Community Conversations help reduce violence – the case of Ribaneng!!

The Community Capacity Enhancement through Community Conversations (CCE-CC) Programme reinforces community capacity for knowledge generation and transfer as it facilitates that strengthening of HIV and other social services, with communities demanding delivery of services for Human Rights protection and promotion. The programme has been re-introduced in Lesotho in September 2009 with the training of 37 Community Facilitators who have been facilitating conversations in three community councils, Ramoetsana (Ribaneng), Seshote and Tsime.

As evident in the initial results from the programme the three selected areas have serious social challenges ranging from high rates of gender based violence, child abuse, inter-community disputes & violence, poor service delivery, governance issues (chiefs Vs Community Councillors), to high HIV related morbidity and mortality.

 “This month only one person was killed, before this programme was introduced to us four months ago, on average six people were murdered almost monthly”, said a vibrant community councilor in Ribaneng, Mafeteng.

This has been attributed to the success of the UNDP supported programme as the communities were traumatized by the disputes resulting from various inter-community issues including range demarcations, local performing artists’ disputes, and gender based violence. 

Ribaneng is a mountainous area within the Ramoetsana community council, which is, like other Basotho communities characterized by various social challenges and service delivery including high levels of unemployment, HIV & AIDS, Gender Based Violence and poverty just to mention a few.   

When officially opening the Conversation, Chieftainess ‘Mamojela Mohale expressed their gratitude to UNDP and to the Community Facilitators who have tirelessly worked to transform the Ribaneng communities through the Community Conversations, highlighting facts such as their patience, resilience and perseverance even during some very tense occasions when a community conversation would be held immediately following a funeral or violence within the community.

Community members reflecting on their challenges

Through the utilization of various CCE tools, the Ribaneng and neighbouring communities within the Council have also realized and now appreciate the strong social capital that exists within them. These include succeeding in community-driven peace-keeping event as they managed to mobilize the local, district and regional Police and stakeholders to the largest ever peace-keeping gathering within the community in March 2010, while a community request has been lodged to have a Police post within the area. “We had never , in our wildest dreams, thought that we would have such open discussions in this community as once you disagreed with some of the activities that were happening in this area, you would be the next on the ‘hit list’ and get killed” , said Lekhache community councilor  Theresia.

The community members appreciated the programme as it has awarded them to opportunity to discuss and resolve their own issues and challenges. They however noted that though there are some successes, other challenges like unavailability of electricity and proper sanitation within the area still persist. They therefore reflected on their historical timeline and noted some of the successes they achieved in the past and currently, such as community societies, the Mohair spinning factory, and the joint initiatives for community development.  

We have been paying our community burial subscriptions reliably over the years as women started these community initiatives with us men following, so if the women want this community to develop, everything that we plan here will happen!” said Mr Lefu Mohlophe.

Mr Mohlophe emphasizing the power of women

In conclusion, the community acknowledged some outstanding activities which would be followed up, such as the HIV & AIDS training for men, which will now be further developed to include Gender Based Violence as it is a challenge within the community.  Though the programme’s intention is to strengthen HIV prevention efforts with a strong focus on the social and cultural dynamics of multiple and concurrent partnerships in Lesotho, its all-encompassing and community focused nature enables communities to tackle HIV while at the same time addressing related developmental challenges.

Puleng Letsie, HIV & AIDS and Gender Advisor - UNDP Lesotho