St. Rose Primary School
Peka, Lesotho

St. Rose Primary School is a school where many activities and events happen every day. 500 students, out of which about 70 are boarders, attend school here.

The sisters are busy teaching, counseling students and their parents when necessary, helping the needy orphans by paying for their fees, books and uniforms, visiting sick parents, especially those infected with HIV/AIDS. The sisters also work with the Legion of Mary, Children of Mary and altar boys.

Agriculture is taught in addition to the academic courses. Students are taught

The joys the sisters experience are many:
* Having the chance to build students intellectually, spiritually, mentally and physically is a great joy.
* Bonds with the parents and students are strong and they never hesitate to share their successes and problems with the sisters and other staff.
* Graduates visit the school and share with pride what they have accomplished in their jobs and community.
* Some graduates even have joined the Congregation.

The challenges are great as well:
* Children come each day to school without breakfast
* 20 children have been orphaned as a result of their parents dying of AIDS;
* Parents are unemployed and unable to pay the school fees
*The school receives no government subsidies and so relies on school fees which often do not cover the cost of maintenance, water and utilities

A new endeavor of some of the students and teacher is the making of sweets. The purpose is to teach the students how to create a small business and to help those students who either failed standard seven or were unable to go to high school because of poverty to find something to do beside loitering around. The sweets are sold to other students and the hope is that they can expand their market to other schools and local businesses.

For more information about this ministry, please contact:
Sr. Laurentina Motseki
St. Paul House
P.O. Box 68
Peka
Leribe, Lesotho

Phone: 22550207
motsekisnjm@yahoo.com
snjmmaria@yahoo.com