Abstract

A project was undertaken to improve thelivelihoods of communities in the Qacha's Nek District ofLesotho, a small country enclaved within South Africa. Basicamenities that included the participatory provision andrehabilitation of VIP latrines, and knowledge on how to sitesuch sanitation technology in relation to water sources, wereprovided to double orphaned and other children, together withwomen and children who were HIV/AIDS patients. Individualsin the communities became more confident of theirenvironment and health, telling that their livelihoods had beenupgraded. Intestinal discomforts, for example, had reducedsubstantially, pointing to an upgrade of public health. Followingsuch community intervention, a country wide sensitization onidentification of technical flaws in VIP latrines in the entirecountry, the siting of such technology vis-a-vis the aquaticenvironment, and the facilitation of ways to address these flaws,are recommended.