A Herd Boy’s Journey Toward Education and Hope in Mokhotlong

In the rugged highlands of Matsoaing, Mokhotlong, the day begins long before the sun touches the peaks. For 18-year-old Toma Sefeane, the silence of 3:00 a.m. is broken by the sound of the kraal opening. Long before the rest of the world wakes, Toma is guiding his livestock through the pre-dawn chill, a solitary figure balancing the heavy mantle of traditional duty against the modern ambition of a boy fighting to rewrite his destiny.  

Toma’s journey into the life of a herdboy was not born of choice, but of necessity. When he was in grade six, his elder brother married and left to seek employment, leaving no one to look after the family’s animals. Recognizing the crisis, Toma realized he had to leave school to protect his family’s livelihood.

Today, his responsibilities have only grown. With his parents working away in Natal,  South Africa, Toma serves as the primary caregiver for his three younger siblings, aged seven, ten, and twelve. His morning routine is a masterclass in time management: after taking the livestock to the veld, he rushes back home to warm water for his siblings and prepare them for school. Only after they have departed does he return to the animals.

Despite his absence from formal schooling, Toma’s thirst for knowledge remains unquenched. He attends evening classes at Matsoaing. While he comfortably helps his siblings in Sesotho and Mathematics when they have homework, he admits that English remains a hurdle, one they often seek a neighbour’s help to clear.

“I really like knowing English,” Toma says, his eyes lighting up. “The truth is that I have realized that everything now is done in English.”

He also occasionally attend training at the Herdboys school run by the Sisters of St Joseph at Matsoaing. Recently, he was a trainee among the 130 herdboys  who  participated in a four-day intensive training program on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), organized by UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Youth and Social Development, Vodacom Lesotho Foundation, and Help Lesotho.

The training  focused on, among others HIV prevention, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), and positive masculinity.

“We have learnt about avoiding unplanned pregnancies and gender-based violence,” Toma explains, describing lessons that challenge traditional notions of manhood. The training is part of a broader strategy to dismantle the high rates of teenage pregnancy, child marriage, and gender based violence.

Ms. ‘Maseretse Ratia, the Adolescent and Youth Programme Officer for UNFPA, noted that the momentum for this support grew after a 2025 visit to the school, where leaders from UNFPA, Vodacom Lesotho, Let’seng Diamonds and the LHDA pledged their support to the herdboys. The goal is to ensure these young men are conscious of their actions, moving away from harassment or violence and toward productive roles in society.

UNFPA Representative Mr John Kennedy Mosoti has expressed immense pride in this collaboration between the United Nations and the private sector. By pooling resources, the initiative aims at addressing the most urgent challenges facing Lesotho’s youth. “We are concerned about the high rates of teenage pregnancy, child marriage, suicide, and gender-based violence in Lesotho,” he stated.

The Chief Executive Officer of Vodacom Lesotho, Mohale Ralebitso, emphasized the role of digital technology in expanding opportunities for rural youth, noting that connectivity can open doors to education, knowledge and economic participation.

Meanwhile, Sister Elizabeth Lerotholi, the Principal of the Herd boys’ School, said they have noticed positive change from the herdboys who take part in the training at their school, saying they are no longer just herders but conscious guardians of their community, stopping harassment of tourists, protecting the rangelands, and rejecting violence.

For Toma, these programs represent more than just education; they are a bridge to a life where he can be both a provider for his family and a leader in his community. By transforming the traditional role of the herd boy into one of an informed, digitally connected citizen, the partnership is ensuring that no one, not even those in the furthest reaches of the highlands, is left behind. –UNFPA Lesotho