Lesotho is a small mountainous country enclosed within the territory of South Africa.
Altitude, lack of water, and poverty of soils often loaded with stones, do not help agriculture, and it is mainly livestock that predominates.

St Paul school, funded by the NGO Sentebale, is located in Leribe, at the northern border of Lesotho.

It brings together 5 to 14-year-old deaf and mute children from rural and very disadvantaged areas.

The Ivory Foundation has set up an agricultural project on the grounds of this school. It is about creating a demonstration garden, with plots cultivated by children.

The group of Ladysmith supported by Designing Hope moved to Lesotho for training in raised beds and compost creation techniques.

In 2016, the two projects also partnered to design a cooking booklet inspired by traditional recipes and using vegetables that can be grown locally.

In 2017, The Ivory Foundation and the APAF developed on the outskirts of Maseru, the capital of Lesotho, a pilot garden in agroforestry.

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The first team settles in at the farm in Levi’s Nek, Lesotho

With the dormitory now complete, three young people from St Monica said farewell to the farm that had been their home for 3 years and moved to their new home in Levi’s Nek. Three young people stayed on to look … Read More

Tasty dishes cooked by the farm’s youngsters

A local vegetable garden is planned to provide a variety of vegetables and herbs for their personal use.Until the garden is up and running, the vegetables have been bought from Levi’s Nek stores….

Construction of the Levi’s Nek farm manager’s house

The Ivory Foundation has planned to install the Levi’s Nek farm manager, Leepa Mosehle, who has been accompanying young deaf and hard-of-hearing people in this educational farm project since 2015.  This building will include both his home and an office … Read More

Involvement of young people from Farming our future in the work of Levi’s Nek

Every day, the young beneficiaries of Farming our future take turns on the site to see the work in progress. They also help to transport materials to the site, which is difficult for lorries to access

The farmhouse at Levi’s Nek

The main buildings are now in place on the constructible part of the farm. The main building is typical of Lesotho, with its breezeblocks joined like stone and a worked cornice that surrounds and hides the corrugated iron roof. The … Read More

Finishing work on the Levi’s Nek dormitory

The exterior finishes was completed and the roof has been laid. The workers are finalising the interior fittings.  In the living room, the tiles have been laid and a kitchen has been made to measure by a joiner.

Construction of the volunteer chalet

As with the Jardin des Savoir-Faire in Eswatini, The Ivory Foundation called on Wendy Lane, a designer of wooden chalets, to create a double accommodation unit for its volunteers. The advantage of these structures, pre-assembled in a workshop in South … Read More

Levi’s Nek borehole

The Ivory Foundation commissioned a local contractor to drill and install a pump to supply water to the Levi’s Nek farm. The presence of water on the site was essential to launch the construction of the farm buildings (cement production) … Read More

Levi’s Nek development: laying the fencing

As soon as the purchase of the land by Farming Our Future was signed, young deaf and hard-of-hearing people began to lay fencing around the plots to secure the site. This will also allow the animals to arrive quickly, as … Read More

Construction of the dormitory

A building of more than 100m2 comprising two six-place dormitories, two bathrooms, a lounge and a kitchen was built using breeze-block. Young deaf and hard-of-hearing people played an active part in getting the project off the ground.

Land acquisition for the Levi’s Nek farm

In order to create the Levi’s Nek farm, Farming our future had to acquire several plots of land of different sizes to create a total area of 3 hectares. One plot is dedicated to market gardening and will also be … Read More

The Keyhole of St Monica

Deaf and hard-of-hearing youngsters from St Monica’s farm water the keyhole. The Keyhole is a traditional garden from Lesotho. So it was very important that the garden at St Monica’s should also have this high circular vegetable garden. The perimeter … Read More

Garden plots at St Paul’s School in Lesotho

At St Paul’s School in Leribe, Lesotho, the 6 deaf and hard of hearing young people trained at the educational farm maintain the plots to produce the vegetables cooked at the boarding school canteen. Some of the crops are grown … Read More

St. Monica’s Garden, Lesotho

It’s almost the end of winter… The garden is still rich of its last winter vegetables, and the young people of the farm have prepared the beds to welcome the spring seedlings. The garden team proudly presents its work to … Read More

The Sheep of St Monica’s Farm, Lesotho

The flock, composed of 10 sheep when the farm was launched (3 males and 7 females), has increased by 50% in 2 years thanks to three new births this year.   The sheep bring an additional income for the farm with … Read More

Use of a “Campagnole” for planting beds at St Monica’s farm, Leribe, Lesotho

The vegetable garden at St. Monica’s Farm was built on the principle of permaculture, with 80 cm wide raised beds on which the young deaf and hard-of-hearing gardeners grow vegetables quite densely, combining varieties that are compatible in terms of … Read More

Extension of the greenhouse with the young people of Lesotho

In Southern Africa, Designing Hope and The Ivory Foundation strive to forge human links between the actors of the different projects they develop and support.  In 2017, the women of Eswatini and Roosboom came to train in permaculture the students … Read More

Preparing winter crops at St Monica’s Farm, Lesotho

With winter approaching in southern Africa, the young people at St Monica’s Farm prepared their crop beds with seasonal varieties. So they planted spinach, cabbage and tomatoes which will be planted in the garden during the dry season in winter.

The egg incubator at St Monica’s Farm, Lesotho

The young people of St Monica’s farm have started to use the incubator financed by The Ivory Foundation. Before any use, the equipment and eggs must be disinfected to prevent disease transmission. The eggs are then placed slightly apart on … Read More

Free-range indigenous chickens at St Monica’s Farm, Lesotho

The flock of chickens at St Monica’s Farm has grown significantly since the garden started. There are now about 50 hens of different species with varied and colourful plumage. These hens are raised for egg and meat production, providing an … Read More

Conception of a gel dispenser in St Pau

Among the 13 sheets elaborated by The Ivory Foundation on hygiene and nutrition, one of them concerns hand washing and presents the design of an artisanal gel dispenser, guaranteeing a non-contact use, with a foot-activation. Put into practice at St … Read More

Fodder farming at St Monica’s farm

The aim of St Monica’s farm is to develop a self-sufficient economic model. Among the solutions to achieve this, the young farmers have developed a fodder production plot to reduce the cost of buying fodder. Every day, the young people … Read More

Sowing in pots in the Palesa garden

 In order to fill the beds of cultures of the St Paul’s Palesa garden, the children with the assistance of the gardeners carried out sowings in cup for the species which does not require sowing in direct (squash, melons, tomatoes, … Read More

The Keyhole of St Monica

The Keyhole is a traditional garden from Lesotho. It was therefore logical that the garden of St Monica, located in Leribe (Lesotho) should also host one. This vegetable garden is made up on its periphery of stones found on the … Read More

St Monica’s Garden

Spring is the ideal time for seedlings production in Southern Africa. The upcoming wet season combines warmth and regular rainfall, which is ideal for plant development. Thus, the young farmers at St Monica’s Farm in Lesotho have prepared seedlings of … Read More

Vegetable shredder at St Monica

A plant shredder was purchased with the support of The Ivory Foundation. This tool reduces corn crop residues by fine chips, which thus crushed can be ingested more easily by animals and be consumed in association with forage. The deaf … Read More

Animals of St Monica’s farm

The numbers in the chicken coop at St Monica’s farm are steadily increasing. There are now 35 hens of different breeds, all indigenous who produce enough to feed the young on the farm by creating an income-generating activity. Soon, an … Read More

Painting workshop of Thebe Magugu flowers in St Paul

As at Bercy school in Paris, we involved the children of St Paul’s school in Hlotse (Lesotho) in the decoration of wooden flowers which take the silhouette of Thebe Magugu’s flowers. Once decorated, these flowers will be varnished and fixed … Read More

Creation of plots for the Palesa garden.

  In order to allow the children to cultivate a larger area, we decided to create 8 extra wooden plots at the end of each petal of the mandala. As St Paul’s school has 4 classes, each class will be … Read More

Creation of a mandala garden at St Paul’s school: the Palesa garden.

In order to educate deaf and hard of hearing children at St Paul’s school about gardening, we asked the five gardeners in training to make a flower-shaped mandala garden and involve children in its maintenance. The mandala is composed of … Read More

Drilling at St Paul’s school, Lesotho

With the support of The Ivory Foundation, drilling was organised last February 2021 at St Paul’s school. A relief for the St Paul’s farm and school, which faces water shortages every year. Water network cuts are regular during the dry … Read More

Potato and marrow crops at the educational farm of St Monica, Lesotho

Young people from the educational farm of St Monica have harvested an important amount of potatoes and marrows. They can reach amazing sizes : it allows for the preparation of many meals for the young gardeners! These vegetables, especially potatoes, … Read More

Harvests in St Monica farm

For more than a year now, young deaf and hard of hearing people supported by The Ivory Foundation have been running St Monica’s educational farm in Leribe, Lesotho. The farm is fortunate to be located close to a borehole, and … Read More

Movie on St Monica farm, Lesotho

After having supported the St Paul School for the Deaf for 3 years by financing a micro educational farm that can accommodate 5 to 8 students to learn farm management (agroecology, cereal cultivation, animal husbandry), The Ivory Foundation has imagined … Read More

The garden of Saint Monica, Lesotho

The 6 young deaf and hard of hearing people manage the Saint Monica Educational Farm in Leribe, Lesotho, funded by The Ivory Foundation in 2019. Within a year they have structured a wasteland into a fertile and productive plot of … Read More

Egg harvesting

The farm’s 20 native hens produce a good quantity of eggs, enough to provide a food supplement for the youngs. Associating small-scale animal husbandry with gardening is important for the economic balance of the St Monica educational farm in Leribe. … Read More

Animal care at St Monica

This year at the farm of St Monica, a damaged building has been rehabilitated in order to welcome the sheep in good conditions and to be able to store the fodder. Moreover, this building also aims to isolate the females … Read More

Life on the farm in St Monica, Leribe, Lesotho – Episode 5 – The vegetable garden

Last episode of the mini-serie about the life in St Monica farm. The young people invest time and energy to develop their vegetable gardens, while at the same time involving the principles of agroecology and permaculture. In this film, young … Read More

Milpa’s plot in Saint-Paul, Lesotho

Since 2017, The Ivory Foundation has been supporting deaf and hard of hearing youth in Lesotho. 5 students trained in agriculture have been placed on a new semi autonomous farm. Young people put their knowledge of agroecology into practice. This … Read More

Star-shaped crop boards

The young people of Saint Monica have had a new idea to create new crop boards! Putting their knowledge of mound creation into practice, they rethought the concept to make it a creative and original work. This initiative will be … Read More

Life on the farm in St Monica, Leribe, Lesotho – Episode 4 – The Milpa

New step toward autonomy: with the help of the crop manager, young people put their knowledge of agroecology into practice. This film shows the setting up of a Milpa plot, with the principle of the 3 sisters: Corn, climbing beans … Read More

Sheep shearing

Lesotho is a large producer of wool. Thus, many shepherds live in the mountains with their animals for part of the year, as shearing sheep is a traditional activity in this mountainous country. It was therefore important to valorize it … Read More

Some news of plantations in St Monica

After a good preparation of the soils at the end of winter, and early sowings, the plantations grow well in St Monica, thanks to the work of the 5 young deaf and hard of hearing people and the head of … Read More

Life on the farm in St Monica, Leribe, Lesotho – Episode 3 – Wool

5 students trained in agriculture have been placed on a new semi autonomous farm. 10 sheep and 2 goats were purchased by The Ivory Foundation to provide a significant resource for the St Monica farm. The sale of wool and … Read More

Plantations of fruit trees

The 5 deaf and hearing-impaired youngsters of Saint Monica planted fruit trees between the crop plots! Following the principle of agroforestry, the main function of these trees is to provide shade for the crops. One of the other functions they … Read More

Maintenance of corn

The youngs running the St Monica’s farm have maintained the cornfields today. Corn is an important crop in Southern Africa because it is used as semolina for daily food. We try to combine corn with cucurbits and beans, because corn … Read More

Life on the farm in St Monica, Leribe, Lesotho – Episode 2 The Chickens

After the bread making, the small breeding, including the hens, is an important element in order to achieve food autonomy. This activity also allows them to make a profit by selling surplus eggs at the market. In this video, the … Read More

Games at St Monica

The young people from the working farm met at the St Paul’s School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Leribe more than 5 years ago. They worked for 2 years on the school’s educational farm before sharing the … Read More

Life on the farm in St Monica, Leribe, Lesotho – Episode 1 – The bread

St Monica is seen as a farm of transition to autonomy. The aim is for young people to be able to build a professional project together which will then enable them to blossom while overcoming their handicap. In this sense, … Read More

Milpa culture

Now that the corn has grown and the squash is growing, it’s time to plant beans to their feet ! The principle of milpa is the optimization of space, by the association of three plants, which provide mutual benefits to … Read More

Small livestock activity at St Monica, Lesotho

On Saint Monica’s farm, in order to diversify resources for young people, a small livestock farming activity has also been set up. Herewith, around twenty hens raised in open air and ten sheep were acquired thanks to the support of … Read More

New Students at St Paul School for the Deaf

New students took over the former 5 young people, who at the end of their training, settled on Saint Monica’s farm with the support of The Ivory Foundation. The new St Paul’s team will learn all the steps of running a … Read More

The mandala, ready for new seedlings

The Mandala of St Monica, realized in November 2019, is empty!The fertile soil of its petals allowed the vegetables to grow quickly, and be harvested early February. Again, raised bed cultivation has shown its effectiveness, especially at the end of … Read More

New raised beds in St Monica

The farm of St Monica has a limited cultivable surface. They have to optimize space in the farm to obtain a sufficient crop yield and a mid-term objectif of financial autonomy. To achieved this, a long slope covered in grass … Read More

Cooking class in St Monica

The young people of St Monica’s farm find themselves for the first time independent, in charge of preparing their meals. The Ivory Foundation first covers their needs in basic products (oil, cornmeal, lentils and vegetables not available in the garden … Read More

Tomato boards

The garden of St Monica has been structured with the installation of several tomato boards. Linear structures made with branches support the tomato plant to prevent them from touching the ground and catching diseases.

Creation of St Monica’s Mandala

In order to start vegetable production on St Monica farm, in the middle of the dry season, we chose to start cultivation on a Mandala. It is a garden in the shape of a flower, the petals of which are … Read More

The great team

This is a great day for the 5 deaf and hearing-impaired young people trained at St Paul’s school, who after several weeks of work, can finally take over St Monica’s farm, with the support of The Ivory Foundation. Leepa Mosehle, … Read More

Rabbits have arrived

The rabbits arrived at St Paul’s school. The goal of these little furballs is to provide a dietary supplement for young people, the rapid multiplication to ensure a food resource over time, especially for the future autonomous farm of St … Read More

The ewes arrived

The ewes arrived in Leribe, Lesotho. They are part of the micro-farm project imagined by The Ivory Foundation to help the deaf children of St Paul’s School, trained for two years in agriculture and livestock farming, to settle their own … Read More

Development of a cheese activity at St Paul’s school

A student from Agrosup Dijon completed a 5-month internship in Lesotho. Among other things, he organized training for making cheese, to use the milk produced by cows and sheep from the school’s educational farm.He tested both ripened cheeses and feta-type … Read More

Use of termite mounds

Abandoned termite mounds are used as bio-fertilizers for growing the vegetables. The soil will be recovererd and mixed to be used in the greenhouse.

Plant nursery Preparation – Mamohato Children Center

A space has been delimited to accommodate the nursery, which will produce the necessary fertilizer trees for the field.

Plants to protect the plots

In Lesotho, agaves are used as barriers to protect cultures from animals.

Mamohato Children Center

Located on the outskirts of Maseru, the capital of Lesotho, this holiday center, funded by NGO Sentebale hosts groups of HIV positive children during the school holidays for one week. They come from all over the country, and enjoy a … Read More

Mamohato Children Center – preparation of the agroforestry plot

Training in agroforestry techniques was provided in May 2017 in Lesotho at the Mamohato Children Center. With one member of APAF  in charge of this training, plots have been identified in order to prepare the establishment of a vegetable garden … Read More

St Paul school, Leribe, Lesotho

Following the training given in 2016, the garden of Leribe is flourishing. With the help of the youth, the gardener Leepa, has multiplied the plots of cultivation, and the harvests are here.

Lesotho – Preparation of planting fertilizer trees

The seeds of fertilizer trees are covered with a natural coat which protects them but which also slows down the germination process. Some seeds require a scarification, which breaks this protective envelope. The seeds of moringa or gliricidia require only … Read More

A comic explaining basics of Permacuture.

Designing Hope has produced, with the support of The Ivory Foundation, an illustrated brochure presenting the techniques of permaculture. This document addresses several topics, the creation of raised beds, crops rotation, crops associations, with a focus on milpa, compost… This … Read More

living seeds

Agrosemens supports Designing Hope by allowing the distribution of reproducible seeds on its various projects in Africa (Swaziland, Lesotho, Mozambique, South Africa, Botswana). This support associated to training of techniques of agroecology and permaculture improves nutrition of hundreds of families, … Read More

Preparation of a raised bed

This films describes the preparation of a raised permaculture bed in a demonstration garden in a school in Lesotho  

Keyhole in stones

The Keyhole is a traditional gardening technique used in Africa for small surfaces. Culture is done on a raised surface in the shape of a horseshoe, and supplied with nutrients through a central composting area. Earthworms are developing in the center, … Read More