By Neo Kolane
Eighty fruit trees were planted at Thuso E Tla Tsoa Kae Primary School in Butha Buthe on Monday, courtesy of Standard Lesotho Bank (SLB) and the ministry of forestry and land reclamation.
The ministry and the Bank also signed a three-year memorandum of understanding which saw SLB contribute M600 000 towards the ministry’s efforts to eradicate poverty by planting fruit trees.
At the event, forestry and land reclamation minister Motlohi Maliehe commended Standard Lesotho Bank for extending a helping hand at the right time when the COVID-19 pandemic is wreaking havoc on livelihoods and the national economy.
Maliehe lamented that his ministry is not adequately resourced to purchase trees.
He pleaded with other companies and organizations to emulate Standard Lesotho Bank and give back to communities.
For his part, Standard Lesotho Bank’s acting head of marketing, Manyathela Kheleli, indicated that the MoU is in line with the bank’s mandate of social, economic and environment development.
Kheleli said the fruit trees will help meet the recipients’ nutrition needs thereby contributing towards attainment of both food security and self-reliance.
