The Leuna Lechesa Building
Please click here to view more images of the building
Decision
From February 1992 until January 2005, Seliba Sa Boithuto operated at Emmanuel Hostel, where it used one large room for subsidized rent from the Sisters of Good Shepherd. This facility could cater for about 30 - 40 learners at the same time, but often there were more than 90 learners who wished to use the Centre.
Emmanuel Hostel could not provide SSB with more space and renting other facilities would be too expensive. Therefore, already in 1995, SSB decided to try and obtain its own site and facilities.
Preparations
SSB wished to keep the cost of using the Centre low, as many learners do not have much money.
Learners' contributions do cover the running cost of the Centre only. It was, therefore, decided
to approach outside donors to fund the site and the building.
On 22nd September1995 the SSB Building Fund Account was opened with the Postbank in The Netherlands,
managed by Mrs Christine Oberman until mid 2003, when Mrs Pauline Klöters took over. Friends
and relatives were asked to support the project and to deposit their donations in the above-mentioned account.
On 19th January 1999 the SSB Trust was been established in Lesotho, registered under file 25875 in the Deeds Registry, Maseru.
The aim of the Trust was and is to help SSB to obtain its own facilities and to provide further support.
Obtaining a site
After two years of negotiations and administrative red tape the SSB Trust acquired a site situated
at Ha Tsautse near the centre of Maseru, close to a main road, but on the side of a mountain.
The site is a quiet place, from which one has a marvellously undisturbed view over Maseru town.
The site has been leased for 90 years for educational purposes, at the Registrar of Deeds on 30 October 2000,
Registration No. 13291-608. This lease has been transferred to the Seliba Sa Boithuto Trust at the Registrar
of Deeds on 30 March 2001, Registration No. 26387.
Building in progress
In March 2004 the building process finally started and was finished in the beginning of 2005
It was decided to name the new building after Leuna Lechesa, because he had been very influential to start SSB and immensely supportive until his untimely death in 2003.
Official opening
At the 28th January 2005, the Leuna Lechesa Building was officially opened with a ceremony in presence of the Honourable Minister of Education and Training, Mr K M Tsekoa.
New building in use
SSB had already some tables, chairs, filing cabinets, shelves and storing cabinets. But more
equipment and furniture was needed for a larger space. Donations of 2nd hand furniture from Lancers
Inn and Progress PLC (both in Lesotho) partly solved this problem. SSB has also ordered 4 new
trapezium shapes tables and 10 chairs.
SSB had some computers and printers, but they are fast becoming outdated. SSB received funds
from Focussed Approach, a management consulting firm in Johannesburg, to buy a network with eight
new computers:
- -to learn computer skills
- -for Computer Assisted Learning
- -for internet access
Mr Brian MacCarthy of the security company Security Unlimited generously gave and installed an alarm system at the building for free. SSB now has a contract to get support when the alarm will go off.
Financial report and donors
The total cost of the building was M 816,401.05. It would not have been possible to accquire that ammount of money wihtout the great support of many donors, to who we would like to express our deep gratitude! Please click here to see the finacial details and the names of all our donors.
More details
Please click here to see more details about the building, like architecture plans, and the exact progress of the building process.