as demonstrated through the development and implementation of the National Volunteer Corps for young graduates’ project. The volunteer database now has a total of 12,191 registered applicants among which to date 1,799 have been placed in different ministries while 9,824 await placement. The pool is bulging every year as more pool of graduates are registering whilst the absorption only guarantees 104 of the total number of volunteers budgeted under Government every financial year. This project enabled the country to retain new graduates from universities and vocational training institutions. Additionally, the intervention has impacted YESly on employment opportunities, sustainable livelihood, household security, natural resource and environmental management.

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With about 38 percent of the population of Lesotho between the ages of 15 and 34 years, policies and programmes targeting youth are crucial as national strategies to ensure that no one is left behind in development planning and implementation. In 2015, a volunteer programme that is aimed at enhancing youth engagement in development frameworks enabled young people’s involvement especially in the hard to reach rural communities. Furthermore, the programme enabled the country to leverage volunteer involving structures and networks to improve their collective contribution, inputs and coordination on the implementation of various SDGs. From 2015, through formal and non-formal structures, volunteers have been mobilized and are active across different development sectors and are contributing to various SDG related programmes. For example, 64 UN Volunteers have supported SDG related programmes in rural areas while community based volunteers, are the pillars for preventative health, hygiene, water and sanitation and food security interventions, which are critical sectors linked to SDGs 1, 2, 3 and 6.