Sisters of Charity Centre for the Poor and the Less Privileged

We are a Congregation of Religious women named Sisters of Charity of Lesotho. We were founded in Canada in 1845.

St Claire Convent is at located Sekamaneng, Maseru in Lesotho. It is where miracles and wonders have been happening due to Divine Providence. This convent has a community of five. Sisters- The superior- Sr Margaret Mahapang

- The assistants-Sr Exinia Chakache, Sr Victoria Khoele and Sr Jeanette Mohasi.

Sr. Alphonsina Ts`omo

It is in this convent where The Centre for the Poor and the Less Privileged was founded under the supervision of Sr Margaret Mahapang. This centre was established in the year 2000, whereby the Sisters of Charity in Lesotho were responding to the charge of their congregation- that of “showing compassion without boundaries”. We serve the poor of all sorts, but especially the orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) of Lesotho.

The Sisters were compelled by the Lord’s Holy Spirit to do something to help the desperate world, which is engulfed in a dark cloud of the pandemic (HIV/AIDS). So they chose to help the Basotho Nation by taking care of the orphans and vulnerable children; , that they too may feel that the world cares for them.

Therefore, the objectives of this centre are to provide shelter, food, education, clothes and a homelike environment in an attempt to alleviate the social and psychological losses of the OVC we serve. Furthermore, this centre was established in response to the Vaal Reefs Disaster, whereby 55 Basotho people were killed in the Republic of South Africa Mines, leaving 164 children. The remaining parents were not able to support the children beyond the termination benefits of the sole bread winners.

We are very grateful that the Lord has appointed us to be the instruments of His love towards the needy. As Jesus has mentioned in the Holy Scriptures , (Mt 25:35-36) : “I was hungry and you fed me, thirsty and you gave me a drink; I was a stranger and you received me in your homes, naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you took care of me, in prison and you visited me.” We will continue to assist these children with compassion.