Seriti sa Makhoarane

11/03/2026

06/03/2026

Who can guess which people Ntate Stephen Gill (historian) is referring to?

04/03/2026

Proud Heritage

02/03/2026

Coming soon...

27/02/2026

On Moshoeshoe Day, we shall release the first episode of a podcast series that asks a question we, as a nation, might have not asked, with sufficient seriousness until now: what happened to Moshoeshoe's vision after Moshoeshoe?

A founder's legacy is measured not by what he built but by what the next generation understood of what he built. We examined that question across generations of the royal lineage, across the historical record, across the oral tradition of the descendant community at the Royal Villages of Makhoarane, and we think we might have found an answer that changes the terms of the conversation.

The conversation begins on Moshoeshoe Day.

But before that we shall share snippets of the conversations...

26/02/2026

Appreciation Post:

Seriti sa Makhoarane (SSM) Heritage and Tourism Network wishes to express our sincere gratitude to Selibeng sa Thuto Trust (SST) for years of consistent and generous support.

SST has been with SSM since 2018, providing foundational funding that helped establish our governance structures and build our capacity as an organisation. Since then, SST has continued to invest in our work year after year, funding projects that have produced real, measurable outcomes for communities across the Makhoarane area.

In 2025 alone, SST funded five projects. The first saw primary school pupils from five local schools produce their own podcasts in Sesotho, publishing creative work in their mother tongue. The second delivered refresher training and official LTDC certification for tour guides and home-stay operators across five villages, 38 of whom are now nationally certified. The third brought community members together for workshops on climate change and its impact on historic buildings and heritage sites. The fourth trained local participants in traditional conservation techniques, building on skills that Maneo Sekata brought home from advanced training at the City and Guilds of London Art School. The fifth introduced our team to augmented reality applications, opening new possibilities for how we share the history of Makhoarane with visitors and learners.

SST also funded the publication of Morena Lerotholi Lekena Letsie, a Sesotho-language historical biography authored by Maneo Sekata. It is one of the very few full-length accounts of Paramount Chief Lerotholi ever published, and is based primarily on oral history interviews conducted with women who are direct descendants of Lerotholi’s wives. It stands as a significant contribution to Lesotho’s written heritage.

We are deeply grateful to SST for their trust in our work and for the tangible difference their support has made.

SSM is a registered organisation working to preserve, develop and promote the heritage and tourism potential of the Makhoarane area, for the direct benefit of its communities. Our work spans heritage conservation, community-based tourism, education, cultural documentation and research.
If you or your organisation would like to support our work, we welcome contributions through the following channels.

Mpesa: SSM Merchant No. 48483
Eco-Cash: SSM Merchant No. 74429
C-Pay: SSM Merchant No. 7813
Bank: Makhoarane Heritage and Tourism Fund Trust, Standard Lesotho Bank, Current Account 908-000-843-0620, Branch 063167, Swift: SBICLSMX

For international donors: please donate via the QR code through Scott Rosenberg of the Friends of Lesotho.

Send proof of payment to +266 6280-6552 or [email protected]

For more information about our projects and how your contribution is used, please visit www.makhoarane.com

Rea leboha. Thank you.

25/02/2026

The Makhoarane region is not just a royal heritage site - it is a cradle of Basotho literature and publishing.

Morija, meaning "Well-Spring of Learning," earned its name for good reason. It was here that the first missionaries arrived with the blessing of King Moshoeshoe I, establishing schools and printing presses that produced the first Sesotho publications in the 1830s and beyond.

📖 A LIVING LITERARY TRADITION:

At Seriti sa Makhoarane, we continue this tradition through our SSM Publishing programme:

✓ Sesotho Language Publications - Keeping our mother tongue alive through print
✓ "Morena Lerotholi Lekena Letsie" by Maneo Sekata - Celebrating royal heritage through literature
✓ Student-Created Heritage Books - Children document their own culture and traditions
✓ Educational Materials - Resources designed for local primary schools

🏛️ THE MORIJA LEGACY:

The Morija Museum & Archives houses one of Southern Africa's most important collections of Sesotho literature, including:
• Early Sesotho publications (1830s-1900s)
• Missionary archives
• Sesotho-language newspapers
• Historical documents

This makes Morija not just a village but a literary institution.

✍️ WHY PUBLISHING MATTERS:

Every book published in Sesotho is an act of cultural resistance against language extinction. With only a handful of Sesotho-language publications each year, each new book fights to keep our language alive.

Our publications:
• Reinforce mother-tongue literacy among young readers
• Preserve oral traditions in written form
• Create educational resources for local schools
• Celebrate Basotho authors and illustrators
• Build pride in Sesotho language and identity

📚 LITERACY IMPACT:

Through our publishing and education programmes:
• Primary school students improve Sesotho reading skills
• Young authors see their work in print
• Families read together in their mother tongue
• Community stories become community treasures

💰 SUPPORTING LOCAL AUTHORS:

SSM Publishing provides opportunities for local writers like Maneo Sekata to share their work, creating income for creators while preserving culture.

When you support SSM Publishing, you support:
• Language preservation for future generations
• Local authors and aspiring writers
• Literacy development in rural communities
• Cultural continuity through the written word

📖 Publishing is not just about books - it is about preserving a people's ability to tell their own story, in their own language, for their own future.

Join us in keeping the "Well-Spring of Learning" flowing.


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24/02/2026

Heritage is not just about the past - it is about building sustainable futures.

Community development is our mission. We use heritage as a tool for social transformation, creating tangible benefits for rural communities in the Makhoarane region.

🏘️ OUR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT APPROACH:

Sustainable Tourism as Economic Engine:
Our community-based tourism model ensures that tourism revenue stays in the community:
• certified homestay operators (85% women)
• certified tour guides with steady income
• community members trained in heritage skills
• local craftspeople connected to tourism markets

Infrastructure Benefits:
Tourism investment improves:
• Road access to remote villages
• Telecommunications
• Local businesses
• Community facilities

Skills Development:
Our training programmes create:
• Business management skills (homestay operations)
• Guiding skills (heritage interpretation)
• Digital literacy (documentation and marketing)
• Enterprise development (cultural products)

🤝 GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE:
• Governing Council with royal patronage
• Village Steering Committees in 4 villages
• Makhoarane Heritage and Tourism Fund Trust
• Transparent financial management

📊 ECONOMIC IMPACT:
Every homestay guest generates income for:
• The hosting family
• Local food suppliers
• Transportation providers
• Cultural experience providers

23/02/2026

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." - Nelson Mandela

Education is central to everything we do. We believe that literacy and learning preserve culture while empowering communities.

📚 OUR EDUCATION PROGRAMMES:

Mother Tongue Education:
We champion Sesotho language literacy, producing publications that reinforce pride in native language while building reading skills.

Primary School Partnerships:
Through our "Empowering Sesotho Expression" project with Healthy Minds Advocacy, we deliver weekly sessions in four primary schools:
• Bopeli Primary School
• Toloane Primary School
• St Mathews Primary School
• Makeneng LECSA Primary School

Students engage in:
- Indigenous storytelling
- Creative writing
- Arts-based therapy
- Sesotho language literacy

📖 SSM Publishing Initiative:
Our publishing arm produces Sesotho language materials, including:
• "Morena Lerotholi Lekena Letsie" by Maneo Sekata
• Student-created heritage books (distributed nationwide)
• Educational materials on Basotho history

🏛️ INTERGENERATIONAL DIALOGUE:
Our "Schools History Clubs" connect students with community elders, creating spaces for knowledge transfer between generations.

💰 FUNDING SUPPORT:
These programmes are made possible through grants from:
• Selibeng Sa Thuto Trust Fund
• Individual donors

🌍 WHEN WE EDUCATE, WE EMPOWER:
Every child who learns to read in Sesotho becomes a potential heritage guardian. Every student who interviews an elder keeps tradition alive. Every book we publish preserves language for future generations.

20/02/2026

Art is not separate from heritage - it is how heritage breathes.

At Seriti sa Makhoarane, we understand that Basotho culture lives through creative expression. Every song, story, craft, and celebration is a living archive.

🎨 OUR ARTS & CULTURE PROGRAMMES:

Oral History Documentation:
We record and archive stories from community elders, preserving the oral traditions that have transmitted Basotho knowledge for generations.

Sesotho Language Publications:
Our SSM Publishing initiative produces books in Sesotho, including "Morena Lerotholi Lekena Letsie" by Maneo Sekata, celebrating royal heritage through literature.

Cultural Mapping:
Community members document heritage sites, traditional practices, and cultural landmarks - creating a comprehensive map of Makhoarane's living culture.

Arts Integration in Education:
Our partnership with Healthy Minds Advocacy uses arts-based therapy and creative writing in schools, helping students express heritage through art.

🏛️ OUR HERITAGE SITES:
• Council Chambers (1893) - Where Chief Lerotholi held council
• Morija - "Well-Spring of Learning," where first missionaries arrived
• Makeneng - Royal village of Morena Lerotholi
• Phahameng - Part of the royal cluster

💡 WHY ARTS MATTER:
When we support artists, we support heritage. When we publish Sesotho books, we preserve language. When we teach children traditional songs, we ensure continuity.

Heritage is not a museum exhibit - it is a living, creating, evolving tradition. At SSM, we ensure it continues to breathe through art.